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Dear Friends,
Welcome to this week's WorldBoston Recommends email, highlighting high-quality programming for the upcoming week, special opportunities, and event recordings, whether our own, from other World Affairs Councils, or other excellent venues.
We hope these recommendations help you stay internationally engaged, wherever you may be.
Best regards,
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Mary P. Yntema
President & CEO
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Thursday, August 14th
6:00 – 7:30 PM ET
Join the WorldBoston community for a night of networking. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet members of two International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) delegations representing over 30 different countries. Each attendee will also receive one drink ticket, a “Lingo Bingo” card, and a chance to win exciting prizes. Bring your friends and colleagues for a night of lively conversations with our high-level international visitors and other globally-minded community members.
This event will take place in person only. Advance registration is required.
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North Korean Foreign Policy in Focus: Emerging Scholar Perspectives
Tuesday, August 12th
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET
Join 38 North’s 2024-2025 cohort of the Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program to discuss findings from their original research and offer perspectives on their colleagues’ work. Fellows cover complex and relevant foreign policy topics such as the role of economic policy in U.S.-North Korean relations, the evolution of Pyongyang and Moscow’s cooperation, and North Korea’s efforts to reengage with Southeast Asia. The featured speakers at this webinar will include Gordon Kang, Senior Analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Ludovica Favarotto, Research Assistant at the Institute for International Political Studies, and, Jinwan Park, 2024–2025 Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University. This panel will be moderated by Rachel Minyoung Lee, Senior Fellow of the Korea Program and 38 North at the Stimson Center.
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Tuesday, August 12th
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
The U.S. is rewriting its Africa playbook — and dealmaking is now center stage. As Washington shifts from traditional aid models toward a “trade, not aid” approach, the future of U.S.-Africa relations is entering uncharted territory. A new six-point strategy unveiled this year marks a stark turn toward commercial diplomacy, prioritizing infrastructure, market reforms, and U.S. business deals — all at a time when legacy programs such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, or MCC, hang in the balance. In this live Devex Pro conversation, a panel of experts will unpack the key questions behind this strategy shift. The speakers for this event include Ayenat Mersie, Reporter, Enoh T. Ebong, President of the Global Development Department for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Bright Simons, President of mPedigree, and Aubrey Hruby, Senior Advisor of the Atlantic Council.
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Wednesday, August 13th
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
Sound policy decision making—especially in the U.S.-China relationship—involves understanding risk. Quantitative methods of risk analysis determine failure probabilities, forming input for rational risk management. Crucial for sound decision making, quantitative probabilistic analysis requires factual analysis independent of personal biases, based on known scenarios and outcomes. This event will provide a conceptual introduction to the topic for policy professionals, using examples from surgical anesthesia, spacecraft heat shields, and AI-supported cyberattack warnings. The speakers for this discussion are Elisabeth Paté-Cornell, Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University and co-chair of the National Academies (NASEM) Committee on Risk Analysis Methods for Nuclear War and Nuclear Terrorism, and Glenn Tiffert, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution and co-chair Hoover’s program on the US, China, and the World.
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Thursday, August 14th
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Since August 15th, 2021, Afghanistan has experienced a sharp decline in human rights alongside growing terrorism threats and worsening humanitarian conditions. These developments have been compounded by the Trump administration’s significant reduction in foreign aid. Speakers will explore policy options to address this complex landscape, weighing counterterrorism objectives against urgent humanitarian needs and the broader implications of U.S. disengagement for regional stability and American strategic interests. Panelists for this event will include Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, David Sedney, former deputy assistant secretary of defense and former president of the American University of Afghanistan, and Metra Mehran, gender and policy advisor at the Atlantic Council. The conversation will be moderated by Lisa Curtis, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at CNAS.
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Named for the proverbial “green room” where people wait before going on stage, the new Green Room Scholars initiative is part of WorldBoston's growing NextGen programming, an essential element of our effort to fulfill and expand our mission of “fostering international engagement and global cooperation.”
For each regular WorldBoston event, the selected Green Room Scholar will help greet and orient the speaker, serving as part of the WorldBoston event team.
What benefits do Green Room Scholars receive?
- Networking
- Participation in a well-tuned, professional event team
- Blogging with byline
- Recognition in WorldBoston social media
- Connecting with one of WorldBoston's outstanding speakers, who are leading scholars and practitioners in global affairs
Who is eligible to be a Green Room Scholar?
Students at universities that are currently sponsoring WorldBoston!
For further information contact Manager of Global Engagement Programs and Operations Harrison Zeiberg at hzeiberg@worldboston.org
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ENGLISH FOR HERITAGE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS
Native speakers of critical languages are in high demand in the U.S. government. EHLS trains advanced English speakers to be effective communicators and strong candidates for federal jobs. All EHLS participants receive a full scholarship from the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO) that includes tuition and a living stipend. As part of the scholarship obligation, participants agree to fulfill the EHLS service requirement, which requires you to work for the federal government in a position with national security responsibilities for one year after you complete the program. The 2026 EHLS Program is open to native speakers of: Chinese Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Persian Farsi, Korean, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Turkish, and Hausa.
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL AID PLATFORM
The Boston Network for International Development created a Mutual Aid platform to support individuals in Greater Boston / New England who have been directly impacted by the foreign aid pause and USAID shutdown. This peer-to-peer resource connects community members who need assistance with those who can offer help in areas such as career mentorship, job search support, networking, housing, and more.
How It Works:
If you need assistance, submit a request and your request will be shared (without personal contact details) on a public listing (see list of requests).
If you can offer assistance, submit an offer and your information will be listed publicly for those seeking help (see list of offers).
If you see a specific request you can help with, submit a response and your offer will be forwarded to the requestor.
This platform is a community-driven mutual aid network. BNID does not verify, vet, or endorse any requests, offers, or responses. All interactions are voluntary and at participants’ own risk.
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The UNAGB Summer Institute in Global Leadership offers week-long leadership development programs for middle and high school students that are designed to cultivate global awareness and leadership skills among students through the core principles of Model UN. Throughout the week, participants engage in dynamic simulations of international diplomacy, participate in meaningful skill-building workshops, and explore complex global issues such as human rights, global health and climate change.
Led by experienced educators and industry professionals, UNAGB’s Summer Institute helps participants develop practical skills in public speaking, research, and consensus-building, preparing them to become effective global citizens and future leaders. By the end of the program, students emerge with a deeper understanding of global challenges and the confidence to contribute positively to their communities and the world at large.
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Join WorldBoston’s Dinner Diplomacy program! Engage with international professionals of visiting delegations for a meal at your home. We often have opportunities to get involved! Hosting in an informal setting allows you to meet distinguished visitors from all over the world and learn more about their country, culture, and professional expertise. Dinner Diplomacy can take various forms, from brunch to afternoon tea to a sit-down dinner with small groups. Reach out to Sarah Sibley, Vice President of Citizen Diplomacy (ssibley@worldboston.org) to learn more about upcoming opportunities!
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The Alumni Resource Center (ARC) is an online career development hub for U.S. citizen ExchangeAlumni. ARC provides ExchangeAlumni with courses, trainings, and other resources to develop professional skills and abilities, market themselves, and explore careers in and outside of public service. The Alumni Resource Center is offering a new online course, Seize the Advantage: Understanding Non-Competitive Eligibility. This course will explore non-competitive eligibility and how you can leverage this unique opportunity to apply for federal jobs. You must be a U.S. citizen ExchangeAlumni and a member of the Alumni Resource Center.
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Writing Opportunities
Are you interested in writing about international affairs? Below are opportunities for you to submit your pieces to publications nationwide!
- WorldBoston's #BostonPhotoFriday: We want to see your pictures of Boston! As part of our #BostonPhotoFriday series, we would like to feature our community's photos on our social media. For more information, please email Harrison Zeiberg, Manager of Global Engagement and Operations.
- The Journal of Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs: This quarterly journal is accepting submissions of features and essays, as well as online exclusive submissions to appear on their website on a rolling basis. Submit your piece here.
- Realist Review Article Submission: This policy publication is accepting submissions from anyone interested in writing a commentary or analysis piece that expresses a perspective on policies or developments in international affairs and diplomacy. Submit your work here.
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