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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/

Great Decisions | Climate Migration

Thu, Apr 6, 2023

As climate change accelerates and drought and rising sea levels become more common, millions of people in affected regions must uproot themselves and seek safety elsewhere. Who are these affected individuals, and how might the United States aid them, and be affected by the migration? Join us for a timely discussion of this topic with Dr. Karen Jacobsen, Henry J. Leir Professor in Global Migration at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. The program will feature expert remarks from Dr. Jacobsen, live audience Q&A, and time for networking and discussion with other globally-oriented participants. This program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.

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Great Decisions | China and the U.S.

Wed, Feb 15, 2023

For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwanese sovereignty, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt China to take similar action regarding Taiwan. How will the United States engage a China which is increasingly seeking to expand its sphere of influence? Join us for a timely discussion of this topic with David Lampton, Senior Research Fellow at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute and Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

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Great Decisions | Biden's Agenda

Thu, Jan 26, 2023

The Biden administration has inherited a challenging geopolitical landscape, with great power competition with China intensifying, multilateral cooperation weakening, and threats of climate change, pandemic diseases, nuclear weapons, and cyber warfare rising. How can the United States leverage its alliances with its North American neighbors to advance democratic leadership and the liberal international order? Join us to learn more about Biden’s agenda from the perspective of two of the U.S.’s strongest partners with Rodger Cuzner, Consul General of Canada in Boston, and Alberto Fierro Garza, Consul General of Mexico in Boston.

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Great Decisions | Climate Change

Wed, Dec 14, 2022

The ideological divide in the United States on the subject of climate change has impeded progress in curbing greenhouse emissions. But extreme weather events at both ends of the thermometer have focused attention on the consequences of inaction. What role will the United States play in future negotiations on climate? Join us for a discussion of this complex topic with Rachel Kyte, Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. The program features expert remarks from Dean Kyte followed by live audience Q&A.

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Great Decisions | Myanmar and ASEAN

Wed, Nov 9, 2022

The situation in Myanmar, including the coup by the military in February 2021 and the ongoing human rights crises, coupled with civil resistance by those opposed to the regime, has led to chaos in the Southeast Asian country. How are neighboring countries reacting, and what role will ASEAN play? Join us for this installation of our Great Decisions series, when we host Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. This event will take place virtually only.

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Great Decisions | Kevin Rudd on The Quad Alliance

Thu, Sep 29, 2022

As part of the U.S. pivot to Asia, the United States has been in dialogue with Japan, Australia, and India in an effort to contain China. This strengthening of ties, known as the Quad alliance, comes at a time when the relationship between the U.S. and China is becoming increasingly more fraught, particularly in light of recent events, such as joint naval exercises in the South Pacific by Quad countries, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to Taiwan. Given these complex factors, how effective will the actions of the Quad alliance be in countering China? Join us for this installation of our Great Decisions series, when we host Kevin Rudd, President of the Asia Society and former Primer Minister of Australia.

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Great Decisions | Outer Space

Wed, Oct 12, 2022

The launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 marked the beginning of the space era and of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, there are many more participants in space, including countries such as India and China, and commercial companies such as SpaceX. How will the United States fare in a crowded outer space? Join us for a discussion of this complex topic with Lori Garver, former Deputy Administrator of NASA.

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The State of the State Department & Public Diplomacy

Thu, Jun 23, 2022

WorldBoston’s annual State of the State Department is an opportunity to consider the U.S. State Department and American diplomacy within the context of U.S. national interests. This year’s program focuses on Public Diplomacy, and its relevance in a time of global challenges to democracy. For this discussion of Public Diplomacy, we are delighted to feature Stacy White, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Farah Pandith, Fellow of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, former first Special Representative to Muslim Communities at the U.S. Department of State; and bestselling author of How We Win: How Cutting Edge Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, Enlightened Business Leaders, and Social Media Mavens Can Defeat the Extremist Threat.

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Great Decisions | Drug Policy in Latin America

Tue, Jun 14, 2022

The issue of migration to the United States from Latin America has overshadowed the war on drugs, which has been underway for decades with little signs of progress. What are the roots and the bureaucratic logic behind today's dominant drug policies in Latin America? Is it time to reconsider punitive drug policies that disrupt supply chains and punish drug possession? Join WorldBoston at the Boston Public Library for the latest installment in the Great Decisions series, focusing on "Drug Policy in Latin America" and featuring Dr. Evan Ellis Research Professor of Latin American Studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute.

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Great Decisions | Russia and the U.S.

Wed, May 11, 2022

Russia and the United States have many areas of conflict and some possible areas of mutual interest. Arms control, Russian interference in U.S. elections and support of cyberattacks, and the fate of opposition politicians in Russia all continue to be concerning. Now, with Russia’s war in Ukraine, the relationship between Russia and the U.S. has become particularly fraught. How will the Biden administration approach these issues, and how will the U.S.-Russia relationship be affected for years to come? Join WorldBoston for a discussion of this complex topic with Dr. Alexandra Vacroux, Executive Director of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.

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