Community Programs

Community Programs is the public face of the Seattle World Affairs Council. Each year Community Programs is responsible for over 120 lectures, luncheons and sumposiums with global leaders and policy makers. World Affairs Council members receive reduced rates on admission to Community Programs as well as special invitations to high level receptions and intimate meetings with top policy makers.

Former Governor Gary Locke with Prince Turki Al Faisal

The World Affairs Council develops relevant and current programs by recruiting speakers who are at the threshold of emerging trends and who are experts in their field. Some notable speakers the Council has hosted in the past include:

• President Levy P. Mwanawasa, Current President of Zambia, 2007
• Senator John McCain, U.S. Senator, 2007
• Joseph Stiglitz, Former Senior Vice President of the World Bank and Nobel Prize Winner, 2005 and 2006
• Prince Turki Al Faisal, Former Saudi Ambassador to the United States, 2006
• Hans Blix, former head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, 2004
• Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, 2004
• Senator Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, 2004
• George Soros, Celebrated Author and Venture Capitalist, 2003
• Robert Gates, Current Secretary of Defense and Former Director of the C.I.A., 2003
• Naomi Klein, Celebrated Author and Activist, 2003
  

Special Community Program Benefits for Council Members

High level members of the Council receive exclusive invitations to receptions and members-only events. In addition to knowing that your membership is supporting the mission of the World Affairs Council, members enjoy:

Private Receptions (Diplomat level or above)

• Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and Microfinance Expert, 2008.
• His Excellency Levy P. Mwanawasa, Current President of Zambia, 2007.
• Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate and Author, 2006.
• Condoleeza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, 2004.

Members Only Social Events (Consul level or above)

• Seafair Distinguished Visitor Ship Ride, 2007
• Mission Oriented Breakfasts – Breakfasts with Council President, Ian Moncaster.

Intimate Meetings with Top Policymakers and World Leaders (Minister level or above)

• Brigadier General Robert Holmes, Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, 2007.
• Kristen Silverberg, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Organizations, 2007.
• Ustad Atta Mohammad Noor, Governor of Balkh Province in Afghanistan, 2007.

To sign up or learn more about membership click here. Upgrade your membership today to take advantage of these exciting opportunities.

Series
In addition to our regular programs, the Council has developed several series that explore current issues in greater depth.

These series help generate and maintain dialogue about current and emerging trends, such as in the areas of globalization, energy, environment, migration, world regions and cultures. For more information on the Council's Environment and Energy Series please click here.

Each of the Council Series offer the community a variety of opportunities to stay engaged in the subject. They each provide access to other professionals and experts in that sector through regular speaker programs.