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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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Great Decisions with Dr. Daniel Drezner | U.S. Changing Leadership in the World’s Economy
Wednesday, March 19th
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET
Join WorldBoston for a timely Great Decisions program on “U.S. Changing Leadership in the World’s Economy” featuring Dr. Daniel Drezner, Distinguished Professor of International Politics and Associate Dean of Research at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
This program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
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Contextualizing “Ukraine Today, Taiwan Tomorrow”
Monday, March 17th
12:00 – 1:00 PM ET
Since 2022, “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow” has become a rallying cry, drawing parallels between the situation in Ukraine and the Taiwan Strait. With U.S. foreign policy under a second Trump administration tilting toward Russia, are Ukraine and Taiwan on increasingly similar trajectories? What lessons emerge from these crises, and how might they shape strategic responses? Speakers for this event are Alicia Chen, an award-winning journalist from Taiwan, who has covered the war in Ukraine and reported from Taiwan for The Washington Post, Elizabeth Wood, founding director of the MIT Ukraine Program, co-director of the MIT-Eurasia Program, and coordinator of Russian studies.
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Populism Brought Down? The Marcos-Duterte Struggle in Philippine Politics
Monday, March 17th
5:00 – 6:30 PM ET
In a world where illiberal populist leaders appear more influential and invulnerable than ever, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s attempt to bring down the Duterte dynasty seems exceptional. Employing hyper-presidentialist powers, he has hounded estranged Vice President Sara Duterte (who was impeached by the House of Representatives in early February) and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. Marcos-backed senatorial candidates dominate opinion polling for May midterm elections. In response, VP Duterte has escalated her father’s scathing critiques of the Marcos administration while trying to mitigate the misogynist Duterte brand. Join the Pardee School of Global Studies: Center for the Study of Asia for a discussion on this topic with guest speaker Mark R. Thompson, City University of Hong Kong.
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Tuesday, March 18th
3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
Join BAYPIE to explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence in the international education landscape. They will be joined by Emily Pacheco and Sarah Brockmeyer, who are both experienced in the realm of AI and international education. The session will cover essential topics such as ethical considerations, the evolution of AI conversations, and practical use cases in student advising, admissions, and other areas of higher education. Participants will assess their comfort levels with AI, engage in interactive activities, and discover valuable resources for implementing AI in their educational practices.
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Tuesday, March 18th
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
At the start of his presidency, Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to pursue an economic policy composed of high import tariffs, large tax cuts, and far-reaching deregulation. This event will consider the impact that those policies might have on the world economy and also how the U.S. economy might be affected by economic developments abroad. Speakers for this event include Desmond Lachman, American Enterprise Institute, Jeffrey Frankel, Harvard Kennedy School, Brad W. Setser, Council on Foreign Relations, Mark Sobel, Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, and Alex J. Pollock, Mises Institute
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What’s Next for US Defense Strategy and Spending?
Thursday, March 20th
10:00 – 11:15 AM ET
The U.S. faces a rapidly evolving security and political landscape, demanding a defense budget that strikes a careful balance between readiness, modernization, and fiscal responsibility. As President Donald Trump begins his second term with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the helm of the Pentagon, the administration has signaled a significant shift in budget priorities, advocating for a restructuring of the U.S. military through targeted spending cuts and reallocations. Which programs should be prioritized, and where should cuts be made? How will this refocusing affect military readiness and force structure? What level of investment is needed to strengthen and modernize the military—as well as the defense industrial base itself? Join the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at Brookings for an analytical discussion about the key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of U.S. defense strategy and spending. Speakers for this event are Mackenzie Eaglen, American Enterprise Institute, Stephen Tankel, American University, Michael E. O’Hanlon, Brookings, and Melanie W. Sisson, Brookings.
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HAMILTON NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP
The Hamilton National Fellowship (HNF) provides grants to students and recent graduates with summer internships in Washington, DC in the fields of foreign, defense, and economic policy. As part of the fellowship, students will participate in 6 evening seminars each Wednesday from June 4 to July 9 on American grand strategy, take part in a staff ride to a historic battlefield, and attend briefings with distinguished practitioners on career opportunities in foreign policy and national security. This year, the Alexander Hamilton Society will award $3,000 grants for in-person internships in Washington, DC.
The application for Summer 2025 will close on April 11, 2025.
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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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Are you interested in bringing the world into your classroom? Do you want to inspire your students to be globally engaged? The National Museum of American Diplomacy is offering an hour-long program for professionals in education to share how to introduce and incorporate diplomacy and global perspectives into a school curriculum. This program is completely free and will take place seven times over the next 4 months.
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Want to be a part of 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 Event Reporting: Volunteer to write an event recap about one of our Global Engagement events or public programs, to be posted on our website blog and social media. For more information, please email Harrison Zeiberg, Manager of Global Engagement and Operations.
- 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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