Membership is open to anyone among the Central Illinois public interested in international issues. Nonprofit & Nonpartisan.
Keeping you engaged in the global conversation virtually throughout 2021 via online access to the same high caliber guests as always.
College students can earn scholarships to participate in the national conference held each fall in Washington, DC, where they visit think tanks and embassies.
Enjoy authentic international cuisine at our annual collaboration with ICC’s Culinary Arts Institute & visiting Fulbright Scholars.
Travel with other World Affairs Council members to destinations around the globe and enjoy exclusive access to experts and leaders.
Winners of PAWAC’s high school International Scholastic Bowl compete in the national Academic WorldQuest tournament in DC.
Foreign policy with a side of fun, complete with Alpine longhorns from Peoria’s German-American Society.
George Stephanopoulos interviews former Secretary of State James Baker. Conferences give members the opportunity to interact directly with distinguished speakers.
Turkish Consul General Kenan Ipek visited several area high schools, where students made made him a welcome sign in Turkish.
Professor Richard Sanders of Eureka College (far left) was an original founder of the Council in 1970 and has been a strong supporter ever since.
K-12 teachers qualified for this overseas trip to study history in one of the special opportunities the Council brings to local educators.
Community collaboration is part of our mission, as when Kristin McHugh addressed the Indo-American Society of Peoria.
Ambassador Alaina Teplitz, who has Peoria roots, shares her experiences in the diplomatic corps with Bradley University students.
At a panel on global education, former PAWAC president Prabhu Venkataraman demos a simple teaching practice from Finland.
Local broadcaster and black history chronicler Garry Moore presents Kwanzaa traditions and history at a PAWAC international dinner.
Rick Steves, host of one of the most popular travel shows of all time, meets with PAWAC’s former president Don Samford and wife Cindy.
Members enjoyed a day at the ballpark in downtown Peoria following an onsite presentation of how international sports recruiting works.
Many guest experts PAWAC brings to the area add their voices to local news broadcasting, benefitting public understanding of global issues.
Sometimes the behind-the-scenes access is quite literal, as in this revival of the traditional Middle Eastern entertainment of shadow puppetry.
Leadership missions to foreign capitals offer behind-the-scenes access, like in this visit to then-President of Mexico Vicente Fox.
Featuring Mikhael Doueihi, candidate for the Lebanese Parliament, from his home in Lebanon via Zoom
December 2 @ 12:00 PM
Monthly meeting of the PAWAC Board of Directors - all members are welcome.
December 2 @ 5:30 PM
Shelley Epstein, PAWAC's resident journalist, will select some of the most pressing global news topics to discuss with local experts. The topic is selected this week, so tune in to learn and discuss!
December 9 @ 7:00 PM
LOCAL • NATIONAL • GLOBAL
Since 1970. Always nonprofit and nonpartisan, the Peoria Area World Affairs Council is a community for regular people of all walks of life who want to know more about international issues. It’s a place in which friends engage in active learning to become informed world citizens. Council programs help members contextualize global developments in a way that is meaningful to our economy and daily lives right here in Central Illinois. Read more about PAWAC, its history, and values at the link below and see the “About” section in the menu.
Since 1918. The World Affairs Councils of America was formed at the end of World War I with the goal of “engaging the public and leaders to better understand global affairs and America’s role in the world” to support the world's efforts to bring about a just peace. With early support from John Foster Dulles and Eleanor Roosevelt, the organization in 1923 became the Foreign Policy Association. Now the national network includes almost a hundred independent World Affairs Councils across the US. Click the link below to go to WACA’s website.
Why is PAWAC valuable to people in our community? Don't take our word for it. Here is what some people have to say:
You all know what a terrific group the Peoria Area World Affairs Council is because it serves a more critical need than ever in educating this area on global issues. It is wonderful to be able again to get involved. The highlight was the national conference. We were saturated with high quality information.
--Janet Roth, District Manager, Social Security Administration
Judy Triggs,
retired teacher
Frannie Heine,
Maui Jim, Inc.
"I am amazed at how often our programs coincide with breaking news, whether trade policies or what’s happening in the Koreas. And so I look forward to hearing a retired ambassador and lifelong diplomat talk about the importance of rebuilding our foreign service for the next generation. One of the unexpected pleasures of PAWAC involvement has been the opportunity to spend time in conversations over dinner with compatriots whose brains are much alive. I can hardly wait to do that again when we can but am pleased with how well PAWAC continues to educate us on our screens in our homes."
--Barb Drake, retired editor at the Peoria Journal Star
PAWAC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following
Test your knowledge in this New York Times Country of the Week quiz at the link below. Also see our Resources page for more information on this and other nations of the world. Expand your global horizons one country at a time with this quick weekly feature. And if you enjoy trivia, be sure to try out World Affairs Trivia, which focuses on weekly international news developments.
The World Affairs Council supports students, parents, classroom teachers, and other educators in our shared mission of international education. We offer many avenues for teachers and others to connect to the global conversation, and we are happy to discuss individual collaborations for your classroom needs. Being part of our Educators Circle is free and no commitment, and we strongly encourage retired teachers to register as well.
YOU!
Especially if you identify with any of the following statements:
You don't have to be an expert in geopolitics, just interested in the world at large, to be part of the World Affairs Council. PAWAC is simply a community of people on a shared journey to expand our global horizons.
Become a Member Today!
