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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC)

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Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC)

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Where Iowa meets to learn and talk about the world.

The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council is Dedicated to Promoting Understanding of International Issue Through Education, Connection, and Engagement

10/15/2026

We've earned Platinum!

We're proud to announce that the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council has earned the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, the highest level of recognition for nonprofit transparency!

This achievement reflects our commitment to openness, accountability, and sharing the impact of our work with the community we serve.

To our donors, supporters, and community partners: Thank you for the trust you place in us. Your generosity and partnership make it possible to bring people together through free, accessible programs that encourage global understanding, meaningful dialogue, and stronger community connections.

We believe transparency builds trust, and trust makes lasting impact possible. We're pleased to share our goals, accomplishments, and progress openly with everyone who believes in our mission.

10/12/2026

**TONIGHT | Indigenous Peoples’ Day**

**The Joy of Indigeneity: Storytelling as Resistance**

Stories carry memory, preserve culture, challenge injustice, and connect generations. They are powerful expressions of identity, belonging, and resilience.

This evening, in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we invite you to join us for a special conversation celebrating the richness of Indigenous voices, lived experiences, and the power of storytelling to reclaim and affirm cultural, spiritual, and political identities.

We'll be joined by four remarkable writers, artists, and scholars whose work spans continents, cultures, and creative traditions:

**Amber Esau** | Poet and writer, Aotearoa-New Zealand

**Monique Malcher** | Award-winning author and visual artist, Brazil

**Hidayat Nordin** | Writer, theatre director, and cultural practitioner, Singapore

**William Green** | Archaeologist, historian, and author, United States

Hosted by ICFRC board member **Dimy Doresca**, this gathering offers an opportunity to listen, reflect, learn, and celebrate the enduring importance of storytelling across cultures.

**TONIGHT, Monday, October 12**
**6:00–7:30 PM**
**Iowa City Public Library + Online**
**Join us in person or livestream from wherever you are:**

https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

Presented by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council in partnership with the Iowa City Public Library and the University of Iowa International Writing Program, and co-hosted with the University of Iowa Press.

**All are welcome. We hope you'll be part of this meaningful evening.**

10/09/2026

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, join us for a special evening of storytelling, identity, resistance, and reclamation.

The Joy of Indigeneity: Storytelling as Resistance
Monday, October 12 | 6:00–7:30 PM
Iowa City Public Library + Online

What does it mean to tell stories rooted in Indigenous identity, history, and lived experience? And how can storytelling become an act of resistance, remembrance, and reclamation?

ICFRC welcomes three remarkable writers, artists, and scholars whose work spans cultures, continents, and disciplines:

Amber Esau, poet and author of Hungus, joins us from Aotearoa-New Zealand, where her work explores identity through poetry, performance, and speculative storytelling.

Monique Malcher, an award-winning Brazilian writer, journalist, visual artist, and anthropologist, is the author of Flor de Gume, winner of Brazil’s prestigious Jabuti Literature Prize, and the novel Degola.

William Green, archaeologist and author of This is the Route of my Fathers: The 1837 Ioway Map, brings decades of scholarship exploring Indigenous history, archaeology, museums, and the cultural landscape of Iowa and beyond.

Hosted by ICFRC board member Kristy Nabhan-Warren, this multidisciplinary conversation will explore how indigeneity shapes creative work and lived experience, and how storytelling can reclaim spiritual, political, and cultural identities.

Join us in person at the Iowa City Public Library or stream the conversation live online.

Presented in partnership with the Iowa City Public Library and the University of Iowa International Writing Program, and co-hosted with the University of Iowa Press.

Register here: https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

Iowa City Public Library
University of Iowa International Programs
University of Iowa Honors Program
University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication
FilmScene
Humanities Iowa
City Channel 4
National Endowment for the Humanities
Iowa Public Radio
Stanley Center for Peace and Security
Veterans for Peace Iowa
Community Foundation of Johnson County
University of Iowa Libraries
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
University of Iowa - Division of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures
University of Iowa International Student Advisory Board
Hawk The Vote
League of Women Voters Johnson County Iowa
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Humanities Iowa
League of Women Voters Johnson County Iowa

10/07/2026

We are saddened to share the passing of James “Jim” McCue, a longtime supporter, advocate, and friend of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council.

Jim’s life reflected many of the values at the heart of ICFRC - curiosity about the world, a commitment to learning, compassion for others, and a belief in the importance of being an engaged member of one’s community.

A scholar and educator, Jim served in the University of Iowa’s Department of Religion for 53 years. Beyond the university, he gave generously of his time and spirit to organizations throughout our community, including Shelter House, United Way, the Sisters of Humility, and ICFRC.

We are deeply grateful that ICFRC was among the organizations Jim chose to support and champion. His presence and commitment helped sustain a community where people can come together to learn, ask difficult questions, encounter different perspectives, and better understand the world and one another.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jim’s wife, Mary, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the many students, colleagues, friends, and community members whose lives he touched.

Jim’s legacy is one of scholarship, service, curiosity, and care. We will remember him with gratitude, and we are honored to have counted him as part of the ICFRC community.

10/06/2026

Did you know astronauts can vote from space? Or that 16-year-olds can vote in Brazil?

From India’s one billion eligible voters to automatic voter registration in France and Sweden, democracy looks very different depending on where you are in the world.

Our latest slideshow explores a few fascinating voting curiosities from across the globe, including one involving the British monarch.

This fall, ICFRC’s Voices into Votes series looks beyond Election Day to explore how communities around the world protect, practice, and rethink democracy, and how people make their voices heard.

Explore the series: https://www.icfrc.org/series-voices-into-votes

Johnson County, Iowa
League of Women Voters Johnson County Iowa
Hawk The Vote

10/05/2026

THIS WEDNESDAY: Who votes, who does not, and why?

With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, join ICFRC this Wednesday, October 7, for a timely, evidence-based look at the forces shaping voter participation in the United States and other democracies.

Political scientist Caroline Tolbert will examine how voting laws, electoral rules, political trust, partisanship, demographic factors, and the structure of our election system influence who participates and who does not.

The conversation will explore questions at the center of American elections today:

• Which policies expand or restrict participation?
• How do early voting, absentee voting, voter registration rules, voter ID requirements, and proof-of-citizenship proposals affect elections?
• What does the two-party system mean for independent voters?
• How do redistricting, campaign finance, and primary systems shape representation?
• What happens when voters lose trust in elections and democratic institutions?

Hosted by ICFRC board member Christine Shea.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
6:00–7:30 PM
Iowa City Public Library
Also streaming online

Presented in partnership with Iowa City Public Library, the University of Iowa Department of Political Science, and Hawk the Vote.

Register and learn more:
https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

Join us this week for a timely conversation about the rules, choices, and institutions that shape participation in democracy.

Iowa City Public Library
University of Iowa International Programs
University of Iowa Honors Program
University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication
FilmScene
Humanities Iowa
City Channel 4
National Endowment for the Humanities
Iowa Public Radio
Stanley Center for Peace and Security
Veterans for Peace Iowa
Community Foundation of Johnson County
University of Iowa Libraries
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
University of Iowa - Division of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures
University of Iowa International Student Advisory Board
Hawk The Vote
League of Women Voters Johnson County Iowa
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Humanities Iowa

09/28/2026

Who votes, who does not, and what shapes that decision?

Next week, join ICFRC and political scientist Caroline Tolbert for an evidence-based look at the forces that influence voter participation in the United States and other democracies.

From voting laws and electoral rules to political trust, partisanship, primary systems, voter registration, redistricting, campaign finance, and election administration, this program will examine how policy choices can affect participation, representation, ballot access, and confidence in election outcomes.

The conversation will explore questions including:

• How does the U.S. two-party system influence whether voters feel they have meaningful choices?
• How do closed primaries affect independent voters?
• Which election policies are associated with greater participation?
• What tradeoffs arise when policymakers seek to balance election integrity and ballot access?
• How does public trust in elections shape participation and confidence in democratic institutions?

Who Votes, Who Does Not, and Why?
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
6:00–7:30 PM
Iowa City Public Library

Presented in partnership with Iowa City Public Library, the University of Iowa Department of Political Science, and Hawk the Vote.

Learn more and see upcoming programs:
https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

Iowa City Public Library
University of Iowa International Programs
University of Iowa Honors Program
University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Humanities Iowa
City Channel 4
National Endowment for the Humanities
Iowa Public Radio
Stanley Center for Peace and Security
Veterans for Peace Iowa
Community Foundation of Johnson County
University of Iowa Libraries
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
University of Iowa - Division of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures
University of Iowa International Student Advisory Board
Hawk The Vote
Johnson County, Iowa
University of Iowa Department of Political Science
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Humanities Iowa
League of Women Voters Johnson County Iowa

09/24/2026

ICFRC Q&A, did you know our events are intended for the entire Iowa City community? Don’t miss out on our free Fall event series, Voices into Votes. Everyone is welcome!!!

Calendar of events: https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

09/22/2026

TOMORROW: What does covering an election look like when misinformation is spreading, political pressure is mounting, and the public is trying to determine what and whom to trust?

Join ICFRC for Freedom of the Press and the Ballot: Covering Elections Around the World, a timely conversation with international journalists from the 2026 World Press Institute fellowship.

Hear firsthand perspectives from journalists working across very different political and media environments:

Riccardo Cavaliere, Italy | Rai News 24 journalist covering international economics and politics

Manuel Ruiz, Argentina | Head of Audiovisual Content at Clarín

Yana Barzakova, Bulgaria | International news editor and reporter at bTV

Naina Mishra, India | Senior crime and investigative reporter covering Chandigarh and Punjab

Together, they’ll explore how journalists cover elections under pressure, confront propaganda and misinformation, protect press freedom, and work to provide the public with credible information when the stakes are high.

Wednesday, September 23
11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Iowa City Public Library
Free and open to the public
Also streaming online

Hosted by ICFRC board member Thais Winkleblack.

Learn more, attend in person, or connect to the livestream:
https://www.icfrc.org/events-1

Presented in partnership with Iowa City Public Library, World Press Institute, Stanley Center for Peace and Security, and Hawk the Vote.

06/17/2026

ICFRC is thrilled to welcome Sophia Restiffe-Favoretto as our 2026 Glocal Impact Fellow focused on Multimedia Strategy and Outreach.

Sophia is a Brazilian-Italian communicator, visual storyteller, and recent graduate of the University of Iowa’s Master of Arts program in Mass Communication. With experience in visual communication, multimedia storytelling, international student engagement, study abroad programming, and cross-cultural education, Sophia brings a global perspective and deep commitment to helping people connect across cultures and communities.

Through this two-month summer fellowship, Sophia will help ICFRC develop audience profiles, outreach tools, messaging materials, and multimedia content strategies to expand participation, deepen community partnerships, and support our fall Voices Into Votes: Why Turnout Matters Here, There, and Now series.

The Glocal Impact Fellowship connects internationally focused graduate students and recent alumni with meaningful opportunities to apply their skills locally, working alongside community leaders, international experts, advocates, and social impact organizations in Johnson County.

We are so excited to have Sophia’s creativity, experience, and international perspective supporting ICFRC’s mission to make global learning accessible, welcoming, and locally meaningful.

Learn more: https://www.icfrc.org/glocal-impact-fellowship

Address

Iowa City, IA

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13196002588

Website

http://www.icfrc.org/

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