The World Affairs Councils of America is a network of 90 autonomous and nonpartisan councils serving 43 states. As of 2024, it has an annual reach of over 250,000 people. It is the largest nonprofit international affairs organization in the United States.
History
The World Affairs Councils of America was founded in 1918 as the League of Free Nations, which later reconstituted as the Foreign Policy Association. As World Affairs Councils were created across the United States, the World Affairs Councils of America National Office was founded in the 1986 to serve as a central hub for the network in Washington, DC.
In mid-February 2011, Chairman of the Board Ambassador Marc Grossman stepped down to become the United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, replacing Richard Holbrooke. In June 2011, Ambassador Paula Dobriansky filled the position of Chair of the National Board. In June 2015, WACA announced that Ambassador Roman Popadiuk who served as the first United States Ambassador to Ukraine under George H. W. Bush, from 1992 to 1993, has been elected the new chairman of the national Board of Directors. Following a three-month co-chair period, Glenn Creamer succeeded Popadiuk as chairman in November 2020, chosen for his work as chairman of the Catholic Relief Services Foundation.
In 2014, the World Affairs Councils of America won the Diversity and Inclusion (DANDI) Award in the international category.
Programs The World Affairs Councils of America supports a network of 90 councils who present programs annually. The Councils sponsor international exchanges, school programs, teachers workshops, foreign policy discussions, travel programs, young professionals’ programs, conferences, and corporate programs.
National Conference The national office organizes an annual conference, usually held in November in Washington, DC. Each conference is thematically organized, and includes speakers from think tanks, embassies, governments, non governmental organizations, and corporations. At the conference closing lunch, several awards are given, including Council of the year, the Chairman's individual of the year, and the International Service Award. Previous International Service Award honorees include Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former Secretary of State James Baker, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Academic WorldQuest Academic WorldQuest is an annual team-based international affairs, geography, history, and culture competition for high school students sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America. The WorldQuest has been held every year since 2003. WorldQuest was created in 1995 by Jennifer Watson Roberts of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.
In order to compete at the Carlos and Malú Alvarez National Academic WorldQuest competition, teams must first win at their regional council level (usually held from November to March). Every year, thousands of high school students across the country participate in local competitions hosted by their World Affairs Council. Previous national competition venues include the U.S. Institute of Peace and the National Press Club.
+ National championsYearHigh SchoolCouncil2025Cedar Cliff High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Harrisburg2024DuPont Manual High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana2023Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2022Keystone SchoolWorld Affairs Council of San Antonio2021Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2020Canceled Due to COVID-192019Jasper High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2018Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2017Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2016Keystone SchoolWorld Affairs Council of San Antonio2015DuPont Manual High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana2014Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2013Plano West Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2012Plano Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2011Plano Senior High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth2010DuPont Manual High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana2009DuPont Manual High School World Affairs Council of Kentucky and S. Indiana2008North Carolina School of Science and MathematicsInternational Affairs Council of Raleigh2007Daniel Hand High SchoolWorld Affairs Forum (Stamford)2006Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and TechnologyWorld Affairs Council of Washington D.C.2005Taylor Allderice High SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Pittsburgh2003The Kinkaid SchoolWorld Affairs Council of Greater Houston National delegations For more than a decade, the WACA has been invited to bring small delegations of council leaders to learn about a host country. A leadership mission consists of an overseas fact-finding visit to a city, country, or organization by a delegation of the World Affairs Council. + Host CountriesYearCountryYearCountry1998China2006TaiwanSouth KoreaTunisiaTaiwan2007Germany1999JapanSaudi ArabiaSingaporeTaiwan2000Morocco2008IsraelNorthern IrelandSouth Korea2001TaiwanUAE2002Israel2009ChinaLebanonIraqLibyaOman2003Jordan2010TaiwanMexico2011AzerbaijanPolandTaiwan1996Japan2012Afghanistan1997BrazilChina2004Kuwait2013TaiwanLebanon2014ChinaTaiwan2015Taiwan2005Egypt2016Israel2018QatarEU/NATO
Engage America Speakers Series The Speakers Series includes partnerships between the National Office and think tanks, foundations, publishing companies, and government agencies to provide speakers to America's communities through our local councils on the critical global issues of our times. Recent organizations have included NATO, the Korean Economic Institute, and the International Labour Organization.
Individual councils Councils are funded through membership dues, corporate sponsorships, grants, in-kind donations, fundraising events, and fee-for-service activities.
State Name Office Alabama Alabama World Affairs Council Wetumpka Alaska Alaska World Affairs Council Anchorage Juneau World Affairs Council Juneau Arizona Global Ties AZ PhoenixCalifornia World Affairs Council of Orange County IrvineLos Angeles World Affairs Council Los AngelesWorld Affairs Council of Monterey Bay Area Monterey World Affairs Council of the Desert Palm Springs Commonwealth Club World Affairs San Francisco San Diego World Affairs Council San DiegoWorld Affairs Council of Sonoma CountySanta RosaColorado Colorado Springs World Affairs Council Colorado SpringsWorld Denver DenverColorado Foothills World Affairs Council LittletonConnecticut World Affairs Council of Connecticut Hartford Southeast Connecticut World Affairs CouncilWaterford FloridaWorld Affairs Council of JacksonvilleJacksonville World Affairs Council of Miami MiamiNaples Council on World Affairs Naples World Affairs Council of Palm Beach Boynton Beach Sarasota World Affairs Council SarasotaGeorgia World Affairs Council of Atlanta AtlantaSavannah Council on World Affairs Savannah Hawaii Pacific and Asian Affairs Council HonoluluIllinois Peoria Area World Affairs Council PeoriaWorld Affairs Council of Central Illinois SpringfieldIndianaIndiana Council on World AffairsIndianapolisIowa World Affairs Council of the Quad Cities Davenport-Bettendorf Iowa City Foreign Relations Council Iowa City Kentucky World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana LouisvilleWorld Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern KentuckyHighland Heights Louisiana World Affairs Council of New Orleans New Orleans Maine World Affairs Council of Maine PortlandMarylandBaltimore Council on Foreign AffairsBaltimoreMassachusetts WorldBoston Boston World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Springfield Worcester World Affairs CouncilBoylstonMichigan World Affairs Council of Detroit Detroit World Affairs Council of Western Michigan Grand Rapids International Affairs Forum Traverse CityMinnesotaGlobal Minnesota MinneapolisMissouri International Relations Council Kansas City World Affairs Council of St. Louis St. Louis Montana Montana World Affairs Council Missoula Nebraska Nebraska World Affairs Council Bellevue Nevada World Affairs Council of Las Vegas Las VegasNew HampshireWorld Affairs Council of New HampshireManchesterNew MexicoWorld Affairs Council of AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque Global Santa Fe Santa FeNew YorkInternational Center of the Capital Region Troy Foreign Policy Association New York City World Affairs Council of Mid-Hudson Valley Poughkeepsie World Affairs Council of RochesterRochesterNorth Carolina World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina Asheville World Affairs Council of Charlotte CharlotteOhioCleveland Council on World AffairsClevelandColumbus Council on World Affairs ColumbusDayton Council on World Affairs Dayton World Affairs Council of Northwest OhioPerrysburg Oregon WorldOregon PortlandPennsylvaniaWorld Affairs Council of Harrisburg Harrisburg World Affairs Council of Philadelphia Philadelphia World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh PittsburghWorld Affairs Council of Greater Reading Reading Rhode Island World Affairs Council of Rhode Island NarragansettSouth Carolina Columbia World Affairs Council Columbia World Affairs Council of Hilton Head Hilton Head World Affairs Council of Charleston CharlestonWorld Affairs Council UpstateGreenville South Dakota South Dakota World Affairs Council Brookings Tennessee Tennessee World Affairs Council NashvilleTexas World Affairs Council of Austin Austin World Affairs Council of South Texas Corpus Christi World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth Dallas World Affairs Council of Greater Houston Houston World Affairs Council of Laredo Laredo World Affairs Council of San AntonioSan Antonio Utah Utah Global Diplomacy MurrayVermont Vermont Council on World Affairs Burlington Windham World Affairs Council BrattleboroVirginia World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads Hampton RoadsWashingtonOlympia World Affairs Council OlympiaSeattle World Affairs CouncilSeattleWorld Affairs Council of TacomaTacoma Wisconsin Institute of World Affairs Milwaukee
Notes
External links World Affairs Councils of America