The Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization open to all individuals. Since the first annual conference in 1969, PAWAC has promoted a better understanding of world affairs among the people of Central Illinois by sponsoring monthly public programs, such as travel events to Cuba, discussion of current events with nationally and internationally renown experts, and celebration of different cultures, languages, and nationalities. 

June Programs


​Tickets now available!  June 24 Baseball Game and BBQ
Baseball: Not Just America's Favorite Sport
​June 24, 2018 at the Peoria Chiefs Baseball Game

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Head Baseball Coach Brett Kelley
Enjoy an afternoon spent with friends and fellow baseball fans at the Peoria Chiefs as PAWAC explores the international aspect of sports. This social event will focus on the globalization of baseball, including the "baseball pipeline" from Central America to US teams, with a discussion led by Coach Brett Kelley of the Illinois Central College's Men's Baseball Team.

Coach Brett Kelley currently serves as the Head Baseball Coach for Illinois Central College, a position he has held for the past 15 seasons. He is currently the "winningest" baseball coach at ICC, with an impressive record. He also serves as the Director of the Fitness Center and Physical Education at ICC and has had international recruits on his baseball team over the past several years.

Register online or by printing and mailing this form.  
​Download a poster for the event here.   Note: Tickets must be purchased through the Peoria Area World Affairs Council.

​Travelogue: Iceland
July 19 Programming Event
Lariat Steakhouse, Peoria

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Photo by Don Samford
Learn more about beautiful Iceland with Don Samford as he shares his and Cindy Samford's journey to Iceland. 

"Located in the North-Atlantic ocean close by the Arctic Circle, Iceland is very much a bridge between continents. It takes approximately five hours to fly from New York to Reykjavík, and three hours from London. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool, temperate maritime climate, with refreshing summers and surprisingly mild temperatures in winter. Icelandic culture has been shaped by isolation and the extreme forces of nature. These conditions have created a resilient people, where family ties are close, the sense of tradition is strong, and the bond with nature is tight."

Please RSVP for planning purchases.  Download the poster for the event and share it with your friends.

PAWAC Reads Summer Selection: War on Peace by Ronan Farrow

"In an astonishing journey from the corridors of power in Washington, DC, to some of the most remote and dangerous places on earth―Afghanistan, Somalia, and North Korea among them―acclaimed investigative journalist Ronan Farrow illuminates one of the most consequential and poorly understood changes in American history. His firsthand experience as a former State Department official affords a personal look at some of the last standard bearers of traditional statecraft, including Richard Holbrooke, who made peace in Bosnia and died while trying to do so in Afghanistan."
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Book cover and introduction from Amazon.  Help PAWAC by purchasing your book through Amazon Smiles at www.amazonsmile.com .  

The PAWAC Reads Book Club meets on July 29, 2018 at the North Peoria Branch Library at 2pm.
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Travel to Cuba with PAWAC's Don Samford

The Peoria Area World Affairs Council frequently partners with the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia to offer unique travel tours to fascinating destinations around the world. Our trips and partner-travel opportunities offer all the highlights of touring plus access to local experts who give behind-the-scenes perspective, and provide opportunities for travelers to connect authentically with people across the world.

This year, PAWAC’s Don Samford is leading a trip to Cuba. 
Cuba: Art, Culture & People with Don Samford is set for November 4 – 12, 2018.  To learn more and register for this trip, visit the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia website by clicking here.