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WorldBoston

WorldBoston was founded in 1961 as the Boston Center for International Visitors, a nonprofit organization with a mission to connect hundreds of emerging leaders from around the globe each year with their counterparts in Greater Boston's business, government, academic, cultural and scientific communities. In 2002, the organization merged with the World Affairs Council of Boston, a nonpartisan forum founded in 1949 to engage the public in discussions about critical international issues. WorldBoston today is an active independent member of both the National Council for International Visitors and the World Affairs Councils of America, and a dynamic and respected community leader in Boston.s global network. With its expertise in fostering international exchanges and unique mix of educational programs, WorldBoston continues to build on its distinguished tradition of promoting dialogue among leaders, cross-cultural connections and public learning.

http://www.worldboston.org/

Feargal Cochrane: Breaking Peace—Northern Ireland and Brexit

Mon, Nov 23, 2020

In 2021, Northern Ireland commemorates its centenary, but Brexit, more than any other event in that 100-year history, has jeopardised its very existence. Events since 2016 have complicated political relationships within Northern Ireland and further destabilised the devolved institutions established in the wake of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Feargal Cochrane’s urgent analysis argues that Brexit is breaking peace in Northern Ireland, making it the most significant event since Partition. Endless negotiations and uncertainty have brought contested identities back to the forefront of political debate. Always so much more than a line on a map, the border has become an existential marker of identity as well as a reminder of the dark days of violent conflict. Cochrane explores how and why the Brexit negotiations have been so destabilising for politics in Northern Ireland, opening the door to a violent past.

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The State of the State Department and Transatlantic Diplomacy

Mon, Nov 16, 2020

WorldBoston’s annual State of the State Department is a high-level speaking event, serving as an annual occasion to assess the strength of a critical instrument in the pursuit of U.S. national interest, within a policy context. In addition to critically evaluating the current state of the State Department, we will also look at U.S. diplomacy through the lens of the transatlantic relationship. Ambassador Nicholas Burns will be joined by E.U. Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis for an exciting conversation about the dynamic between the State Department and transatlantic diplomacy.

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The Evolution of the U.S. Space Force

Thu, Oct 1, 2020

Lt. Gen. Liquori and Lt. Gen. Jack Weinstein (Retired) join WorldBoston to discuss the importance of the space domain to U.S. national security and the evolution of the U.S. Space Force. Established on December 20, 2019, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) is a very new branch of the Armed Forces. The USSF organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. How did the USSF come to be? Why is it of interest to the U.S. to have a Space Force? What U.S. and allied interests is the USSF protecting in space? (Photo: [Flickr/CaptSpaulding](https://www.flickr.com/photos/captspaulding/45792072805/in/photolist-2cLukSD-L7cCai-doQSr3-55rD9h-CgLVGe-2jtXDDj-wmY3qQ-P3G7ap-2gEe4mP-Dbpp8q-DiZNGU-2hpAWHk-LUvoRa-GFh513-21XMVuB-cAFg55-LRNhtq-8U65MG-cAFgVC-MVTSPo-23SbGUR-2jeKKuA-L5nbx9-2jfQ9ZT-2iYAkQQ-e7Xfe8-9S7MGp-LRNkM9-cAFgfY-8DNuSJ-7yuQFL-2jroGGB-cAFiVo-cAFiEq-Uo7ck-vj7kj2-cAFjyJ-24Tqmg2-cAFguE-cAFhPW-cAFfT7-LK6z2G-cAFis1-2i2oeDL-cAFieL-CFUThG-KXFJHi-cAFi2y-NknZvL-DbJMfH/) , image cropped)

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Gen. John Allen and Dr. Darrell West on Policy and AI

Tue, Sep 22, 2020

Policymakers in many countries are developing plans and funding research in artificial intelligence (AI). Global growth is slowing, and not surprisingly, many policymakers hope that AI will provide a magic solution. The EU, Brazil, and other Western countries have adopted regulations that grant users greater control over their data and require that firms using AI be transparent about how they use it. Will the U.S. follow suit? General John Allen and Dr. Darrell West speak on this complex topic as covered in their recently published book "Turning Point: Policymaking in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," looking at the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence.

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Bob Davis and Lingling Wei: Superpower Showdown

Tue, Sep 8, 2020

Donald Trump frequently cited what he called China's "rape" of the U.S. economy during his 2016 campaign rallies, and as president put half of what China sells to the U.S. under tariffs during his second year in office. But the economic battle between the two largest economies in the world didn’t start with Trump and won’t end with him. How and why have U.S.-China relations sunk so low? And where are they headed? In Superpower Showdown, _Wall Street Journal_ reporters Bob Davis and Lingling Wei trace the route of the trade war from the early 1990s to the January 2020 signing of the phase one deal that signaled a temporary halt to economic hostilities.

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Richard Haass: Understanding a New Global Era

Mon, Jul 27, 2020

Like it or not, we live in a global era, and we need to better understand it, both its promise and its threats, in order to make informed choices. To help readers do just that, Dr. Richard Haass has written a new book titled "The World," in which he focuses on essential history, what makes each region of the world tick, the many challenges globalization presents, and the most influential countries, events, and ideas. Dr. Richard Haass has headed the Council on Foreign Relations since 2003. Prior to that he served as the senior Middle East Advisor to President H. W. Bush and as the director of the Policy Planning Staff at the State Department under Colin Powell.

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John Gans: White House Warriors

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Since its founding more than seventy years ago, the National Security Council has exerted more influence on the president’s foreign policy decisions―and on the nation’s conflicts abroad―than any other institution or individual. And yet, until the Trump presidency, few Americans could even name a member. D.C. insider John Gans traces the path that has led us to an era of American aggression abroad in his book _White House Warriors_. From debilitating fights within the government, and whispers about a deep state conspiring against the public, learn in this "Chat and Chowder" conversation how the National Security Council changed the American way of war. Image: Book Cover

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The Other Crisis: Oil Markets During Coronavirus

Thu, May 7, 2020

Dr. Meghan O’Sullivan discusses how the coronavirus has wreaked havoc on oil markets and global energy. O’Sullivan is the Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs and the Director of the Geopolitics of Energy Project at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. This talk is part of the larger “Putting the World Back Together Summit," a first for the World Affairs Councils of America, gathered virtually for a special, inclusive Ideas Summit under a new brand, [CxC: Amplified.](https://www.worldaffairscouncils.org/Programs/index.cfm?PageID=15)

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Climate Change & the Global Order

Wed, Apr 29, 2020

Climate change is a defining issue of our time. As much of the world bands together to come up with a plan, the U.S. remains the notable holdout. What is the rest of the world doing to combat climate change? What impact will the effects of climate change have on global geopolitics? Image: Courtesy of NASA

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Kristen Leanderson Abrams: Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking

Wed, Feb 19, 2020

Almost every nation has enacted laws criminalizing human trafficking, and international organizations, governments, and NGOs sponsor a large variety of projects to curb trafficking and slavery. Billions of dollars have been allocated to these efforts. What is the international community doing to combat slavery and trafficking? What are the experiences like for those being trafficked? Image: Courtesy of [WikiMedia Commons](http://https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trafficking_of_women,_children_and_men_routes.svg)

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