The World Affairs Council of San Antonio brings experts on foreign affairs to the San Antonio community as part of our Distinguished Speaker Series.  The Council hosts a multifarious array of prominent speakers from around the globe who offer perspectives on world events you cannot get from the evening news.  As a member, you will meet foreign experts, policy makers and diplomats who are closely involved with today's crucial international issues.  We strive to bring you current information from as many countries as possible throughout our season. Many of our programs are rebroadcast at 7:00 p.m. on Friday nights on  "The Newsmaker Hour" on KSTX-Texas Public Radio.  Podcasts are available through this link.

The Distinguished Speaker Series is scheduled from September through May. As programs are confirmed, they will be listed on this web-page. For available biographical information please click on the speaker's name.

NEXT COUNCIL EVENT

Thursday, May 15 2008 The China Diaries of President George H.W. Bush Join us the evening of May 15th at the San Antonio Country Club as Dr. Jeffrey Engle gives a talk and presentation over his latest book The China Diaries of President George H.W. Bush, an important documentary record of President Bush's diplomatic work in and concerning China. San Antonio Country Club 6:30 Reception (light buffet and cash bar) 7:00 Talk and Presentation $25 – For reservations, call the World Affairs Council at (210) 308-9494

UPCOMING EVENTS

Stay tuned for more Council events!

For reservations or more information, please call the Council at (210) 308-9494.

PAST PROGRAMS

Thursday, April 10 2008 "The Media and the Election" Luncheon Program with Kenneth Walsh Ken Walsh is the chief White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report. Reporting on the Whitehouse since 1986, he has covered the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, Bill Clinton, and, currently, George W. Bush. Mr. Walsh makes television appearances on networks including ABC, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News Channel, and C-SPAN and radio shows on outlets including NPR. The author of four books on the presidency, Mr. Walsh has won the two most prestigious awards for White House coverage: the Aldo Beckman Award in 1991, and the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency in 1992 and 1998.   Wednesday, April 2, 2008 2008 International Citizen of the Year Award Dinner Each year the Council honors a South Texan for his or her leadership in international affairs, diplomacy or business.  Please join us on April 2, 2008 as we host the 2008 International Citizen of the Year Awards Dinner honoring this years recipient Dennis Nixon.  Mr. Nixon is chairman of International Bancshares Corporation (IBC), as well as a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.   We are honored to announce the keynote speaker will be former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III.   Friday, March 7 2008 Luncheon with Ambassador Ronen Sen Join us on March 6th as we host a luncheon programs featuring Ambassador Ronen Sen, Ambassador of India to the United States.    Friday, February 29, 2008 Friends of the Canary Islands Luncheon Join us for our annual Friends of the Canary Islands luncheon.  This year the event will feature Consul General of Spain, Ambassador Miguel Angel Fdez de Mazarambroz.  The topic will be "Spain in the European Community: A Success Story."     Wednesday, February 20, 2008: WorldQuest is an exciting international group trivia competition played by teams in 6 rounds of questions. It is fun, fast-paced, and a great way to test your knowledge about international affairs.  The evenings activities will include  dinner, a door prize drawing, a silent auction and the WorldQuest competition.   Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Chinese New Year Celebration - China's Year of the Race For us it's 2008, but in China this year is the Year of the Rat. It's also the Year of the Race. Lots of races, in fact-in the swimming pool and on swift sailboats in Fushan Bay, in 100-meter sprints and a 26-mile run past the famous landmarks of Beijing as China's capital plays host to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Please join U.S. Global Investors, San Antonio Sports Foundation and the World Affairs Council of San Antonio for an Olympic-caliber reception to mark the Chinese New Year at the San Antonio Museum of Art on Wednesday, February 13, at 5:30 p.m. Our special guest will be Frank Shorter, gold medalist in the 1972 Olympic marathon race in Munich, silver medalist in the 1976 Games in Montreal and a member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. The event will also include a preview of Olympic prints from a collection to be presented at the museum in July, and traditional Chinese Lion Dancers will provide an energetic performance while summoning good luck for the year ahead.   Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Dr. Jorge G. Castañeda, Global Distinguished Professor of Politics & Latin American Studies,  New York University The evening featured a panel discussion with Dr. Jorge Castañeda, Mr. Raul Rodriguez, Benson Chair in Banking & Finance — University of the Incarnate Word, Mr. Robert Rivard, editor of the San Antonio Express-News and Mr. Lionel Sosa, an independent marketing consultant,  founder of MATT.org and “One of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America” according to Time Magazine.   Thursday, January 10, 2008: DR. HARRY HARDING, Director of Research and Analysis for the Eurasia Group, and author of A Fragile Relationship: The United States and China Since 1972.   2007 Thursday, November 15: A WALK THROUGH CHINA: DAYS IN THE HEARTLAND OF AN EMERGING NATION with ALINA ROMANOWSKI, Dept. Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges at the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs for the Department of State Friday, November 2: Dinner with the Honorable Jose Miguel Insulza, Organization of American States The Secretary General of the Organization of American States will be in San Antonio the evening of November 2, to address the annual Model OAS conference held by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio.  Thursday, November 1: AMBASSADORS' ROUND TABLE: Winning the War on Terror Ambassador panelists will be Mr. Gregory Engle, Mr. Edward G. Lanpher and Mr. Larry Napper Thursday, October 25: GREAT DECISIONS 2007 DISCUSSION DINNER Thursday, October 11:  AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS STATECRAFT AND THE MIDDLE EAST Washington Institute for Near East Policy Counselor and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow   Friday, October 5:    Ambassador and Mrs. Krueger and Paul Rusesabigina Hope Out of Tragedy: A Conversation on Genocide   Tuesday, October 2:   Lieutenant General James L. Campbell, Director of the Army Staff America's Army: Strength of the Nation   Tuesday, September 25: THE FIRST SOMETIMES ANNUAL TALENT SHOW   Monday, September 17: MEXICO PANEL: FELIPE CALDERÓN'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, Mexico Beyond NAFTA with ROGER WALLACE, Co-Chair of the Woodrow Wilson's Mexico Institute Advisory Board and Vice President of Pioneer Natural Resources, and DR. ROBERTO NEWELL, CEO of the Instituto Mexicano para la Competitividad