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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan

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World Affairs Council of Western Michigan

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The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan empowers the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world.

"Know the World, then Change the World." The World Affairs Council is dedicated to educating people in western Michigan about other countries, cultures and regions of the world, as well as providing a forum for discussion of critical foreign policy issues facing this country.

10/09/2026

We had a wonderful conversation yesterday evening to kick off our annual October community speaker series, From New Americans to Neighbors, at KDL’s Kentwood Richard L. Root Branch Library! Thank you to our speaker, Beth Nguyen, to our partners at Kent District Library, and to all who joined us for this engaging conversation!

We will be back at Kentwood Branch Library next week on Thursday, October 15 at 6:30pm for our second program of the series with Natasha Hall, Senior Advocate for the Middle East at Refugees International.

10/08/2026

Join us and our partners Kent District Library TONIGHT at KDL’s Richard L. Root Kentwood library from 6:30-7:30PM as we begin our 3-part series on immigration, “From New Americans to Neighbors.” We look forward to beginning this thoughtful and timely dialogue with our speaker Beth Nguyen, author of “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” who will share from her experiences as a Vietnamese refugee in West Michigan. All events in this series are free and open to the public. For those who can’t attend in person or wish to revisit, archived recordings from each of our October programs will be available on our Youtube channel. We look forward to gathering with you tonight! Find out more at our website, WorldMichigan.org

09/30/2026

Next week, in partnership with Kent District Library we’ll welcome the first of three speakers joining us this October in a series titled “From New Americans to Neighbors.” Together, we’ll discuss aspects of immigration in West Michigan today. First up, we’ll be joined by author Beth Nguyen as she shares from her experiences as a Vietnamese refugee in West Michigan.

These events are free and open to the public, with free parking available at the library. We hope to see you there! 6:30PM October 8th at KDL’s Kentwood campus.

09/28/2026

Next week, with help from our friends and partners at Kent District Library we’ll begin our first series of this Fall programming season, covering the state of contemporary immigration, displacement, and resettlement. With help from our speakers, we’ll dive into three weeks of critical conversations regarding global migration in West Michigan, from personal experiences to the organizations aiding migrants in our community. It all kicks off 6:30 Thursday, October 8th with a talk from author Beth Nguyen at Kent District Library’s Kentwood campus. We hope you’ll join us in welcoming our speakers and exploring this subject from our speakers’ various perspectives and experiences.

09/25/2026

West Michigan has long taken pride in being a welcoming place for immigrants and new Americans. What does immigration in that welcoming West Michigan look like today? Join the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan this October for our annual community speaker series, a discussion designed to foster learning and dialogue around immigration and refugee experiences and help us educate our community on the importance and value of immigration in the larger world as well as in West Michigan.
With thanks to our partners Kent District Library

09/22/2026

What does the state of immigration look like in West Michigan today? This October, we’re teaming up with our partners at Kent District Libraries to bring you speakers with varying expertise relating to global immigration, displacement, and building home in new communities. Join us from 6:30-7:30PM at KDL’s Richard L. Root branch on Thursday evenings as we explore these subjects with our speakers: Beth Nguyen, author of “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart;” Jeremy Kondyndyk, president of Refugees International; and Meg Derrer, Chief Executive Officer for the Refugee Education Center. Find out more on our website and stay tuned to our social media for more about these exciting programs!

09/15/2026

Only one day left to register for our first Global Mixer event of the Fall 2026 programming season! We hope you’ll join us for this fantastic opportunity to learn about and taste Turkish cuisine at Zeytin with fellow globally-minded members of the community. Visit our website to secure your seat today, we look forward to seeing you there! WorldMichigan.org

09/14/2026

Monday reminder to register for our first Global Mixer of the Fall programming season! Wednesday September 23rd, we’ll gather at Zeytin in Ada for an evening of delicious Turkish cuisine, learning, and global conversations! Tickets are $40 and can be found at the bottom of the page on our website, Worldmichigan.org

09/11/2026

We’re back this Autumn with an exciting (and appetizing) Global Mixer event! Join us Wednesday September 23rd at Zeytin in Ada for a taste of Turkey! As always, these events tend to sell out quick, so be sure to reserve your spot today as we connect over global curiosity and cuisine with our community!

05/27/2026

Our eighth and final Great Decisions program is available for viewing on our YouTube Channel @/World Michigan!
We hope you’ll check out, rewatch, and share this conversation with former Nuclear Threat Initiative consultant Page Stoutland on “Nuclear Risk in a Changing World Order.” While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe and check out the full playlist of Great Decisions 2026 programs! Find the video at the top link on our bio’s linktree, or click here: https://youtu.be/-mzKb8Jf7cc?si=DVMMy9pxHu46Pk3G

Address

1700 Fulton Street East
Grand Rapids, MI
49506

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16167761721

Website

http://www.worldmichigan.org/, https://linktr.ee/WorldMichigan

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