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The following is a list of events held by the Akron Council on World Affairs from September 1999 to the present. As of February 2003, speakers conduct two programs: a briefing for the Global Scholars high school students and a formal presentation to a community audience.
February 2008
Antonio Ortiz-Mena, Head of Section, Economic Affairs, Mexican Embassy, Washington, D.C., discussed issues related to the North American economic integration as well as the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Dr. Ortiz-Mena provided his government's assessment of what remains to be accomplished by both countries.
November 2007
Manoj Joshi, Counsellor, Economic Affairs, Embassy of India, Washington, D.C., discussed India's rapid economic growth, the opportunities it provides to global industry, and the need to leverage this growth to combat poverty and improve infrastructure.
Ilango Karuppannan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Malaysia, Washington, D.C., discussed the shared values and concerns of Malaysia and the U.S., as well as the growing trade and investment relations between the two countries.
October 2007
Haiyan Li, Counselor for Economic Affairs, Embassy of the
People's Republic of China, Washington, D.C., discussed the U.S.-China economic relationship in the context of China's
rapid economic growth, commonly seen as a major characteristic of today’s global economic pattern.
May 2007
Jesper Møller Sørensen, Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs, Embassy of Denmark, Washington, D.C., discussed the international issues that European diplomats in Washington face, asserting that the U.S. and Europe often agree on foreign policy goals — but do not always agree on the means.
April 2007
Jaroslav Kurfürst, Deputy Chief of Mission, Czech Republic, Washington, D.C., discussed Central Europe's unique success story after the end of the cold war and his country's relations with the U.S.
March 2007
Zbigniew Kubacki, Minister Counselor-Head of the Economic & Commercial
Section, Embassy of Poland, Washington, D.C., provided an overview of Poland's economic and political transformation after
the collapse of communism.
NOVEMBER 2006
Leena Ritola, Minister Counselor-Political Affairs, Embassy of Finland, Washington, D.C., discussed the European Union's positions on critical challenges that face both Europe and the U.S. Finland's Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanan, served a six-month term as President of the European Union that began July 1, 2006.
OCTOBER 2006
Isabelle Marques-Gross, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of France, Chicago, IL, addressed societal issues in France and spoke about the French approach on the question of immigration.
SEPTEMBER 2006
Andreas Krüger, Political Counselor, German Embassy, Washington, D.C., discussed how, contrary to some perceptions in the media, the German-American relationship has grown closer over the last decade. Nevertheless, there are remaining challenges — terrorism and the spread of radical ideology, especially in parts of the Muslim world, and the further development of a globalized market economy despite protectionist pressures — that will require a strong transatlantic relationship between the two countries.
APRIL 2006
Dominic Martin,
Counsellor at the British Embassy Washington, D.C., Political and Public Affairs, discussed how governments across the world are finding that the dividing line between domestic and international policy is increasingly blurred.
Many of the problems that we face today—from protecting the homeland against international terrorism to preserving our environment for future generations—can only be solved if nations around the world work together. But events have shown that achieving such global co-operation is not easy.
Charles Sheehan,
Consul General of Ireland, Chicago, IL, addressed Ireland's startling rise from being one of Europe's poorest countries, prior to the 1990s, to the richest country in the European Union after Luxembourg.
Mr. Sheehan discussed the unforeseeable and radical changes over the past
two decades that have brought this about, as well as new and old challenges
facing Ireland today.
November 2005
Peter C. Potman, Political Counselor, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Washington, D.C., discussed recent trends in the Netherlands’ relationship with Europe and the European Union following the June 1, 2005, rejection by the Dutch people of the Treaty on a European Constitution.
Mr. Potman also delved into the relationship between the Netherlands and the U.S.
October 2005
Charles R. Snyder, Senior Representative on Sudan, U.S. Department of State.
Mr. Snyder discussed how the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement holds the best prospect for remedying the grievances and ending the marginalization of other groups and regions of this geographically immense and culturally, racially, and religiously diverse country.
September 2005
Junichi Ihara, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission and Head of the Economic Section, Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Ihara examined the role of the United States in the regionalization of East Asia and what Japan expects from the U.S.
April 2005
Saudi Arabia Since the September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Dr. Nozar Alaolmolki, Chair, Department of Political Science, Hiram College
Global Scholars briefing session: Issues covered included rights of women, the political process and U.S. dependence on Saudi Arabian oil.
Filipino Migration to the U.S.: An Inside Look At Impact on Families
Yolanda Salviejo, Past President, NE Ohio Philippine Chamber of Commerce (USA), Inc.
Global Scholars briefing session: Issues covered included President Arroya's campaign promises, off-shore Filipino workers and their family circumstances, U.S. aid.
February 2005
Will Radical Islam OR Democracy Win Out in Egypt?
Dr. Bruce W. Barnes, Middle East Specialist and Author
Global Scholars briefing session: Issues covered included challenges facing the Egyptian government as it moves through its presidential election process in 2005.
November 2004
Opportunities for U.S. Companies in China: Risks & Rewards
Dr. Philip A. Spanninger, Exec. VP, Americhem, Inc.
Dr. Spanninger is supervising the building of Americhem's new plant in China. He has been traveling to China on international business since 1979.
Global Scholars briefing session: Dr. Spanninger addressed at length the issues of poverty and unstable labor supply in central China and its effects on his company's decision to build near Shanghai. He was joined in the session by a mainland Chinese student from the University of Akron who spoke to censorship issues and how the government there monitors individuals' computers.
October 2004
The US and India: Building Partners for Economic Growth
Dr. Raj Aggarwal, Professor and Firestone Chair in Finance, Kent State
Global Scholars briefing session: Dr. Aggarwal covered critical issues in today's India, drawing from his personal knowledge where appropriate. Most of his family still lives in India. He was quite open with students in addressing these issues, including an extended segment on the caste system and changes that are occurring as individuals are accepted for their vocational skills rather than continuing to be confined by group.
September 2004
Castro's Cuba: A Healthy State?
Dr. C. William Keck (retired Director, Public Health, Akron) Assoc. Dean & Professor, NEUCOM
Dr. Keck has made a dozen trips to Cuba in recent years to study public health issues.
Global Scholars briefing session: Dr. Keck asked the students many challenging questions, including what has accounted for more than 90% of the decline in disease in the Western world over the past 50 years (answer: public health rather than miracle drugs). He shared the remarkable achievements of public health in Cuba while discussing socialist government strictures on the goals of its population.
April 2004
Taiwan Democracy Confronts Mainland China
Jane Walker Snider, Executive Director, Akron Council on World Affairs
Ms. Snider was one of a small delegation from the U.S., invited to be guests of the Taiwan government to observe the March 20, 2004, presidential elections. As a documentary photographer, she took a series of photographs of the unfolding of events. She also brought back newspapers, briefing materials and information on the voting process to share with the Global Scholars students.
March 2004
Afghanistan and Pakistan - A Critical Juncture
Amb. Charles Dunbar, a former Ambassador to Yemen and former charge d'affaires in Afghanistan (during the Soviet occupation)
Global Scholars briefing session: Amb. Dunbar's discussion with the students centered on issues related to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
February 2004
U.S. Issues Related to the Two Koreas
Joseph Winder, President, Korea Economic Institute
Global Scholars briefing session: Issues related to the U.S.' commitment to the defense of South Korea and the attitude of the Korean youth population toward the U.S.
January 2004
Norway and Its Role with the European Union and NATO
John Doyle Ong, U.S. Ambassador to Norway
Amb. Ong provided his view of this subject as well as discussing the variety of jobs that exist in a U.S. embassy.
September 2003
China in Transition, a View from Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)
Ben Shao, Director of Information, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago
ACWA's relationship with the Taiwan government was instrumental in our obtaining Mr. Shao. Mr. Shao was a special assistant in the Office of the President of Taiwan, Lee Teng-Hui, when Mr. Lee took the steps that made possible the first democratic elections for a Chinese people, held in 1996 and ushering in a new era.
November 2003
The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Dr. Jerry Leach, President, The World Affairs Councils of America
Dr. Leach spoke objectively about the two sides involved in this process, based in part on his 2003 study trip to both sides, meeting with government officials and others and observing the construction of the wall. Prior to his present position, Dr. Leach ran a large segment of the Peace Corps out of Turkey, extending through the Balkans and Black Sea region, through the Middle East and Asia. He was also the person who generated and led the successful campaign that resulted in the trade of ivory being banned first in the U.S. and then worldwide.
October 2003
The U.S. and Nigeria, thinking beyond oil
Amb. Walter Carrington, former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria
Amb. Carrington was recently awarded a medal by the present democratic government of Nigeria, honoring him for his stand for human rights with the dictator government holding power in the mid 90's when he served there. At that time, due to his opposition to the dictatorship, he and his staff and other officials were forced to leave Nigeria at gun point.
April 2003
'The Powell Plan'
Amb. Charles Dunbar, a former Ambassador to Yemen and former charge d'affaires in Afghanistan (during the Soviet occupation there)
Global Scholars briefing session: Amb. Dunbar's discussion with the students centered on issues related to the European Union, and his formal talk was an expansion of his March 9, 2003, op-ed article in The Boston Globe, entitled "The Powell Plan", his view of a modern version of The Marshall Plan, for Afghanistan and for Iraq.
March 2003
Eleven Nations Cooperate to Impact the World Economy
Dr. Costas Masmanides, Secretary General, The Black Sea Economic Cooperative Business (11 nation states surrounding the Black Sea, with offices in Istanbul, Turkey)
Global Scholars briefing session: Dr. Masmanides addressed the difficulties being faced by these nations, many of them are still struggling to free themselves from the economies and social arrangements persisting from when they were part of the Soviet Union, to begin to implement democratic society structures.
February 2003
Unilateralism vs. Multilateralism, with emphasis on its relation to the Iraqi situation
Dr. Sean Kay, Assoc. Professor of Politics and Government, Ohio Wesleyan University and nonresident fellow at the Eisenhower Institute in Washington, DC.
Dr. Kay writes op-ed articles for the Wall Street Journal, the Herald-American and other print media and is interviewed frequently by CNN and other networks. He is considered one of the leading experts on NATO.
Global Scholars briefing session: Dr. Kay addressed political alternatives in engaging European countries in decisions related to Iraq.
October 2002
Issues Before Our Nation: An Era of Change
Hon. Tom Sawyer, U.S. Congressman
Turkey - Between Two Worlds
Stephen Kinzer, New York Times Bureau Chief and author, "The Crescent & the Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds"
September 2002
China & U.S. Relations
Amb. David Reuther, China
May 2002
Akron's Role In The Global Economy
Don Plusquellic, Mayor of Akron
April 2002
The Fertile Crescent: Profound Change in Turkey Through Enlightened Development
Dr. I.H. Oleay Unver, President, GAP Regional Development Assoc, Turkey
May 2001
Who Will Manage Globalization: Corporations or Governments?
Amb. Anthony C.E. Quainton
March 2001
Who Owns Taiwan?
Dr. Peng Ming-Min, Senior Advisor to the President of Taiwan (the "Grandfather" of Democracy and Freedom in Taiwan)
Partners or Competitors: The U.S., Japan and China in the 21st Century
Mr. Toyisha Hoshino, Assoc. Prof. of International Security Studies, Osaka University
February 2001
Africa and The New Administration: New Priorities?
Amb. Roland K. Kuchel
December 2000
Mideast Peace Process: Can It Be Revived?
Amb. Charles F. Dunbar
November 2000
Democracy Movement in Yugoslavia: What Lies ahead for the Balkans?
Sloboban Kotevski, UN Mission Chief & Former Yugoslavia Diplomat
October 2000
Torture, Torment, Tyranny - The State of Human Rights Today
Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director, Amnesty International USA
April 2000
Republic of China On Taiwan: Recent Developments & Future Challenges
Rep. Stephen Chen, Dir., Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
March 2000
Lebanon: The Peace Process
H.D. Farid Abboud, U.S. Ambassador, Lebanon to the U.S.
February 2000
Islam and The West: The Road to Reconciliation
Dr. Abdul Aziz Said, Director, Center for Global Peace, American University, DC
A New 'Great Game' in the Asian Heartland - Is U.S. Policy Up to the Challenge?
Amb. Michael W. Cotter, Former Ambassador to Turkmenistan
September 1999
Humanitarian Challenges at Century's End
Karen Koning AbuZayd, UN High Commissioner for Refugees in the U.S.
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