Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC)

10/18/2026

Look at all these great gifts! 😍👏🏻 Can’t make it Global Top Chef this week but still want to support the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC)? Check out these fabulous items apart of Global Top Chef’s silent auction: https://pawac.betterworld.org/auctions/global-top-chef 🌎🍽️🔥

Thank you so much to everyone who donated items: Jones Brothers Jewelers, Thanh Linh Vietnamese Restaurant, Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria Chiefs, Barrack's Cater Inn, & so many more! Shoutout to our PAWAC team who put these great items together! 👏🏻

10/14/2026

Thank you to Mayor Ali & the City of Peoria Illinois - Government for recognizing the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) for bringing the world to Central Illinois and highlighting next week’s inaugural Global Top Chef event! 🌎🍽️🔥 We take pride in putting Peoria on the map & and look forward to continuing our strong partnership. 📍🤝🌎 Shoutout to our very own Board member & former Executive Director, Angela Weck, for helping accept last night’s Proclamation on behalf of PAWAC! 🎉

Special thank you to Angela Weck, Peoria Area World Affairs Council Board of Directors Member for attending toight’s Council meeting to receive a Mayoral Proclamation.

For more information on Peoria Area World Affairs Council, please visit https://www.pawac.org/

WHEREAS, the Peoria Area World Affairs Council has promoted global education through public programming that brings national and international experts to Peoria to discuss world events, and how they affect us locally; and

WHEREAS, the Peoria Area World Affairs Council has expanded its educational outreach to area students in high schools through the International Scholastic Bowl, and in middle schools through the Geography Bee; and

WHEREAS, for many years, the City of Peoria has enjoyed collaborating with four vibrant Sister Cities: Clonmel, Ireland; Friedrichshafen, Germany; Benxi, China; and Aytou, Lebanon; and

WHEREAS, on October 22, the Peoria Area World Affairs Council will expand their programming with the Global Top Chef competition, celebrating the culinary contributions of Peoria’s Sister Cities;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rita Ali, Mayor of the City of Peoria, Illinois, do hereby recognize the efforts of the

PEORIA AREA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

In Peoria, Illinois.

Dated this 13th day of October 2026 A.D.

10/10/2026

Up close, and personal. The Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) was excited to welcome author, Cornelius Queen this past week to Central Illinois to share his insights about how U.S. business can successfully leverage soft power as an opportunity to do business abroad. 🌎💰🇺🇸

Cornelius not only gave a keynote at Central College, but also visited the campuses of Illinois Wesleyan University, & the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Center for South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies to speak directly with students. He even hit the airwaves to chat with Greg and Phil! 🎙️

Yet again, we are very grateful for everyone behind the scenes who made it possible to help bring the world to Central Illinois! 🌎

10/08/2026

Join us tonight for this engaging conversation!

10/02/2026

Want a preview of next week’s program? Check out this great article & interview between next week’s guest - Cornelius Queen & The Cairo Review of Global Affairs! 🌎🇪🇬🎙️

Read & listen here:

What’s a better geopolitical strategy—force, or finance? James Harmon and Cornelius Queen join CR Amplified to discuss how business can be an alternative to hard power for Washington.

10/01/2026

1️⃣ week from today! 🗓️ The Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) will be welcoming author Cornelius Queen at ICC North to talk about his book “A Daring Enterprise”. This unique story explores how global affairs, diplomacy, and international business can come together to innovate and reach new markets abroad. We hope you’ll join us for another insightful evening with PAWAC! 🌎

This is a FREE program - however we ask that you please RSVP at: https://peoria-area-world-affairs-council.square.site/product/a-discussion-with-cornelius-queen-co-author-of-a-daring-enterprise-a-us-egyptian-partnership-an-the-case-for-soft-power/52

09/30/2026

Meet our intern Lilianna! Lilianna is an International Business & Finance major at Business ISU.

Having attended several PAWAC events as an ISU student, Lilianna is excited to get more involved with the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) and sharpen her professional skills. 🌎✈️

Lilianna is coming off studying abroad over the summer at the Universität Paderborn in Germany. On campus, Lilianna also serves with the International Business Association at Illinois State University, American Civil Liberties Union, German Club, and the Daughters of the American Revolution where she is both the Community Classroom and Junior Member Chair.

After she graduates, Lilianna hopes to continue her studies in German and the International Economics & Management master's program at Universität Paderborn. 🌎🇩🇪

A fun fact about Lilianna is that she loves listening to world music ranging from Saint Levant to Bad Bunny to Ikkimel. 💡🌎🎶

Please join us in welcoming Lilianna to the Peoria World Affairs Council & the The World Affairs Councils of America network! 👏🏻🎉

09/28/2026

09/21/2026

We want to give a special shoutout to Dr. Rosie Hauck and AsiaConnect for helping host the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) last Wednesday at Business ISU! AsiaConnect is a unique organization that seeks to bring together the Asian community both on ISU’s campus and across Bloomington-Normal. They helped us connect with Seoul Mama, Inc., a local restaurant in BloNo for the evening’s catering, as well as promote our event. It is through special partnerships like this where PAWAC is better able to engage with the broader community as we bring the world to Central Illinois! Thank you AsiaConnect & Dr. Hauck!