Mid-Hudson Valley World Affairs Council

Academic WorldQuest 2026
2026-03-07 09:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center, 4079 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, NY, 12538, United States
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 teams of four to answer question in 10 topic areas. Students prepare for months leading up to this event, and the winning team will represent our region at the national competition in Washington, D.C. in April.
If you have a question or would like to register, please contact Karen Nichols (karen.nichols722@gmail.com) by February 1st to request a spot for your team(s)

Music and Diplomacy Panel Discussion and Musical Performance
2026-03-29 15:00 - 17:00 | Old Dutch Church, Kingston, NY, 272 Wall Street, Kingston, 12401
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. It aims to explore how music has served as an important element of intercultural exchange and American soft power throughout the country’s history.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Malia Du Mont, vice president for strategy and policy and chief of staff at Bard College. It will feature Jim Ketterer, jazz musician and former diplomat who served in the State Department and on the National Security Council. The panel will also feature Phil Tappan, deputy commander of the West Point Band, and Jindong Cai, director of Bard’s US-China Music Institute.
The panel discussion will be followed by a musical performance by musicians from the local community, Bard College and Jim Ketterer.

Great Decisions: Rethinking Nuclear Energy
2026-03-30 18:30 - 19:30 | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
Monday, March 30, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie
Edward A. Friedman of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley will discuss next generation nuclear energy and unique opportunities for this technology to mitigate global warming. Dr. Friedman will draw upon his recently published book for a lay audience, “Nuclear Energy: Boom, Bust, and Emerging Renaissance,” which recounts early optimism for nuclear energy followed by a clear account of the consequential nuclear accidents. He then explains the newly emerging designs and how they promise to curb previously unmanageable carbon emissions. He will place these developments into an international context where China and Russia exploit their nuclear dominance.
Edward A. Friedman holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Physics from MIT and Columbia University as well as an Honorary Doctorate in Mathematics from Sofia University in Bulgaria. He served as Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Stevens Institute of Technology (1973-1986) and Director of a USAID Program to develop an indigenous college of engineering in Kabul, Afghanistan (1970-73). He received the Albert Einstein Education Medal from the State of New Jersey and the National Education Medal from the King of Afghanistan. He served as a member of the American University of Bulgaria’s Board of Trustees (2017-2025).

Great Decisions: The Gray Zone Dilemma - Irregular Warfare in the South China Sea
2026-04-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
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 is seemingly ubiquitous as major powers utilize IW strategy to exploit the “gray zone” between peace and war. This presentation will summarize the scope of IW and focus on the South China Sea as a case study for modern IW. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.

Great Decisions: Ukraine and the Future of European Security
2026-05-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
Monday, May 18, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie.
Facilitator Rick Levitt of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley. With reduced U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine, Europe faces strategic uncertainty. The Trump administration has signaled an intention to reduce its security role in Europe. What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas, and how might Europe respond? There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.

Great Decisions: The Gray Zone Dilemma – Irregular Warfare in the South China Sea
2026-05-19 - 2026-05-20 | Woodstock Public Library District, 10 Dixon Ave, Woodstock, NY, 12498, United States
Rescheduled – Date/Time TBD (May 19 or 20). Please check back closer to the date.
Woodstock Library, 10 Dixon Ave., Woodstock, NY
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 is seemingly ubiquitous as major powers utilize IW strategy to exploit the “gray zone” between peace and war. This presentation will summarize the scope of IW and focus on the South China Sea as a case study for modern IW. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however, the Great Decisions materials are available for checkout from the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.

Great Decisions: American and the World - Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy
2026-06-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Boardman Library, 141 Boardman Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603, United States
Monday, June 8, 6:30 pm, Boardman Road Library, Poughkeepsie
Facilitator Rick Levitt of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley.Trump’s return has marked a break from 80 years of U.S. foreign policy leadership, embracing an “America First” approach. This topic explores the risks of isolation and diminished influence in relation to Trump 2.0 foreign policy. There is no assigned reading for this presentation, however the Great Decisions material is available for checkout at the library should you wish to read up on the topic before the talk. No Registration Required.
