SPEAKER PROGRAMS
International Dialogue for Our Local Community
Public speaker programs
Membership dialogue with policy luminaries
Annual marquee event
Foreign Policy Forums
CCWA’s Foreign Policy Forums bring national subject matter experts, government officials, and diplomats to Cleveland to explore relevant and timely geopolitical topics. These public programs are held September to May and are open to CCWA members as well as the general public. Members receive reduced pricing on tickets; students attend for free thanks to the Dr. and Mrs Wael and Sawssan Khoury fund.
Join us to learn about world affairs, explore key issues, and engage in dialogue with guest speakers. Our audience includes internationally curious individuals, business leaders, community leaders from around Northeast Ohio, students, and educators. Topics range from U.S. foreign policy to world economics, humanitarian crises, and current global issues of geopolitical importance. Upcoming events are listed below – for additional updates on future Foreign Policy Forums, subscribe to our e-mail newsletter.
UPCOMING FOREIGN POLICY FORUMS
For the latest events and upcoming Foreign Policy Forums, be sure to check our Calendar section.
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2023 CALENDAR YEAR HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
January 18, 2023
Spotlight on the Environment: Debriefing the COP27 and Global Water Crisis
February 16, 2023
The Dr. Raj and Karen Aggarwal Forum on International Business Presents:
From Tires to Technology: How Goodyear is Shaping an Evolving World of Transportation
Rich Kramer, CEO, Goodyear Tire & Rubber
April 26, 2023
Lessons from the Edge: Ukraine in Crisis – a Luncheon Event
Ambassador Maria Yovanovitch (Member registration opens March 1, 2023)
May 9, 2023
The Rise of China: Understanding its Current Quest for Global Power
Dr. Susan Shirk
Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations
Informed discussions, candid dialogue and personal interaction with top experts and diplomats make the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) the right forum for those passionate about world affairs. The intimate dinner and dialogue format provides a rare opportunity to have in-depth, off-the-record discussions with nationally-known experts on the key events and trends that are shaping the lives and futures of people around the globe. Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations topics are nuanced and our speakers offer unique perspectives from their own experiences. Participation is exclusive to members and their guests.
RECENT & UPCOMING CCFR PROGRAMS
An Uneasy Ambiguity: A New Path for U.S. – China Relations
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ivan Kanapathy is the Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. From 2018 to 2021 he served on the White House’s National Security Council staff as director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia and deputy senior director for Asian affairs.
Why America’s Army Can’t Win America’s Wars: Ukraine, Afghanistan, and the Future of Conflict
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
John Nagl is Associate Professor of Warfighting Studies at the Army War College. A West Point graduate and retired Armor officer, he attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, earning his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in International Relations. His doctoral dissertation was published as “Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam.”
Nigeria: What is At Stake for Africa’s Largest Economy Facing Challenging 2023 Elections?
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Oge Onubogu is senior program officer for Africa Programs at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) where she leads programming in Nigeria. In this position, she provides leadership, strategic management, and oversees the design and implementation of projects to promote inclusion and community security by partnering with policymakers, civic leaders, and organizations in Nigeria.
Brazil’s Presidential Elections and Implications for U.S. – Brazil Bilateral Relations
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Liliana Ayalde is Senior Adviser in the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In her 38-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, she was dedicated to foreign affairs, development, defense and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. She served as the U.S. ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil from 2013-2016.
The Evolving World Order: How Geopolitics Shape American Security
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Richard Fontaine is the Chief Executive Office of the Center for a New American Security. Prior to CNAS, he was foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain and worked at the State Department, the National Security Council (NSC), and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Topic: U.S. – Saudi Arabia Relations
Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Dr. Courtney Freer is Visiting Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Emory University. Her academic work focuses on the domestic politics of the Arab Gulf states and Islamism.
What if…?: Scenarios for the Future of Ukraine
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Liana Fix is a Resident Fellow, German Marshall Fund; Professor, International Affairs, Koerber Foundation in Berlin. She is a historian and political scientist, and her work focuses on Russia and Eastern Europe and European security.
Topic: Global Food Security
Date in May to be determined
Speaker: To be announced in the new year
CCFR COVID-19 Guidelines
In light of the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our members, speakers, and staff remain a priority for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. We ask that all Foreign Policy Forum attendees agree to maintain vigilance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Refraining from attending Foreign Policy Forum events if you:
– Have had recent contact with an infected person
– Are experiencing symptoms or feeling unwell - Maintaining a vaccination and booster schedule appropriate for your own risk level and health implications.
- Continuing to follow local health authorities’ guidelines in an evolving environment.
- Agreeing to comply with requests, such as masking, if necessary, made by CCWA staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
2021-2022 SEASON
- Ilan Goldenberg: The U.S.-Israel Relationship After Netanyahu
- Gregory Shaffer: Emerging Powers and the World Trading System
- Kaitlyn Johnson: Space Security - Threats and Foreign Policy Implications
- Terry Roberts: Implementing Cyber Risk Management Frameworks
- Andrew Yeo: Adapting the U.S.-South Korea Alliance to the Indo-Pacific Era
- Paul Angelo: Getting U.S. Security Assistance Right: Lessons from Mexico, Central America, and Colombia
- Cameron Hudson: The Horn of Africa and Its Strategic Implications
- Pierre Morcos: The Future of Europe: A French Perspective
2020-2021 SEASON
- Randolph Bell and Anders Åslund: The Geopolitics of Energy: A Look at Russia and Saudi Arabia’s Role
- Karen Donfried: Germany and America’s Changing Relationship
- Cynthia Arnson: Security Challenges and Prospects for Peace in Colombia
- Ambassador Reuben Brigety: Emerging Powers in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Celina Realuyo: Countering Global Terrorist Funding and Illicit Networks
- Thomas Countryman: Nuclear Proliferation Risks and Concerns
- Randa Slim: Lebanon in Crisis
- Rear Admiral Paul Becker: Grand Strategy in the Asia-Pacific
2019-2020 SEASON
- Kemal Kirisci: Turkey, a U.S. Ally Adrift: Is a Reversal Possible?
- Dany Bahar: Venezuela: How We Got Here, and What’s Next?
- Richard Hoagland: The New Silk Road: U.S. Strategic Interests in the Caspian Sea Region
- Ambassador Stephen Young: Taiwan and the U.S.: What Does the Future Hold?
- Richard Rossow: India’s Rise as an Economic and Military Power
- Farah Pandith: How We Win: Defeating the Extremist Threat
- Chris Demchak: Cyber Conflict and New Global Reality: Threats and Possibilities for Democratic Survival
- Frances Burwell: The Post-Covid19 Transatlantic Relationship
2018-2019 SEASON
- Jarrett Blanc: Where Do We Go From Here: The Future of U.S.-Iran Relations
- Richard Miles: At a Crossroads- Insight Into the U.S.-Mexico Relationship
- Roy Kamphausen: U.S.-China Relations, A Look at Military
- Anna Borshchevskaya: Exploring Russia’s Role in the Middle East
- Mathew Burrows: Alternative Futures for the World: Examining Global Order
- Geoffrey Gertz: NAFTA 2.0 and the Future of American Trade Policy
- Ambassador Bruce Wharton: U.S. Interests and Policy in Africa
- Walter Berbrick: Challenges and Trials in the Arctic
2017-2018 SEASON
- Abigail Esman: Beyond Terrorism: Addressing Terrorism at Home and Abroad
- Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger: The Merkel Regime- Germany after the Election
- Scott Stewart: Understanding Cybersecurity: Understanding Cybersecurity and Physical Security
- Andrea Murta: Anatomy of Corruption: The Case of Brazil
- Naoyuki Agawa: Japan’s Security Policy in East Asia and Beyond: North Korea, China and the Alliance
- David Dollar: China’s Growing Role in the World Economy
- Sarah Feuer: Religion and Politics in North Africa: Emerging Trends and Implications for U.S. Policy
- Michael Peterson: A New ‘Type’ of War: Russian Warfare in the 21st Century
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Having returned to Cleveland after living overseas, CCWA has been a wonderful resource for me to find the internationally minded folks in the Cleveland business community. I can count on CCWA to bring compelling speakers from leading institutions to discuss hot-button topics in international affairs. The organization was instrumental in helping me connect with fascinating and diverse people in the area — CCWA really does connect Cleveland to the world.
Ben Gebhardt
CCFR MEMBER
Global Impact Awards
CCWA's Global Impact Award recognizes an individual or organization whose leadership has led to greater global understanding and cooperation. This annual event includes dinner, a program, and the Brooks Emeny Distinguished Lecture, delivered by our honoree.
Details about this year's event will be available soon. For more information or general inquiries about the Global Impact Awards, please contact Jenni Carney at jcarney@ccwa.org.
Contribute to Global Connections
SUPPORT THE CLEVELAND COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS
For a century, the CCWA has brought diverse perspectives on issues of international import to Cleveland. Much of our programming is made possible by the the support of our members and the generosity of our donors. Will you help us continue to create global connections?