World Affairs Council - Seattle

10/14/2026

Calling all 3-12 graders in WA state! It’s time for this year’s 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 (WCEC). The WCEC invites students to explore global issues, share their perspectives, and demonstrate what it means to be an engaged world citizen. Building on the tradition of the World Citizen Essay Contest, the Engagement Contest expands the ways students can participate. Students may submit their work in one of four formats:

▸ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆: 1,000 words or less
▸ 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁: 3–5 minutes
▸ 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆: 3–5 minutes
▸ 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆: 5–8 original photographs + reflection of 500 words or less

You don't need expensive equipment or professional editing skills. We are interested in your ideas, your perspective, and your voice—not how much technology you have access to.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟮𝗻𝗱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳!

For more information and the contest prompt, visit: https://www.world-affairs.org/program/introducing-the-2027-world-citizen-engagement-contest/

𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸!

10/13/2026

⌛Our upcoming event, 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, is just one week away! Don't miss your chance to get an insider's perspective on the future of the African continent.

📆 October 19th, 2026
🕔 5:00pm PT
📍 Downtown Seattle
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄! https://www.world-affairs.org/event/africa-rising-how-young-leaders-are-shaping-the-continents-future/

Explore how Africa's young and rapidly growing population affects the evolving political and economic landscapes across the continent with Africa policy expert and former US Ambassador to Botswana, Michelle Gavin.

10/09/2026

Over the summer, our Global Leadership Exchange program hosted a group of young leaders from Kosovo, Korea, and the United States as part of the On-Demand Youth Leadership Program (ODYLP): Excellence in AI and Global Leadership Exchange. The 20-day program spanned the Seattle area and Washington DC with a focus on strengthening participants’ knowledge and skills in AI, technology, and global leadership.

During their 15-day stay in Seattle, participants explored local attractions while staying with volunteer host families, learned from experts on how to leverage technology to best serve people, and visited technology and innovations hubs such as Google, Microsoft, and AWS Amazon. After three weeks of immersive experiences, this group of young leaders returned home to put the skills they learned into action, solving real-world challenges in their own communities.

Learn more about the program on Legacy International's website: https://legacyintl.org/odylp-eagle/

10/06/2026

Join World Affairs Council on 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝟱:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 𝗣𝗧 for an engaging evening with Jonathan Cheng, China Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal and one of the paper’s leading observers of Chinese and Korean Peninsula affairs, for an inside look at the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape of East Asia.

Register now: https://www.world-affairs.org/event/from-taiwan-to-pyongyang-inside-asias-shifting-balance-of-power/

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀
Beijing’s approach to Taiwan has grown increasingly assertive as its partnership with Russia continues to reshape global politics. Meanwhile, North Korea’s growing relationship with Moscow has provided Kim Jong Un with new sources of leverage. Join us, along with moderator Heather Yang Hwalek, to explore how these developments affect the future of security and stability across East Asia.

Copies of Cheng’s new book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea’s Personality, are available for purchase.

10/05/2026

Our inaugural 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝗢𝗳𝗳 was incredibly special. This cohort is full of remarkable educators who are eager to learn from one another, share their experiences, and strengthen our global learning community. We are especially proud that we’ve been able to create a welcoming, supportive environment where educators feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves, exchanging ideas, and building meaningful connections.

The orientation was hands-on and engaging, filled with laughter, thoughtful conversations, collaborative activities, and inspiring stories from the teachers who are helping cultivate the next generation of globally minded leaders. Throughout the day, participants explored the fellowship experience, reflected on their goals for the year ahead, and began building relationships that will support and inspire them throughout the program.

It was energizing to see educators from diverse schools, grade levels, and subject areas come together with a shared commitment to expanding global perspectives in their classrooms and communities. Their passion, curiosity, and dedication remind us why this work matters so deeply.

As we begin a new school year, we are excited to see how this cohort grows together, supports one another, and translates their learning into impactful experiences for students throughout the greater Seattle area and beyond. The future is bright, and we're grateful to be part of this journey alongside such an incredible group of educators!

10/01/2026

𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩!

We are thrilled to welcome our 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀—a dynamic group of K–12 educators, specialists, and administrators from across the greater Seattle area who are committed to bringing global perspectives and learning into their schools and communities. Learn more about this year's cohort here: https://www.world-affairs.org/educatorfellowscohort/

Over the coming year, these educators will learn, connect, collaborate, and grow together as they explore what it means to prepare students to be thoughtful, informed, and engaged global citizens.

We’re excited to learn alongside them, strengthen our 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, and build new connections across classrooms, schools, and communities throughout the region.

Here’s to a year of curiosity, collaboration, meaningful conversations, and global learning!

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀! 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

09/30/2026

Africa is the fastest growing continent in the world, and by 2050 it is expected to be home to 25% of the world’s population. So how does this young and rapidly growing population affect the pressure being put on African governments? And how do the evolving political and economic landscapes across Africa impact international relations? 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 at our upcoming event with Africa policy expert and former US Ambassador to Botswana, Michelle Gavin: https://www.world-affairs.org/event/africa-rising-how-young-leaders-are-shaping-the-continents-future/

For a sneak peek into what this conversation might look like, check out this Council on Foreign Relations podcast with the former Ambassador: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vn1719Lh90

Are you interested in learning more about the technological, social, and political shifts going on across Africa right now? Join World Affairs Council on October 19th at 5pm for a conversation between UW’s Dr. Christopher Tounsel and former US Ambassador to Botswana, Michelle Gavin, on what the future holds for Africa and the world!

Gavin will engage participants in a thorough discussion in relation to her book, The Age of Change, which highlights the ambitions, frustrations, and creativity of Africa’s youth and their impact on both local politics and global power dynamics.

Don’t miss your chance to get in on this unique and valuable conversation! Register here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/262456974584170

09/29/2026

Last month, on August 11, the World Affairs Council's Global Classroom program hosted its 2026 𝗘𝗨 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗨 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 at the University of Washington. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the event so meaningful!

Throughout the day, educators explored the European Union's democratic institutions, security challenges, civic engagement, and institutional resilience through conversations with experts from across the region.

A special thank you to our speakers 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 𝗝. 𝗡𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗜𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻, 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗸, for sharing their expertise and perspectives with our educator community.

We are also grateful to our partners and supporters at the 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗨𝗪 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗘𝗨 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 for helping make this professional learning experience possible.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙨!

Check out more about the program here: https://www.world-affairs.org/event/2026-eu-policy-forum-educator-workshop-eu-security-and-democracy/

09/28/2026

The Global Leadership Exchange (GLX) team, a program within World Affairs Council, regularly hosts international visitors from all around the world. Part of these exchanges include Dinner Diplomacy, an opportunity for guests to chat, exchange ideas, and share about their cultures over dinner with Seattle-area community members.

Last month, one of GLX’s interns, Mia McGrath, hosted guests in her own home. Read about her experience in her recent blog, 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺-𝘚𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦: https://www.world-affairs.org/event/global-insights-served-family-style/

Think you would be interested in hosting some of our international guests? Learn more and sign up here: https://www.world-affairs.org/program/dinner-diplomacy/. Or reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

09/28/2026

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Akhror Burkhanov for opening the doors of the new Uzbekistani Consulate to members of our community last Friday. The Consul General engaged in an open conversation with our members over coffee, discussing Uzbekistan's unique ties with Seattle, their reform and development strategies, and their hopes for establishing enduring relationships throughout the PNW.

To those who attended, thank you for bringing such thoughtful questions and engaging in this deeply meaningful conversation. We hope to see you again soon.