WACA National Update
Monthly Newsletter of the World Affairs Council System
May 2006

In this issue...
Teachers’ Workshop on Africa
Inside the State Department
From Awareness to Action
Travel the World to North Korea
NewsNotes

National Teachers’ Workshop on Africa

In June, teachers from around the council system will make their way to Washington to participate in the National Workshop on Africa.

They will meet with officials of the State Department, the World Bank, CSIS, Woodrow Wilson Center, World Vision, and the Global Health Council.  The Moroccan Embassy is hosting a reception and the National Geographic a “My Wonderful World” luncheon. 

George Ayittey of American University speaks on poverty, former Rep. Howard Wolpe of the Woodrow Wilson Center on recovering from genocide, Amb. Michael Ranneberger on Darfur, and John Hatch of FINCA on microenterprise.  Additional events will cover debt relief, corruption, AIDS, Botswana, Nigeria, and more.

The workshop is for teachers using WACA flagship program “World in Transition” materials produced by the Atlanta Council.  The workshop is funded by a generous grant from the Delavan Foundation.

Chairman's Circle Visits State Department

Chairman's Circle met in Washington in mid May.  National Chairman Amb. Jim Jones hosted a dinner at the Watergate to kick the program off.

At the State Department, the group got a special guided tour of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms and met with Dr. Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, on global warming, the Kyoto Treaty, and building of democracy across the globe. 

During lunch with Amb. David Welch, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, Chairman's Circle members discussed the election of Hamas and its implications for Middle East peace, the war on terrorism, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Iraq, and Iran. 

The day ended with a tour of State's Operations Center which was created at the height of the Cold War to provide instant information on global crises.  It has immediate access to all top diplomats, military officials, and over 260 posts worldwide. 

The Chairman's Circle now has 28 members and is in its second year.  There are still places for those wish to join.  Last year Chairman’s Circle spent a day on the USS Theodore Roosevelt seeing day and night flight operations.  They also attended a lunch with Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Edmund Giambastiani.  Later this year, members will join the Travel the World trip “Inside North Korea”.

Oregon's “From Awareness to Action” Program

Looking to further the impact of their events, especially after the visit of Bono in November of 2004, the Oregon Council began its “From Awareness to Action!” program as a Global Action Fair. Since then, they’ve held 2 more Global Action Fairs when Wangari Maathai and Shririn Ebadi spoke to the council in 2006.

The program has grown as a way to connect local groups with action groups and led to the creation of their own action plans.  Southridge H.S. created a program to support a school in Uganda.  The program led to a teacher trip to Uganda in 2005 and this year the trip will include high school students. In addition, a Great Decisions discussion group created an action plan and raised money to provide mosquito nets to people in Madagascar.

The council is developing a website to list the projects developed in Oregon under the “From Awareness to Action!” banner as a clearinghouse for ongoing projects.

If you have questions, contact Karen Ettinger or Theresa Burks in Oregon or visit http://www.worldoregon.org/events/issed.php.

Inside North Korea

WACA Flagship Program “Travel the World” will be headed to North Korea this fall.  The 12-day tour begins and ends in Beijing with visits to Pyongyang, Nampo, Myohyang, and Kaesong.

The highlight of is the "Arirang Grand Mass Gymnastic and Artistic Performance" in Pyongyang: 100,000 people perfectly synchronized in a socialist realism extravaganza.

Our own Jane Wales, President of the San Francisco Council, will lead the group.  She helped develop the policy positions regarding the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including the 1994 Agreed Framework with North Korea.

There are only 8 spaces still available on this trip. For more information, visit http://www.wacphila.org/travel/nkorea.html.

NewsNotes

*  Welcome to Adm. Jonathan T. Howe who will replace Amb. Marilyn McAfee as President of the Jacksonville Council. Amb. McAfee has finished six remarkable years as president and will remain on the board.

*   Also welcome to Karen Glitman, the new Executive Director of the Vermont Council, and to Joe Koszarek the Chairman-elect in Orange County.

*  WACA President Jerry Leach will lead the first Great Decisions Tour “Inside Turkey” with the Travel the World Program from September 2 to 14, 2006.  For more information, see http://www.wacphila.org/travel/travel_upcoming.html#turkey

*  The National Board will meet July 27 to 30 in San Diego.  For more information, contact Barbara Propes at 202-833-4557.

*  The FPA will host a teacher workshop on the topics and use of Great Decisions June 26 to 29 with NYU.  For more information, visit www.fpa.org.   

*  The DC council is hosting a Summer Institute for teachers on “Looking Towards Asia” June 26 to 30, for more information visit http://www.worldaffairsdc.org/main.asp?sid=22.  If interested, contact Amanda Stamp at 202-293-1051.

“Any participation, even in the smallest public function, is useful.”
- John Stuart Mill -