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 […]
Student World Affairs Conference 2025 MARIST COLLEGE FLYER Marist University Student Center, Poughkeepsie, NY Date: Friday, November 21, 2025 Start Time: 9 am; Keynote speaker scheduled to start at 3:30 pm Undergraduate students from across the Hudson Valley will present papers on wide-ranging topics in world affairs. Keynote Speaker: Omar G. Encarnación, Charles Flint Kellogg Professor […]
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 […]
March 6, 2026, 4:30 - 6:00 pm Ambassador Donna Welton will address the question of global cooperation. Can multilateralism survive amid shifting global power and rising nationalism? What will the future hold for global cooperation across trade, health, and finance? This pressing topic derives from the Foreign Policy Association's "Great Decisions" program.
March 7, 2026 Time: 9:00 - 1:30 pm Location: Henry A. Wallace Center, FDR Library, Albany Post Road (Rt 9), Hyde Park, NY Join us to watch this challenging international affairs quiz-bowl. This is our 20th year of holding the competition! High school students (grade 9-12) in Dutchess, Ulster and Orange counties will compete in […]
March 29, 2026, 3-5 pm Old Dutch Church, Kingston, NY Bard College, together with the City of Kingston Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, will host "Music and Diplomacy" - a panel discussion and musical performance. This event is part of Kingston's USA250 series of celebrations. […]
Monday, March 30, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie This presentation by Edward Friedman of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley will discuss nuclear energy and how it impacts climate change. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you […]
Monday, April 27, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie Facilitator Michael Hauser for the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. Since World War II, the term Irregular Warfare (IW) has become an increasingly common aspect in the study of warfare and statecraft. Comprising concepts such as guerrilla warfare, counterterrorism, unconventional warfare, and counterinsurgency, IW today […]