Columbus Council on
World Affairs
August 2009 Newsletter
In This Issue
*** Consider US-Iran relations in light of their respective presidential elections
*** SAVE the DATE
*** Your prescription for understanding H1N1 to AIDS
*** Global Issues Retreat prompts "OMGs" and creates many "BFFs"
*** Green Games Recap
*** Mental stimulus about The Stimulus
*** Mutual benefits package
*** Volunteers needed
*** Community news and events
UPCOMING EVENTS
IRAN:
Tyranny or Democracy?

electionaftermath


Thursday, August 27, 2009
11:30am: Walk-in registration/networking
12 to 1:15pm: Program
Hyatt on Capital Square,
Congressional Ballroom

Protests following the recent presidential election have resurfaced questions about democracy in Iran. Join us as Dr. Richard Herrmann analyzes these unfolding events and makes recommendations to the Obama Administration.

Herrmann is a professor of political science and director of the Mershon Center for International Security Studies at The Ohio State University. He specializes in international relations, security and conflict studies, political psychology, American foreign policy, and politics in the Middle East and Russia.  He is a prolific author and lecturer.

Register online  or
by phone with Rhonda Nicholas, 614-229-4599 ext. 401. 

SAVE THE DATE
September 22 - Register online
Beyond Aid: Building Communities in the Developing World

October 14 - Register online
The Changing Face of Global Health: Emerging Markets, Obesity & Foreign Policy

October 22 - Register online
The United Nations in Somalia

November 10 - Register online
Sustainability: The Triple Bottom Line

CCWA NEWS
Global Health series commences
A prescription for understanding AIDS to H1N1

globalhealtheventjuly1 Programs in our Global Health Series are designed to orient you to the world's national healthcare systems, prominent global diseases, the relationship of health to business and the environment, the major players working to help people around the world, and more. Over the course of several presentations, community members will be able to understand these topics in local perspective, thanks to commentary from representatives of Ohio organizations. Attendees will also have access to major national and international figures. The July 1 kick-off symposium featured commentary from:

R. Kerry Clark, Chairman & CEO, Cardinal Health

Dr. Daniel Carucci, VP of Global Health, United Nations Foundation

Dr. Teresa Long, Commissioner, Columbus Public Health

Dr. Dwight Powell, Chief of Infectious Diseases, Nationwide Childrens Hospital

You can access video of their remarks online.

In our youth programs sphere, students have been delving into global health topics since last  August, thanks in part to the generosity of the series sponsor, and its core support from Honda of America, Mfg., Inc. The continued focus on this important content via the Global Health Series will continue to influence our programming menu into next year.

This series presented by The Cardinal Health Foundation.
with support from The Columbus Foundation, Columbus State Community College and The Health Sciences Center for Global Health at OSU.

Friends Without Borders

YuhaoandJesseIn April, 23 students met at the CCWA office and loaded a bus for Hocking Hills, where our annual Global Issues Retreat takes place.

Exchange students from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan mingled with US residents with roots in Somalia and Ghana, and with local teenagers who've never set foot outside US borders.

The goal of the weekend is to provide a nurturing environment where these young people can learn about the world's people, cultures, and issues (some common, some unique).

Ultimately, the larger goal is simply for participants to make friends with "others,"  and then carry the positive memory of that experience with them into adulthood as they begin careers and start families. We imagine this makes the world...well, a little gentler place.

"By far, this program is a kids' favorite every year," said Stephanie Calondis Geiger, our youth programs director. "But once the weekend is over, as an educator you don't know how much of what they learned will stick with them."

Enter Facebook. 

It was through this online social network that Stephanie observed  the participants' personal reflections on the program's impact -- those that happened organically with no prompting from survey questions of staff!  She also learned that they had organized a small reunion before the exchange students departed from their home countries. The young man who hosted this party served a cake with the inscription "Friends Without Borders."
Student effort culminates in The Green Games!

Columbus Council on World Affairs facilitated a multi-school, multi-discipline educational project around the topic of Environmental Sustainability. This was accomplished by bringing together students from area schools and other local stakeholders for their mutual benefit. It involved the use of math, science, social studies, and
art. bike relayIt connected students 
of varying ability levels and background around common goals. The project had positive outcomes for young leaders, their future employers, local non-profit organizations, and the planet! To read more, visit our event archive on the CCWA website!


Ohio in Global Economy Series highlights
Your resource for mental stimulus on The Stimulus

This recent series featured some events that were heavy on the "global" side of economics, others which favored the "Ohio" side, and a few which wove discussion of local industry trends into a broader examination of the world system.  The following time line illustrates the impact of the series, presented by Squire Sanders:  

June
Local Business, Global Markets (Part II)
A panel of Columbus entrepreneurs shared the secrets of their success.  Each of these community members run businesses reliant on global supply and local demand.

Not just AN economist, THE Economist

"Keynes is back," said Matthew Bishop - as evidenced by the US government's efforts to manage the recent economic fallout.  Bishop is a leading voice at The Economist magazine, whose recent debates have centered on the pros and cons of government intervention and management of the world market. He keynoted one of two June symposia in the series. View the video transcript to hear his thoughts on the merits and/or consequences of deregulated enterprise.

May
Local Business, Global Markets (Part I)
What does a nice cold beer have to do with Ohio's place in the the global economy?  Attendees at our May symposium learned the answer to this question and and so can you if you watch the video!

localbizpanel_ohioeconomyseries

April
The G20, the Stimulus Bill, and Ohio
Dr. Stephen Buser, an Economist and Professor Emeritus at the Ohio State University, said at our April 15 symposium that we should all "start preparing for economic recovery." If you missed this event, you can see a video transcript

Bloomberg: US/Ohio Business in the Global Economy
Matt Miller, host of Bloomberg on the Market, shared perspectives on global economic events, using insights from guests on his program. Miller is a native of Columbus and keeps his finger on the pulse of Ohio.  He referenced the state's auto manufacturing sector as a harbinger of economic ebb and flow in much the same way national  election outcomes are linked to Ohio.  Miller's father, Dixon Miller, is a member of CCWA's Board of Trustees.

Thank you to all who supported this series.
FREE ways to support two great local orgs

The Columbus Council on World Affairs is a featured non-profit organization at www.igive.com/theCouncil.  Once you set up a free account at that site (and specify CCWA as the organization you support) you will generate donations just by making your everyday online purchases at popular sites.  Plane tickets, office supplies, gifts, books, clothing, pharmacy items, and other necessities will net a donation!  Shop online at Gap, Expedia, Pottery Barn, The Home Depot, and hundreds more of your favorite retailers and they will donate a percentage of the sale price to CCWA in your name!  This at no extra cost to you. We hope you will consider this easy option to support our youth education programs!

Meanwhile, The Columbus International Program (CIP) recently instituted a fundraising program with Kroger in which 5% of your grocery purchases can be credited to the organization as a donation. When you shop at Kroger using your rewards card, you will help CIP execute its mission of "Promoting International Understanding through Intercultural Exchange." To set it up, contact Mark Poeppelman who will walk you through the 10 easy steps.

Great Decisions volunteers needed!

Our Great Decisions program enables local senior citizens to read briefings on current global issues, hear lectures from topic experts, and keep their minds engaged! Volunteers are the key to the continuation of this great program.  If you have about 2 1/2 hours of time to share (1 to prep, 1 to talk, and 1/2 hour to drive to and from the site), Great Decisions might be the program that will satisfy your desire to help in the community! The experience requires that you have expertise or direct experience with one of the eight featured topics for the year.  It is a wonderful way to hone your public speaking skills in a supportive environment, or to share your passion for foreign policy and international affairs. There are still slots to fill with motivated volunteer speakers:

August 25: 1 to 2pm
Topic: Energy & the US Economy

October 1, November 5, or December 3: 2 to 3pm
Topics: Energy and the US Economy, Egypt, The Arctic

Please call Maria Bowman, our community programs director, at 614-229-4599, ext. 402 to make arrangements to lead an upcoming discussion.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & NEWS

Dining Out! Experience Senegal
Enjoy this August 6 event arranged by the Columbus International Program. RSVP to cipcols@aol.com.

Car Wash to benefit survivors of human trafficking

Central Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition will be washing vehicles at Der Dutchman restaurant August 15 from 9am to 1pm to raise funds for their case management effort. More details at www.centralohiorescusandrestore.org.

Local exchange orgs seek host families for international students
1. CCI (Center for Cultural Interchange) is looking for American families in Central Ohio to open their homesw to a foreign exchange student for a semester or an entire school year.
Contact Lisa Fitzgerald, the area representative, for further information at 614-470-9876
.

2. The Future Leader Exchange Program is in need of JUST ONE MORE host family to share their home with a Russian high school student named Victor. He is one of several students sponsored by the US State Department in an effort to build bridges between nations and promote peace in the world. Students have health insurance and a monthly stipend, host families provide a place to sleep and meals. Students volunteer in their host communities and attend a US high school while they're here. For more information, former host family references and student bios, please contact Fariba Kazemi  614-210-0661, s.fariba.k@gmail.com, http://www.pax.org/flex.html.

Event of interest to importers, exporters,and aspiring entrepreneurs
A September conference in Detroit will cover such topics as: The Future of the NAFTA, Transportation and Logistics: Ensuring Your Products Reach Your Customer and Greening the Supply Chain,  Border Security: Achieving a Balance Between Security and Openness. For more details visit
www.TradeNorthAmerica.com.

Ohio Latino Awards set for September 4
For registration and sponsorship of this event, presented by the Ohio Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and the Ohio Latino Affairs Commission,
contact Lilleana Cavanaugh at Lilleana.Cavanaugh@ochla.state.oh.us or 614-466-8333.


Noor Islamic Cultural Center offers educational program to public
If you are curious about Islam, participate in the center's General Islamic Education Series on Sundays from 11am to 12 noon. See http://www.noorohio.org/ for more details.


Free course on "Reporting Global Issues Locally"

This online module is designed for journalists and students of journalism who already possess basic reporting skills but want to hone those skills and learn to tell international stories to a local audience. For more details, visit the course website.
 
COLUMBUS COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS MEMBERS,
Save 20% - 68% on publications.

Current members are eligible for discounts on books and periodicals, including:

The Economist

Foreign Affairs
Saudi Aramco World
World Policy Journal
The Brookings Institution

For instructions on how to redeem your discount, please contact Rhonda Nicholas at 614.229.4599 ext. 401 or email membership@columbusworldaffairs.org.