National Update
Newsletter of the World Affairs Council
National Office December 2005

In this issue...

Council System Achievements 2005
NewsNotes

Congratulations to All on Another Great Year!

Achievements of the Council System 2005 

 *  Philadelphia Council hosted President Bush for his third speech on policy. 

* Councils hosted heads of state from Korea, Poland, Turkey, Slovakia, Cyprus, Ukraine, Mongolia, Lithuania, Nigeria, and Madagascar.

*  National television coverage for presidential speech and over 50  council events on C-SPAN and PBS.

*  Launched new Chairman's Dinner and Chairman's Circle.  First-ever  Lifetime Public Service Award given to Colin Powell.

*  Adopted new logo for nationwide council system branding.

*  Published and distributed first-ever council system brochure for nationwide use.

*  San Francisco held the first-ever North American Forum with NGOs and officials from Canada, Mexico , and US.

*  Hosted three major conferences: National Conference in Washington, World Leadership Forum in New York, Asilomar Conference in Monterey.

*  Published Is More or Less Secure? based on national debate series.

*  Held Third Academic WorldQuest supported by 49 councils and 155 sponsors.

*  Created new expanded national website and reached 75 websites in  council websites.

*  Established Philadelphia 's Travel the World as the fifth National Flagship Program.

*  Ran national program series on UN Reform, Expanding Freedom and Building Democracy, Transatlantic Tensions, Weaponization of Space, Future of Korea, Rising Anti-Americanism, and The People Speak.

*  Added new councils in Spokane and Greenville NC .

*  Hosted more than 50 authors on book tours nationwide.

*  Grew nationwide to $37 million, best-ever funding despite hard year  for fundraising.  Major grants from Ford, Carnegie, Annenberg.

*  Houston, Minnesota , Seattle, and Dallas councils passed the $1m  budget mark.

*  Expanded Great Decisions Flagship Program participation to 62 councils.

NewsNotes

*  Registration is still ongoing, you can register online at  http://www.worldaffairscouncils.org.

*  The first Great Decisions Flagship Program overseas trip will be to   on September 2-14, run by the Philadelphia Travel Program. For more information, call 800-942-5004 x 217 or e-mail travel@wacphila.org.

*  The first Barbara Chisolm Memorial Lecture Series to be held in January and February in Asheville, Charleston, Hilton Head, Savannah, Palm Beach, and Naples .

*  The new 2006 Recommended Speakers book has gone to the printer. Will be mailed out to councils and put on the national website on January 2.

*  San Francisco now offers free podcasts of its programs.  Go to  http://www2.itsyourworld.org/media/podcast.php to subscribe.

*  The Dallas and Ft. Worth Councils officially merge on January 1.

* Amb. Tom Pickering, Senior VP at Boeing and former Ambassador to   will speak on "What Americans Need to Know About India" at the  2006  national Conference.

Have a Wonderful, Well-deserved Holiday Season!