World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts

Karzai Poster in Traffic

If you would like more information about the World Affairs Council Leadership Delegation visit to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a PDF version of the Trip Report can be downloaded by clicking here.  The report was written by our own Ken Furst, and his fellow delegates Maria Zammit from the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads, Laura Dupuy from the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, James Falk from the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Forth Worth, Mimi Gregory from the Naples Council on World Affairs, and Ljubomir Stambuk from the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.  It offers very detailed accounts of all of their meetings in Kabul in March.

Rug Merchants

You can read Ken’s blog posts, written during his trip, on our website here and see video or download audio from his Instant Issues presentation in April here.

Renaissance High School students Yezenia Rodriguez, Kristal Viera, Jesse Lederman (alternate), Kyle Richmond-Crosset, & Zachary Holland at The White House in the rain.

Zachary, Kyle, Yezenia and Kristal prepare to compete

We have a couple of photos of our team from the Springfield Renaissance High School who represented the Council and the region at The World Affairs Councils of America’s 10th Annual Academic WorldQuest competition in April.

In addition to the competition with teams from all over the country, the students attended a reception at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China where Ambassador Zhang Yesui gave his observations on the US-China relationship and a reception at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia.

Coach Angela Sullivan with the Renaissance Team and the Washington Monument

Please join us in celebrating all the Springfield area students who participated in our local competition at our next Instant Issues event featuring Michael Klare, Director of the Five College Peace and World Security Studies program, who will be speaking about his new book on Thursday, May 17.

Dr. Michael T. Klare

Dr. Michael T. Klare, Director of the Five College Peace and World Security Studies Program, will speak on The Race For What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources, on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at noon in the Community Room at 1350 Main Street—3rd Floor (Sovereign Bank), downtown Springfield.

We will also be recognizing area high school teams who participated in our Academic WorldQuest competition at Western New England University in January, including our champions from the Springfield Renaissance High School who represented the Council and the region at the 10th Annual Academic WorldQuest competition on April 21, hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America in Washington, DC.

The cost for members is $5 without a lunch and $15 with a lunch provided.  Nonmembers cost is $10 without a lunch and $20 with a lunch provided.  To reserve a sandwich (tuna, turkey or vegetarian), please  register on line with a credit card here or call the World Affairs Council office at 413-733-0110.

RSVP deadline for this event is Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

Michael Klare is defense correspondent of The Nation magazine, and author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet:  The New Geopolitics of Energy, Resource Wars and Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America’s Growing Petroleum Dependency.  Klare serves on the boards of directors of Human Rights Watch, and the Arms Control Association. He is a regular contributor to many publications including Tom’s Dispatch, Mother Jones, and is a columnist for Foreign Policy In Focus.  He is a frequent and popular speaker at World Affairs Councils across the country.  Copies of Michael’s new book The Race for What’s Left will be available for purchase at the event.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by United Bank, Robinson Donovan PC, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and A. L. Cignoli Company.  Our media sponsor is BusinessWest.

US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker (left) and Ken Furst look on as ISAF Commander Gen. John Allen greets Mimi Gregory from the Naples Council on World Affairs in Kabul.

If you missed World Affairs Council Past President Ken Furst’s presentation at our April 18 Instant Issues event–or if you’d like to see it again–it is now available on our website here , thanks to our web maven Jeremy Cole.  You can also download an audio podcast of the talk on that same page.  Ken’s blog posts during his trip to Afghanistan in March are still available here.

The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts will celebrate our next Adventure in International Dining on Tuesday, May 1 at Solmar Restaurant & Pub, 132 Main St, Indian Orchard/Springfield.

Don’t miss this opportunity to try a taste of Portugal and get to know your fellow World Affairs Council members in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.  We will begin at 6:00 P.M. with a Social Hour-Cash Bar featuring an Appetizer Table of Pasteis Bacalhau (Codfish Cakes), Chourica Assada (Grilled Portuguese Sausage), and Fresh Vegetables with Dip.

Dinner will be served family style–so everyone can have a bit of everything–at 6:45 P.M. and will include  Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa (baked codfish with potatoes in an onion sauce), Carne de Porco a Alentejana (Clams and pork served over “home-fried” potato chunks), Coelho-Rabbit in a garlic/olive oil paprika sauce, Arroz- Rice, Portuguese Rolls and Butter.

To finish we will have a Dessert of Pudim de Flan (custard pudding) or Rice Pudding with Coffee and Tea.

The cost is $35 per person

Space is limited so please register with payment by April 23 by contacting the World Affairs Council office.   If you would like to pay with a credit card, please register on line here online with a credit card.

General John Allen & Ken Furst at International Security Assistance Force command headquarters in Kabul

Ken R. Furst, president of the Momentum Group and Past President of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, had an extraordinary opportunity in March 2012 to participate in a mission to Afghanistan under the auspices of the US Department of State and hosted by Ambassador Ryan Crocker.  Ambassador Crocker arranged for this mission so that a group of independent citizens could meet with Afghan people and officials to get first-hand their views of the current situation in Afghanistan. The Ambassador believes World Affairs Councils are the premier organizations in the U.S. for informing Americans on foreign affairs at the community level. This once in a lifetime opportunity included high level meetings with people representing a broad variety of constituents and activities, including General John Allen, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force, and an unprecedented audience with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

On Wednesday, April 18, 2012, Ken will speak at an Instant Issues event on his Impressions of Afghanistan at noon in the Community Room at 1350 Main Street—3rd Floor (Sovereign Bank), downtown Springfield.

The cost for members is $5 without a lunch and $15 with a lunch provided.  Nonmembers cost is $10 without a lunch and $20 with a lunch provided.  To reserve a sandwich (tuna, turkey or vegetarian), please register on line here or call the World Affairs Council office at 413-733-0110.  RSVP deadline for this event is Monday, April 16, 2012.

During his trip, Ken blogged about his experiences for this website.  He currently serves as chair of the Nominating Committee of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts and also sits on the board of the WFCR Foundation.

The Instant Issues series is generously sponsored by United Bank, Robinson Donovan PC, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and A. L. Cignoli Company, Our media sponsor is BusinessWest.

Cultural Vistas Program Associate Kara Page and Cyd Melcher from the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts discuss International Visitors resources in Greater Springfield

Cyd Melcher, Executive Director of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, has been in Washington, DC this week to attend the national meeting of the National Council for International Visitors.  In addition to attending sessions on fundraising, social networking and regional briefings from the US Department of State, Cyd had the opportunity to visit several program agencies–including Cultural Vistas–that are among the decision makers determining if participants in the International Visitor Leadership Program will come to Western Massachusetts.  Meeting speakers have included Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Senator John McCain, and James Zogby, founder and president of the Arab-American Institute.  A few fun events have been thrown in as well including receptions at the State Department and the Embassy of Mongolia.

IVLP visitors from Oman learn about career counseling offered to students at Holyoke Community College