Since the World Affairs Council of Greater Richmond was launched in the autumn of 1996, it has grown steadily in membership and public acclaim. Its members are articulate, well-informed, and strongly motivated. They care deeply about international events and U.S. foreign policy. From this shared perspective, the Council’s mission flows: to educate and inform citizens of Central Virginia about the importance of international affairs and to bring them into direct contact with influential personalities in the field. We provoke thought, elicit opinion, and generate interest in foreign policy, giving voice to our members’ opinions, interests, and concerns.

We sponsor at least one major speaker forum each month. We also schedule special-interest events, often in conjunction with area universities and non-profit institutions on issues of urgent concern. We provide several seminar series each year, including the Origins of Conflict series and the American Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions series. University partners in some instances offer academic credit for these programs.

In partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University, the Council co-directs the Virginia Center for the Teaching of International Studies, a high-school teacher training program. We have trained over 1400 teachers and afected the lives of thousands of students. We also make use of our programs to create educational materials for use by teachers on the classroom.

We maintain a strong partnership with Central Virginia’s NPR station, WCVE FM (88.9 Mhz). Speaker forums are rebroadcast over WCVE, and Council President Ambassador Bell provides a weekly foreign-affairs commentary at 8:35am each Tuesday morning. WCVE carries World Affairs Council related programming each Sunday evening at 6:00 pm.

We work hard to support, encourage, and grow Central Virginia’s vibrant business and financial community. Our corporate sponsors are among our most active and committed members, and we attract speakers who can provide facts and insights on global business and markets. Our International Executive Forum, and our working partnerships with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Richmond Partnership, the Export-Import Club of Richmond, and other business forums help sustain this emphasis.

We are proud of our close association with Central Virginia’s public and Private schools. All school and university students may attend our events for free of charge.