Tennessee World Affairs Council

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Phone: (931) 261-2353

Hours: Closed

Mon - Fri 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM (EDT)

Sat Closed

Sun Closed

Website: https://www.tnwac.org/

Email: info@TNWAC.org

NTEE Code: Q20: Promotion of International Understanding

MISSION - WHAT WE DO

The mission of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.

SERVICES - HOW WE DO IT

Distinguished Visiting Speaker Program The presentation of knowledgeable, experienced speakers to communities that would not otherwise have the opportunity to listen to and question these speakers is a flagship program of TNWAC. The Council, delivers thoughtful, provocative, experienced speakers from various fields, such as the American and foreign diplomatic communities, academia, the military, the business world, and elsewhere. Recent examples are Senator Bob Corker, Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Ambassadors from Russia, Ireland, Czechia, Kazakhstan and the President of the US Institute of Peace. In addition to its signature “Global Town Halls” at Belmont University the Council works with partnering organizations -- civic groups, universities, schools, corporate partners, and others -- to host the distinguished visiting speakers around the community. Global Dialogue Discussion Groups Local discussion groups – like a ‘salon’ – bring people together for casual conversations about international issues in the news. The Council has a monthly program to facilitate social meetings for that purpose. The Council prepares background materials to prepare the participants – several articles as well as online videos, maps, reference material and a longer list of readings to expand the participants’ knowledge if they want to dig deeper. The roughly one-hour conversations are facilitated by a Council member and sometimes a subject specialist but the focus is on everyone contributing their views. The discussion is guided by a set of key points and may conclude with a poll of members concerning their conclusions – the poll results to be provided to government officials. More venues will be added as demand increases and the program is available ‘off the shelf’ for groups to use as global affairs fellowship sessions. Global Focus Web Casts/Webinars To reach classrooms and communities around Tennessee the Council is developing a Web cast capability to connect international decision and policy-makers, authors, scholars and more to students, community groups and individuals. The concept was proven through an interactive Webinar featuring distinguished Beirut-based journalist Rami Khouri who talked with Tennessee students, Council members and even audiences from around the network of World Affairs Councils about Middle East developments (video archived on TNWAC.org). The Web cast concept is one example of how the Council will use technology as a multiplier to reach the widest audience in its mission to share an understanding of the world. The Council is building a project to deliver regular Web casts that will be available to Tennessee classrooms and beyond connecting them to young professionals working around the world – in particular junior Foreign Service Officers in American embassies. The object of the interactive link will be to inform students first hand about the countries in which the young diplomats serve, their living and working situations, and how they came to be in those positions. Academic WorldQuest Academic WorldQuest is a Flagship Program of the world affairs council system. The game was invented by the Charlotte Council and is now widely played at the adult and high school levels around the country. It is a team game testing competitors' knowledge of international affairs, geography, history, and culture. The World Affairs Councils of America started the national competition in Washington, DC in March 2003. Participants come from high schools that work with the World Affairs Council network. It is unique to the world affairs council system and has no direct competitor among K-12 knowledge-based competitions in the US or abroad. Podcast The Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC) launched the “Global Tennessee” Podcast series in 2018 with interviews of scores of policymakers, thought-leaders and specialists. In 2020 the service pivoted to interactive Webinars, to temporarily replace in-person programs during the pandemic crisis. All of the programs are archived: videos on our Youtube.com/tnwac channel and audios in our “Global Tennessee” Podcast service on soundcloud.com/tnwac and wherever you get your Pods.

Causes

Services Offered

  • Foreign Policy & Globalization
  • Information & Communications
  • International Affairs
  • International Development

Populations Served

  • Activists

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