Facilitated by Richard Levitt Europe is frightened and frightened for the first time really since the 1980s, when nuclear sabers were rattling as the Soviet Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) both deployed contending intermediate-range missiles along the dividing line of the military alliances. With Russia’s continued barbarity in Ukraine, there is no […]

Facilitated by Richard Levitt The U.S., polarized and divided, faces a world of challenges, dangers, and uncertainties. Conflict and disorder have become the defining features of world politics.

Facilitated by Jean-Claude Fouere (AIEducation4All@gmail.com) Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful emerging technology that is already affecting many facets of our society from producing content (texts, images, videos, audio, music) to generate “deep-fakes” of such content. The unchecked progress in generative AI facilitates serious misuse through misinformation and discrimination. The presentation will present some of […]

CANCELLED -- TO BE RESCHEDULED Facilitated by Shantha Thangiah from the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley As the Republic of India celebrates its 75th anniversary as of January 2025, the world's most populous nation and largest democracy continues to defy simple categorization.

Facilitated by Martin Charwat for the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. There is one thing that people can agree on across the aisle in Washington, DC: The United States is in a strategic competition with a rising China that poses a range of economic, political, and military security challenges.

UPDATED LOCATION!: Woodstock Town Hall, 76 Tinker Street, Woodstock Date: October 24, 2025 Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Panelists: Nina Chen & Xixi Chen Explore how global and regional tensions affect energy security, energy access and the transition to net zero. The panelists will also examine new opportunities, financial and risk management strategies, and pathways toward a […]

Location: Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie Facilitated by Karen Nichols for World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. Over the past 30 years, climate change has become one of the central global challenges of the modern era, one that has important consequences for the livability of the planet.

Date: November 18, 2025 Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Panelists: Kevin Maloney & James Ketterer In an era of shifting global narratives, the U.S. is rethinking its approach to diplomacy. What happens when foreign aid is slashed, soft power institutions are defunded, and values-driven engagement gives way to transactional diplomacy? Kevin Maloney and James Ketterer, co-chairs […]

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Time: 6:30 - 9:00 pm Location: The lovely Vassar College Alumnae House. This year’s evening will be a real treat especially for music lovers. James Ketterer will be sharing a fascinating presentation on Jazz & Diplomacy that you won’t want to miss. As always, this special event is just for our […]

Panelists: Malia Du Mont and Michael Hauser Date: January 13, 2026 Time: 6:30–8:00 pm Location: Woodstock Library, 10 Dixon Ave, Woodstock What does it mean when a U.S. National Security Strategy breaks sharply with tradition? This talk will provide a primer on what an NSS is, how it is crafted, and why it matters and […]