World Affairs Council Upstate Events
Every year, the nation-wide network of World Affairs Councils collectively conducts more than 1200 programs in communities and cities across the nation. Each council sets its own calendar and programs. The WACA offers a number of programs every year, including our annual National Conference, national program series, Leadership Missions, and special programs. It also acts as a distribution center for five national flagship programs: Academic World Quest, It’s Your World!,
Great Decisions, Travel the World, and World in Transition.
Rather than set ticket prices, WACU is instituting a new “Pay What You Wish” policy. A donation of $5-10 or an annual membership is suggested.
Donate here. or Become a Member here. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Upcoming 2020 WACU events:
Who Is Watching America and What Do They See?
An America and the World Conversation
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 – an online, live event
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The United States has modeled itself as a leader in the free world, boasting a democratic government and universally appealing values. Yet this year has tested the idea of “American Exceptionalism”. When considering the national response to the coronavirus, polarization along party lines, reaction to systemic racism, and a contested election, our global image has taken a hit. Now the world watches to see how a Biden presidency could impact U.S. relations with the rest of the world. Join our experts as they discuss our global reputation.
Kyle David Anderson is the Senior Director for the Office of Global Engagement at Clemson University. He comes from Centre College (KY), where he served as the Director of the Center for Global Citizenship, and the head of Asian Studies and Chinese Studies. His work in global education has focused primarily on faculty and curriculum development, partnership creation, and student global learning. Recent projects include a US Department of State US-Serbia partnership; the creation of Schwehr Global Service-Learning platforms in India and South Africa; a Henry Luce Foundation LIASE project in China, Thailand and Malaysia; and the creation of an Andrew Mellon multi-institutional study abroad consortium.
Anderson is a former Fulbright junior scholar (Taiwan) and Fulbright-Hays fellow (China and Italy). He publishes regularly in the fields of global education, literary history, and Chinese fiction and translation. He is also active in educational development in Asia, serving as a founder and member of the Board of Trustees of Myanmar’s first private liberal arts university, the Parami University of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
David Esch began his development career in Ghana working with local government; he went on to work with USAID/USDA designing and delivering management workshops in five countries in Africa; he served as Vice President for the Institute of Public Administration, NY & DC, working on projects in Bangladesh and Indonesia; he was a Regional Training Advisor in the USAID Office of International Training, assisting missions in the Asia Middle East; became an Foreign Service Office, serving in Pakistan; USAID Desk Officer in DC for Pakistan & Afghanistan; Chief of Party, USAID Training Project in Moscow; short term consultant on USAID democracy and governance for DAI in Bulgaria; Chief of Party, USAID project for economic development and export readiness in Ghana; and Chief of Party, Guyana for democracy and governance project. Currently he volunteers with SCORE developing small businesses in South Carolina, continues his consulting with USAID through Design Thinkers Group USA, Greenville, consults with local non-profits and contributes to Upstate International’s social media platforms. He holds a Masters in Management from Vanderbilt University and a BS from University of Oregon
Join the conversation live online Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Presentations generally run from 12-1:00 with plenty of time afterwards to ask your specific questions.
Free to Register; Registration Required
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email containing the link you will need to join the webinar.
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There are other Upcoming WACU Events in the planning stage: If you have an idea for an interesting international business topic or speaker please let us know.
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You may have missed these, so here is a 2nd chance to
access the series on our Upstate International YouTube Channel:
If you could not attend, or you just want to view it again to refresh yourself on points that were discussed, you are in luck. We have posted PDF files of the slides, if any were used, in the presentation and a YouTube video recording of the presentations. Each one is property of Upstate International and the speakers. They cannot be used or redistributed for commercial purposes without the express and written consent of both Upstate International and the speakers. If you download or view these presentations you are agreeing to the property statement written above. If you are caught in violation of this agreement, action can be taken by owners.
Tragedy in Beirut, An America and the World Conversation with Chris McNaboe and moderated by Nathan Stock
(Originally aired 11/19/20)
Brief Summary: Lebanon is no stranger to adversity, but the massive explosion in Beirut this past August (2020) was devastating. It left 6000 injured, at least 200 dead, and 300,000 homeless. Chris McNaboe, living in Beirut when the explosion occurred, will provide an eyewitness account on what happened and the aftermath. Why is the health and recovery of this country so important to the United States? Lebanon is vital for helping to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East. Our discussion will explore the history of Lebanon leading up to the tragedy, the impact of the blast compounded during a pandemic, and what the prognosis will be for this small country moving forward.
The Future of Our Food Safety with Mark Moorman, the Director of the Office of Food Safety at the FDA
(Originally aired 11/5/20)
Brief Summary: In our increasingly global market, where does our food come from and is it always safe? The pandemic crisis has accelerated the need for increased traceability of our food and better methods to predict disruptions in our food supply. In the future, rapid response to foodborne illnesses and outbreaks will become increasingly vital to our feelings of security concerning food. The FDA predicts that we will see more changes in the food system in the next 10 years than we have in decades. To address these challenges they have released a blueprint that ushers in “A New Era of Smarter Food Safety,” which outlines the role each of us will share in helping ensure our food is safe moving forward.
Why It Matters: The Belarus Protests, An America and the World Conversation with David DeBatto, Michal Matlak, and moderated by Professor Brent Nelsen
(Originally aired 10/29/20)
Brief Summary: Belarus is in the midst of unprecedented protests and demonstrations after many years of President Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule. How did the situation become so volatile? Will Russia intervene to save Lukashenko? How have women become the sustaining force behind these protests? On the eve of our own elections, what lessons can the U.S. learn from the protests in Belarus?
Let’s Get Business Moving: A New Plan for Supply Chain Innovation, a panel discussion with industry experts including Suzanne Dickerson SC Council on Competitiveness, Julie Branham Director of Supply Chain Michelin North America,
Gerald McDermott Professor of International Business at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and faculty director of the Folks Center for International Business, and Dr. Nick Vyas Executive Director and founder of Center for Global Supply Chain Management (CGSCM) and Academic Director at USC Marshall MS GSCM program.
(Originally aired on 10/7/20)
Brief summary: What matters most to the businesses and people who live in South Carolina? Do we focus on onshoring our supply chains or creating more efficiency through the use of technology? What does this all mean for small to medium enterprises in our area? The Upstate of South Carolina is home to a thriving business economy leading the way in the automotive, aerospace, and advanced materials industries. Using innovation, technology, and training to address today’s supply chain challenges and disruptions, our panelists will share effective strategies to increase supply chain performance. Join us to discuss solutions for Upstate SC as our area continues to move forward as leaders and innovators in these valuable industries.
Global Opportunity, Local Impact: The Life Sciences Industry Responds to COVID, a panel discussion with industry leaders including Sam Konduros, President/CEO of SCBIO, Nate Wilbourne is founder and CEO of Precision Genetics, Jennifer Noel Fletcher, SC Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Shane Grivich, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at ChartSpan Medical technologies
(Originally aired on 9/24/20)
Brief summary: With more than 650 firms and 43,000 professionals engaged in research, development and commercialization of innovative healthcare, medical device, industrial, environmental and agricultural biotech and products, life sciences in South Carolina is booming. The Palmetto State increasingly earns a prominent seat at the table of this $1.5 trillion industry. Yet at its core, life sciences is personal – focused on improving health and quality of life for each of us as individuals. Hear from 3 leaders how their work and the industry is impacting your own health and future here at home … and how the growing cadre of life sciences leaders and entrepreneurs across the Palmetto State are making waves around the world.
The Dynamics of Today’s Supply Chain with Southeast Asia featuring Ambassador Robert Blake, Jr. and moderated by Professor William Lasser
(Originally aired on 8/18/20)
Brief summary: The dynamic of today’s supply chain with Southeast Asia will be discussed. What factors are accelerating shifts in manufacturing? Which SE Asian nations are at the forefront of attracting that supply chain investment and what do they have to offer? Will China remain at the forefront?
Beyond Health: How COVID-19 will Reshape International Development with Global Communities Experts David Weiss and Carrie Hessler-Radelet
(Originally aired on July 22, 2020)
Brief summary: Countries that had been closing in on the elimination of poverty have been forced to change direction. The pandemic has exacerbated the precarious positioning of these already vulnerable populations. Join our experts as we discuss the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on the countries surviving with no safety net and what we can do to help. Both David Weiss and Carrie Hessler-Radelet are executives with Global Communities, a global development and humanitarian assistance organization committed to working in partnership with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable, impactful changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. Working in 27 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, Asia and Europe, Global Communities’ expertise includes innovation in rural sanitation, market-based workforce education, and strengthening civil society.
Leadership in These Turbulent Times with Four-Star General John Allen (ret.) and President of the Brookings Institution
(Originally aired on July 15, 2020)
Brief summary: World Affairs Council Upstate is thrilled to welcome 4 Star General (ret) and President of the Brookings Institution, General John Allen. It has been said that leaders are not born, they are made. In these turbulent times we need to make more opportunities to increase diversity among our leaders. Join us for this thoughtful and timely discussion.
Foreign Policy in the Crosshairs: a Conversation with Ambassador Herbst
(Originally aired on July 9, 2020)
Brief summary: Ambassador John Herbst shares over 30 years of experience as a foreign service officer to help us better understand the current state of our foreign policy, the good, the bad and the indifferent. What is impacting U.S. Foreign Policy and what, if anything, can we learn from former National Security Advisor, John Bolton’s, new book? Ambassador Herbst will help us to make sense of the world in which we live, how the U.S. fits in to that world, and how the world views us.
Doing Business with Belgium and The Netherlands Post COVID-19 with Consuls General William De Baets, of Belgium, and Ard vander Vorst, of the Netherlands, presented in partnership with World Affairs Council Upstate, the Upstate SC Alliance and the European American Chamber of Commerce.
(Originally aired on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.)
Brief summary: We’re not just talking beer & waffles and windmills & tulips, next-door neighbors Belgium and the Netherlands are major players in each other’s economies. In 2018, over $133 billion dollars in economic activity was directly related to trade between the two countries. The two countries are also making a big impact in the Upstate. Over 30 industries in the region can trace their roots back to Belgium and the Netherlands. How has COVID-19 impacted the economies of Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as trade with the U.S. and S.C.? Join us to hear from Consuls General William De Baets, of Belgium, and Ard vander Vorst, of the Netherlands, as they discuss trade between their countries and the U.S. and the impact of COVID-19.
Power Plays: Civil Liberties or Public Health? with Sahar Vardi and Dr. Katherine Barbieri, moderated by Nathan Stock.
(Originally aired live on May , 2020)
Brief summary:Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, while responding to the public health emergency, governments around the world have been using extreme measures severely restricting civic space. While much of this is justified and needed to contain the pandemic, many governments around the world have taken advantage of the situation and are implementing new surveillance mechanisms, silencing opposition, and targeting marginalizing populations as part of ongoing oppression. This presentation will look at some of these restrictions from different countries, how they manifest, and what are some global trends to be aware of, as well as possible alternatives. Listen to Sahar Vardi and Dr. Katherine Barbieri as they focus on human rights and civil liberties as it relates to the COVID-19 response by different governments internationally as well as the response by the U.S. government.
Rebels vs. Rule Followers: In a Crisis Who Wins? with Michele Gelfand, moderated by Dr. Courtney Tollison
(Originally aired live on May 7, 2020)
Brief summary: How are individuals, organizations, communities, and nations shaped by their cultures? Our speaker, Dr. Michele Gelfand has looked at the coronavirus pandemic through the lens of tight and loose cultures. The U.S., she says, is a loose culture with ambivalence toward measures that erode our autonomy and liberty. “The [coronavirus] response so far echoes our loose cultural programming. It’s been conflicted. It’s been unstandardized, it’s been uncoordinated,” she says. “We really do need to change our cultural programming in this context. The problem is that … it’s hard for us to give up liberty for constraint. But it’s critical for our safety.” Join Gelfand and moderator Dr. Courtney Tollison, historian, for this timely discussion.
Dirty Planet: What’s the Cost of a Clean Conscience? with John K. Glenn and Bill Marshall, moderated by Nathan Stock
(Originally aired live on April 29, 2020)
Brief summary: We all know that the burning of carbon based fuels releases CO2, the major cause of global climate change. But did you know that there has been a disproportionate impact of climate change on the developing world? Our distinguished speakers will focus on how businesses in both the US and around the world are responding to the challenges and what they are doing to effect change in industry standards and policy responses. Tune in with John Glenn, Policy Director for the USGLC and Bill Marshall who has over 25 years experience as a COO and CFO of international business units for Dun & Bradstreet.
Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis with Weston Dripps, moderated by Nathan Stock
(Originally aired live on April 22, 2020)
Brief summary: Join Weston Dripps, Furman University’s Executive Director of the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities, for a virtual celebration of Earth Day’s 50th anniversary. He will share some of the highlights from the past 50 years of the environmental movement, some environmental observations from the impacts of the covid 19 crisis, and the exciting, emerging field of sustainability science as the path forward for the next 50 years.
Bracing for Impact: Coronavirus and the Global Economy with Dr. Brent Nelsen and Dr. Tom Smythe
(Originally aired live on April 15, 2020).
Brief summary: A pandemic runs rampant. Globalization facilitated the transmission of the coronavirus and will be transformed by it. We have not yet felt the full economic and political impact of COVID-19, but we can begin to see some early effects. Tune in as Professors Brent Nelsen (Politics and International Affairs, Furman University) and Thomas Smythe (Finance, Florida Gulf Coast University) examine the coming economic shock.
Spread the Word, Not the Virus: Communication in the Time of COVID-19 with Dr. Shaniece Criss, Furman University, and moderated by Nathan Stock.
(Originally aired live on April 7, 2020).
Brief summary: There has been so much information about COVID-19, but how do communication strategies make a difference in protecting our community. Dr. Shaniece Criss will discuss the benefits of health crisis communication, and ways you can make a difference. How do we transfer words into actions to keep our community safe? Join Dr. Criss, and our moderator, Nathan Stock, for a fascinating look at what to say, and not say, in times of crisis.
“Spread the Word, Not the Virus” PDF Slides, click image below.
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