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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 | 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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Great Decisions | Changing Demographics

Tue, Apr 26, 2022

The world experienced remarkable demographic changes in the 20th century that continue today and have resulted in far-reaching social, economic, political, and environmental consequences all over the globe. These consequences are creating mounting challenges to development efforts, security, the environment, as well as the sustainability of human populations. How will changing demographics impact the future? Join us at the Boston Public Library for our first in-person Great Decisions program since 2020! This program will simultaneously be streamed to Zoom from 6:00 to 7:00 PM ET.

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The Future of Persian Gulf Security

Thu, Dec 2, 2021

The Persian Gulf remains tense as the rivalry between the regional powers of Saudi Arabia and Iran continues. Tensions escalated in early 2020 as the United States began to intervene in the Gulf, launching an airstrike that killed two Iranian military commanders. What are the historical influences that have led to these tensions? What role, if any, should the United States play? Is using military force a viable foreign policy option for 2021 and beyond? Photo: ["Persion Gulf 2" by Stuart Rankin | CC-Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/24354425@N03/42164510780)

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Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis: 2034

Mon, May 17, 2021

On March 12, 2034, US Navy Commodore Sarah Hunt is on the bridge of her flagship, the guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones, conducting a routine freedom of navigation patrol in the South China Sea when her ship detects an unflagged trawler in clear distress, smoke billowing from its bridge. On that same day, US Marine aviator Major Chris “Wedge” Mitchell is flying an F35E Lightning over the Strait of Hormuz, testing a new stealth technology as he flirts with Iranian airspace. By the end of that day, Wedge will be an Iranian prisoner, and Sarah Hunt’s destroyer will lie at the bottom of the sea, sunk by the Chinese Navy. Iran and China have clearly coordinated their moves, which involve the use of powerful new forms of cyber weaponry that render US ships and planes defenseless. In a single day, America’s faith in its military’s strategic pre-eminence is in tatters. A new, terrifying era is at hand. Oscar Wilde once wrote, “To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” Disasters like Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and even the COVID pandemic, one could say, were failures of imagination – a failure to imagine what could happen and be prepared for it. Today we can’t dismiss any situation as out of the question, as we witness foreign interference in elections, a resurgence of xenophobia, and ransomware attacks on infrastructure. "2034: A Novel of the Next World War" looks at the plausible and dire consequences of what could happen. Co-authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis ask the reader evocative questions about how America may conduct war in the future. The book compels us to consider what warning signs we should notice, and where we might find security threats. Imagination is a national security imperative. As such, Ackerman and Stavridis have fired a warning shot for what could happen if current and future administrations do not anticipate future challenges. Learn more about WorldBoston's Chat & Chowder events: https://www.worldboston.org/chat-chowder

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The State of the State Department & Racial Justice

Tue, Jun 8, 2021

Amb. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. State Department’s inaugural Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, joins WorldBoston and Amb.Nicholas Burns, now at the Harvard Kennedy School as founder and Faculty Chair of its Future of Diplomacy Project. Abercrombie-Winstanley was recently named to this historic role by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During this talk about creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion at the national level, she draws upon her years of experience as a diplomat in the Middle East and Africa, as well as positions at the Defense Department and at the National Security Council of the White House.

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The International LGBT Rights Movement

Thu, Jun 3, 2021

During the past four decades, the international lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights movement has made significant advances, but millions of LGBT people continue to live in fear in nations where homosexuality remains illegal. The International LGBT Rights Movement offers a comprehensive account of this global force, from its origins in the mid-nineteenth century to its crucial place in world affairs today. Belmonte examines the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, and its rise to international importance. The International LGBT Rights Movement provides a thorough introduction to the movement's history, highlighting key figures, controversies, and organizations. With a global scope that considers both state and non-state actors, the book explores transnational movements to challenge homophobia, while also assessing the successes and failures of these efforts along the way.

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The End of Globalization

Tue, May 4, 2021

During the 2020 United States Presidential election, the merits and drawbacks of globalization were constantly being debated by the presidential candidates. The passing of the Brexit vote and then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s America First doctrine gave new prominence to protectionist policies, challenging globalization. What is globalization and how will it be affected by protectionist trade policies? How will the United States and the world be affected by such policies? Is globalization really at an end, or in need of a refresh?

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