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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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Diplomacy Now: U.S., China, and the Great Powers
Thursday, September 11th
6:00-7:30 PM
Join us for WorldBoston’s signature Diplomacy Now program, a high-level opportunity to consider American diplomacy in our current global context. This year’s program will focus on “The U.S., China, and the Great Powers.”
We are honored to welcome back Nicholas Burns (ret.) Ambassador to China, and the Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Ambassador Burns offers a unique perspective on this topic, as the most recent U.S. Ambassador to China and as a lifelong diplomat who served under six U.S. Presidents and nine Secretaries of State.
In-person registration for this event has closed but you can attend virtually by registering below.
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Tuesday, September 9th
8:30 AM ET
This event will examine the ways in which education and capacity-building efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa support cybersecurity initiatives and create opportunities for the workforce, reflecting on the state of cyber resilience and policy efforts in Africa. The panelists will include Wallace Chigona, Professor in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, Tendani Mulanga Chimboza, Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, Charmaine Houvet, Senior Director Africa at Cisco, Arehone Matodzi, IT and AI Analyst of MozFest at the Mozilla Foundation, Emmanuel Mkandawire, Networks & Applications Security Officer at the Malawi Revenue Authority, Papama Mtambeka, Assistant Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, Twambilile Mwalwanda, Team Leader Technical Operations at Emerge Livelihoods, Ifeoma E. Nwafor, Principal Partner and Lead Consultant of IEN Legal Associates, and Adam Smith, Southern Africa Cyber Lead at the British High Commission Pretoria. This discussion will be moderated by Safa Shahwan Edwards, Director of Capacity Building and Communities of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council, and Morgan McMurray, Associate Director of Capacity Building of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council.
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Tuesday, September 9th
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM ET
In a world defined by seemingly intractable conflicts, great power competition, and rising challenges posed by climate change, nuclear proliferation, and economic uncertainty, the United States often seems like a modern-day Gulliver tied up and constrained by powers large and small and at times by its own politics and illusions. How does the United States advance its national interests in the face of these challenges, particularly against the backdrop of bitter divisions and polarization at home? Join Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow of the American Statecraft Program, as he sits down with William J. Burns, former director of the CIA and former president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, as he looks back on decades of national security challenges and ahead to what defines effective U.S. leadership in such a complex and fast-paced world.
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Tuesday, September 9th
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
For decades, Geneva has been one of the main centres of international diplomacy — home to the UN’s European headquarters and countless global institutions. But in a fractured, multipolar world, its influence is fading. Efforts to overcome the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have been held far away from the established halls of the multilateral rules-based order. Middle powers are playing a role in offering support in negotiations, with countries increasingly carving out their own strategies to contend with a fragile consensus on key foreign policy issues. The ‘America First’ model and China’s interest in remodelling the international order means institutions in places such as Geneva are further undermined. Join our expert panel as they debate the shifting architecture of international cooperation. The panelists will include Emma Ross, Senior Research Fellow of the Global Health Programme, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Senior Advisor, and Dr. Samir Puri, Director of Global Governance and Security Centre.
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Tuesday, September 9th
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
From the top levels of Washington to the general public, polarization has become an inescapable fact of life in the U.S. Join the Belfer Center’s Russia Matters for a discussion on the impacts of polarization on America’s foreign policy in general and on U.S. policies toward Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia in particular. The speakers on this panel will include Gordon M. Friedrichs, senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, and Ivan Arreguín-Toft, editor of Russia Matters. The discussion will be moderated by Angelina Flood, managing editor of Russia Matters.
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Wednesday, September 10th
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
Four former U.S. State Department officials who played key roles in shaping U.S. policy toward the USSR and post-Soviet states will reflect on pivotal events and influential figures from the final years of the Soviet Union through the first three decades of its aftermath. Speakers will include Thomas W. Simons, Jr., former U.S. Foreign Service Officer and U.S. Ambassador to Poland & Pakistan, George Krol, Retired Diplomat & Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Naval War College, Andrew Goodman, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Louis D. Sell, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer. The discussion will be moderated by Mark Kramer, Director of Cold War Studies Project at the Davis Center.
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Wednesday, September 10th
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET
Please join the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Health Security for the book launch of The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics. As bad as Covid-19 was, the next pandemic could be worse. While the world learns to live with Covid-19 and continues to recover from its worst effects, how do we prepare for the next pandemic lurking around the corner? The event will feature a panel moderated by CSIS Senior Vice President and Director J. Stephen Morrison, featuring co-authors Michael T. Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, and Mark Olshaker, Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and New York Times #1 bestselling author.
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Friday, September 12th
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM ET
Since the start of 2025, the dollar has fallen by around 10 percent, marking its worst start of the year since 1973. Does this depreciation reflect ordinary cyclical developments, the long-awaited correction to the country’s persistent trade deficits, or a more fundamental undermining of the dollar’s dominant role in the global financial system? This event will examine the reasons underlying the dollar’s decline and will consider whether we might be at the beginning of the end of the dollar’s exorbitant privilege. The panelists will include Jeffrey Frankel, James W. Harpel Professor of Capital Formation and Growth at the Harvard Kennedy School, Steven B. Kamin, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Maurice Obstfeld, Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and Nathan Sheets, Global Chief Economist of Citigroup. The discussion will be moderated by Desmond Lachman, Senior Fellow of the American Enterprise Institute.
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New Opportunity! Apply For a Scholarship to the WACA National Conference
Each year the World Affairs Council of America (WACA) holds its National Conference in Washington DC. Over the course of the conference, attendees will be able to attend lectures with internationally recognized experts, network with globally engaged peers from around the world, hear from think tank researchers, and even visit an embassy!
If you have participated in WorldBoston's Green Room Scholars or EducatorQuest program, you are eligible to apply for the chance to attend this conference! WorldBoston will pay for and coordinate your domestic air travel, hotel room, and conference registration. Attendance to the National Conference is a great way to better develop your professional skills, expand your worldview, and network with people working in global affairs.
The National Conference takes place from November 19th to 21st, and attendees are expected to attend all available sessions.
Contact Harrison Zeiberg at hzeiberg@worldboston.org or Sarah Sibley at ssibley@worldboston.org for more information.
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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 Director of Global Engagement Programs and Operations Harrison Zeiberg at hzeiberg@worldboston.org
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BUILDING CULTURES OF REMEMBRANCE (BCOR) PROGRAM
Building Cultures of Remembrance (BCOR) is a reciprocal transatlantic exchange program for individuals who have a professional interest in the intersection of remembrance work and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Germany and the United States.
Each program year consists of one Germany-focused and one U.S.-focused professional exchange. Participants take part in a study tour in the host country and in their home country, to gain comprehensive knowledge of the transatlantic dimensions of the topic.
In 2025 and 2026, the program will focus on the intersection of remembrance work and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Together, they will explore the role of corporate responsibility in strengthening social cohesion, critically examine the importance of addressing (company) histories, and discuss lessons from the past that can inform both corporate and societal action today.
The U.S. study tour will take place from November 2 to 9, 2025, in Atlanta, GA, and Montgomery, AL (TBC).
The study tour in Germany is scheduled for March 22 to 29, 2026 (TBC). The final dates and locations will be announced shortly.
Applications are being accepted from representatives of the private sector who have a professional interest in remembrance work, as well as remembrance practitioners from civil society and academia who are interested in collaborating with the private sector in the fields of remembrance and civic engagement.
Applications for the 2025/2026 BCOR program are being accepted until September 14, 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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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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