World Affairs Council National Conference 2023: Building the World of Tomorrow

14-17 Nov 2023

November 14-17 | The Mayflower Hotel | Washington, DC

We are living in a time of international polycrisis. Challenges are more complex, solutions are less obvious, and resources and relationships are being severely tested. But these global risks present new opportunities. With rich perspectives and unprecedented tools at our disposal, this turbulent moment can become a fresh start.

The World Affairs Councils of America is proud to present its 2023 National Conference: Building the World of Tomorrow. This annual event in Washington, DC, inspires diverse Councils from 90 communities to sustain the conversation on critical global issues and contribute to a stronger network and informed American public. This year’s theme will consider the world of today and how we got here, tools to build the world of tomorrow, and a range of perspectives on what that world looks like.

Program of Events

- WACA Board of Directors Meeting
- 1918 Dinner (Invite Only)
Open to Council staff and board, Wednesday is Leadership Day, featuring sessions on leadership cultivation and succession, member donor and retention, corporate sponsorship, increasing teacher participation in educational programs, and creating public programs with purpose.
9:00-10:00 am
- Leadership Breakout | Leadership Cultivation and Succession
- Membership Breakout | Member/donor Retention and Upgrading
10:15-11:30 am
- Corporate Partnership Breakout | Attracting Business Sponsorship
12:00-1:00 pm
- Lunch Keynote | TBA
1:15-2:15 pm
- Global Education Breakout | Teacher Morale and Participation
- Public Programs Breakout | Gathering with Purpose and Perceived Value
2:30-4:00 pm
- Network Membership Meeting | Council Census and Network Updates
5:00-8:00 pm | Opening Reception and Dinner
Following Leadership Day, all conference attendees are invited to convene for the Opening Reception and Dinner. The dinner award ceremony features the International Service Award, Council Centennial Recognitions, and the Council and individual of the year recognition. Frank Langfitt, Global Democracy Correspondent for NPR, will deliver a keynote address “The World of Today and How We Got Here”
Sessions on Global Balance (8:00-9:00 am) and Regional Instability (9:15-10:15) start Thursday morning, followed by Council Spotlight Breakouts at 10:30 am:
- How the War in Ukraine Melted Frozen Conflicts in the Baltic States | Hosted by the World Affairs Council of Western North Carolina
- Global Forces Shaping the Future of Energy | Hosted by Global Minnesota
- America’s Failure in Afghanistan | Hosted by the Baltimore Council on Foreign Relations
Thursday’s luncheon keynote, Tools and Insights from World Class Negotiators, features Roelf Meyer, Monica Williams, and Timothy Phillips. Roelf Meyer was the Minister of Constitutional Affairs and lead government negotiator in the talks to end Apartheid and establish a multiracial democracy in South Africa. Monica McWilliams was a negotiator in the Good Friday talks, which brought an end to three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland. Timothy Phillips is a leader in the field of conflict resolution and reconciliation and founder of Beyond Conflict, a global non-profit that has created powerful and innovative frameworks to open pathways for progress in peace talks, transitions to democracy, and national reconciliation in the aftermath of division and violence in dozens of countries around the world.
Thursday concludes with offsite think tank visits and an offsite reception.
Sessions on Economic Uncertainty (8:00-9:00 am), Energy Geopolitics (9:15-10:15 am), and Demographic Shifts (10:30-11:30 am) lead Friday morning, before the conference concludes with the Ambassador Luncheon, featuring Ambassadors from around the world and a closing keynote from Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking.