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Foreign Policy Forums

CCWA’s Foreign Policy Forums bring national subject matter experts, government officials, and diplomats to Cleveland to explore relevant and timely geopolitical topics. These public programs are held September to May and are open to CCWA members as well as the general public. Members receive reduced pricing on tickets; students attend for free thanks to the Dr. and Mrs Wael and Sawssan Khoury fund.
Join us to learn about world affairs, explore key issues, and engage in dialogue with guest speakers. Our audience includes internationally curious individuals, business leaders, community leaders from around Northeast Ohio, students, and educators. Topics range from U.S. foreign policy to world economics, humanitarian crises, and current global issues of geopolitical importance. Upcoming events are listed below – for additional updates on future Foreign Policy Forums, subscribe to our e-mail newsletter.

UPCOMING FOREIGN POLICY FORUMS
For the latest events and upcoming Foreign Policy Forums, be sure to check our Calendar section.
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2023 CALENDAR YEAR HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
September 26, 2023
The Bin Laden Papers: Exposing the U.S. Misunderstanding of Terrorism
Dr. Nelly Lahoud, Associate Professor in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and a Senior Fellow in New America's International Security program
November 29, 2023
The Global Economic and Geopolitical Outlook for 2024: More Uncertainty Ahead?
Michael Weidokal, Founder and Executive Director of International Strategic Analysis
The remaining Foreign Policy Forums for the 2023-2023 season will be announced soon.
Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations

Informed discussions, candid dialogue and personal interaction with top experts and diplomats make the Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) the right forum for those passionate about world affairs. The intimate dinner and dialogue format provides a rare opportunity to have in-depth, off-the-record discussions with nationally-known experts on the key events and trends that are shaping the lives and futures of people around the globe. Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations topics are nuanced and our speakers offer unique perspectives from their own experiences. Participation is exclusive to members and their guests.
RECENT & UPCOMING CCFR PROGRAMS
An Inside Look into the Chinese System
with Martin Chorzempa, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
With President Xi Jinping having secured his unprecedented third term at the helm of “China, Inc.” in October 2022, state control over the economy has intensified, including in the regulation of the tech sector. This is part of an evolution of China’s development model. How is President Xi’s current management of the economy tied to China's domestic political climate and what are the implications for strategic competition with the United States?
Empires and International Conflict
with Lauren Benton, Barton M. Biggs Professor of History and Professor of Law, Yale University
Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Can the imperial past shed light on international conflicts? For over five centuries, empires composed and dominated a first global order. Empires claimed a right to intervene unilaterally to protect their own subjects and interests. Small wars opened pathways to extreme violence and sometimes enveloped whole regions. Now former empires, including Russia and China, continue to draw from imperial repertoires to justify aggression. And some former colonies reflexively chafe at bilateral security arrangements. How important are these and other legacies of empires in the current global order?
Trade or Aid? Is There a Future for the International Development System?
With Danica R. Starks, Adjunct Professor of International Affairs and Public Administration, Syracuse University
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
The Annual Meeting of the World Bank Group will be held October 9-15 in Morocco. On the agenda will be the “Evolution Roadmap” proposed by the Bank’s Boards of Executive Directors earlier this year to start rethinking how it addresses current development challenges, including accounting for climate change. Danica Starks, who also serves as Senior U.S. Commercial Liaison and Advisor to the U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank, will share her views on the outcomes of this meeting, and discuss the future of development assistance.
Türkiye: Power Broker at Last?
With Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University
Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ambassador Satterfield served as our ambassador to Türkiye from June 2019 to January 2022, at a time when President Erdogan launched an increasingly assertive foreign policy. As a critical NATO ally and strategically located country, Türkiye: 's stances have long impacted the region; they now even reverberate globally. What set of geopolitical options does Türkiye currently face? How might Erdogan seize these? And how do these options dovetail – or not – with U.S. interests in the region and more broadly?
The remaining four CCFR programs will be announced soon.
CCFR COVID-19 Guidelines
In light of the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our members, speakers, and staff remain a priority for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. We ask that all Foreign Policy Forum attendees agree to maintain vigilance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Refraining from attending Foreign Policy Forum events if you:
– Have had recent contact with an infected person
– Are experiencing symptoms or feeling unwell - Maintaining a vaccination and booster schedule appropriate for your own risk level and health implications.
- Continuing to follow local health authorities’ guidelines in an evolving environment.
- Agreeing to comply with requests, such as masking, if necessary, made by CCWA staff to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
2021-2022 SEASON
- Ilan Goldenberg: The U.S.-Israel Relationship After Netanyahu
- Gregory Shaffer: Emerging Powers and the World Trading System
- Kaitlyn Johnson: Space Security - Threats and Foreign Policy Implications
- Terry Roberts: Implementing Cyber Risk Management Frameworks
- Andrew Yeo: Adapting the U.S.-South Korea Alliance to the Indo-Pacific Era
- Paul Angelo: Getting U.S. Security Assistance Right: Lessons from Mexico, Central America, and Colombia
- Cameron Hudson: The Horn of Africa and Its Strategic Implications
- Pierre Morcos: The Future of Europe: A French Perspective
2020-2021 SEASON
- Randolph Bell and Anders Åslund: The Geopolitics of Energy: A Look at Russia and Saudi Arabia’s Role
- Karen Donfried: Germany and America’s Changing Relationship
- Cynthia Arnson: Security Challenges and Prospects for Peace in Colombia
- Ambassador Reuben Brigety: Emerging Powers in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Celina Realuyo: Countering Global Terrorist Funding and Illicit Networks
- Thomas Countryman: Nuclear Proliferation Risks and Concerns
- Randa Slim: Lebanon in Crisis
- Rear Admiral Paul Becker: Grand Strategy in the Asia-Pacific
2019-2020 SEASON
- Kemal Kirisci: Turkey, a U.S. Ally Adrift: Is a Reversal Possible?
- Dany Bahar: Venezuela: How We Got Here, and What’s Next?
- Richard Hoagland: The New Silk Road: U.S. Strategic Interests in the Caspian Sea Region
- Ambassador Stephen Young: Taiwan and the U.S.: What Does the Future Hold?
- Richard Rossow: India’s Rise as an Economic and Military Power
- Farah Pandith: How We Win: Defeating the Extremist Threat
- Chris Demchak: Cyber Conflict and New Global Reality: Threats and Possibilities for Democratic Survival
- Frances Burwell: The Post-Covid19 Transatlantic Relationship
2018-2019 SEASON
- Jarrett Blanc: Where Do We Go From Here: The Future of U.S.-Iran Relations
- Richard Miles: At a Crossroads- Insight Into the U.S.-Mexico Relationship
- Roy Kamphausen: U.S.-China Relations, A Look at Military
- Anna Borshchevskaya: Exploring Russia’s Role in the Middle East
- Mathew Burrows: Alternative Futures for the World: Examining Global Order
- Geoffrey Gertz: NAFTA 2.0 and the Future of American Trade Policy
- Ambassador Bruce Wharton: U.S. Interests and Policy in Africa
- Walter Berbrick: Challenges and Trials in the Arctic
2017-2018 SEASON
- Abigail Esman: Beyond Terrorism: Addressing Terrorism at Home and Abroad
- Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger: The Merkel Regime- Germany after the Election
- Scott Stewart: Understanding Cybersecurity: Understanding Cybersecurity and Physical Security
- Andrea Murta: Anatomy of Corruption: The Case of Brazil
- Naoyuki Agawa: Japan’s Security Policy in East Asia and Beyond: North Korea, China and the Alliance
- David Dollar: China’s Growing Role in the World Economy
- Sarah Feuer: Religion and Politics in North Africa: Emerging Trends and Implications for U.S. Policy
- Michael Peterson: A New ‘Type’ of War: Russian Warfare in the 21st Century
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Having returned to Cleveland after living overseas, CCWA has been a wonderful resource for me to find the internationally minded folks in the Cleveland business community. I can count on CCWA to bring compelling speakers from leading institutions to discuss hot-button topics in international affairs. The organization was instrumental in helping me connect with fascinating and diverse people in the area — CCWA really does connect Cleveland to the world.
Ben Gebhardt
CCFR MEMBER
Global Impact Awards
CCWA's Global Impact Award recognizes an individual or organization whose leadership has led to greater global understanding and cooperation. This annual event includes dinner, a program, and the Brooks Emeny Distinguished Lecture, delivered by our honoree.
Details about this year's event will be available soon. For more information or general inquiries about the Global Impact Awards, please contact Jenni Carney at jcarney@ccwa.org.



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SUPPORT THE CLEVELAND COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS
For a century, the CCWA has brought diverse perspectives on issues of international import to Cleveland. Much of our programming is made possible by the the support of our members and the generosity of our donors. Will you help us continue to create global connections?
