Our Programs
WAC-WNC sponsors an annual Speaker Series from September through May. Speaker events are held on Tuesday evenings, 7:00-8:30 pm, at the Reuter Center, UNC Asheville, as well as online.
Fall 2026 topics will include:
September 1 U.S.-Japan Alliance with Margot Carrington, U.S. Foreign Service Officer (ret.)
October 6 U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Katherine Kaup, Furman University
November 10 International Intellectual Property Rights with Bernard Jacques
December 1 U.S.-United Kingdom Relationship with Ambassador Barbara Stephenson (ret.)
Previous Topics
From fall 2025 to spring 2026, WAC-WNC speakers addressed the following topics: U.S. foreign policy, the Canada-U.S. relationship, the Russia-Ukraine war, Venezuela, tariffs, agricultural trade, digital threats & propaganda, global refugee crises, human rights, and a foreign correspondent’s experience.
UNC Asheville Professor Mark Gibney's presentation on human rights is available for viewing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfSpUZp855o
WAC-WNC also sponsored a screening of the documentary, A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story, now available to view on PBS: https://www.georgemasa.com/
WAC-WNC's Annual Speaker Series
Since 2023, WAC-WNC has organized an engaging spring lecture/discussion course based on the Foreign Policy Association’s annual Great Decisions program and designed to encourage citizens to participate in the foreign policy process.
Great Decisions topics for 2027 will include: U.S. Foreign Policy and Multilateralism; Germany in Europe and the Atlantic World; U.S.-China--Case for Engagement; Brazil and the Global South; AI and American Choices; Energy Security; and Organized Crime in the Americas.
For more information on Great Decisions, see the Foreign Policy Association website: https://fpa.org/about/
Plans for a spring 2027 Great Decisions course will be announced this fall.
Great Decisions Course
In 2025 and 2026, WAC-WNC recruited two local university students, Paige Edwards of Brevard College and Zachary Moss of UNC Asheville, to participate in the World Affairs Councils of America’s prestigious annual Student Scholars Program. Student Scholars attend the World Affairs Councils of America annual conference in November in Washington DC and participate in a special program to learn about the missions of foreign embassies, multilateral institutions, think tanks, etc. https://worldaffairscouncils.org/student-scholars-program/
In August, we will launch our recruitment for this year's Student Scholars Program through all colleges and universities located in Western North Carolina.
