APPLY NOW

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan is now hiring for a Director of Programming and Community Engagement. Read full job description. For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume to Erica Kubik at ek@worldmichigan.org by COB Friday, April 10, 2026.
  • Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China with Emily Feng

    Wisner-Botrall Applied Technology Center 151 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome Emily Feng, NPR International Correspondent.   In today’s China, questions of identity are no longer private. They are political, enforced, and deeply personal. This talk explores contemporary China through lived experience, drawing on NPR correspondent Emily Feng’s reporting and her new book on identity and belonging under Xi Jinping. Blending analysis with vivid […]

  • Can the Post-WWII International Order Survive the 21st Century? With Joel Westra

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome, Joel Westra, Department Chair, Professor, Director, Pre-Law Program, Calvin University   After World War II ended, countries created the United Nations Charter, which was meant to help organize the world and prevent future conflict. Since that time, governments have worked through these international organizations to manage shared global challenges like humanitarian crises, environmental […]

  • Great Decisions Lunch and Learn: The Future of Multilateral institutions

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

      Join us for informal Lunch & Learn sessions tied to the World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions global discussion series, co-hosted with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum.   Each session includes lunch, a 30-minute Foreign Policy Association video on the week’s topic, and a guided discussion led by World Affairs Council and […]

    Free
  • Inside Kyiv: A Conversation with Ambassador (ret.) Bridget A. Brink

    East Grand Rapids High School Little Auditorium 2211 Lake Drive SE, East Grand Rapids, MI

    We welcome Ambassador Bridget A. Brink, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine.   What does it mean to defend democracy while living under daily missile attacks? Drawing on her experience leading the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv during Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ambassador Bridget Brink discusses Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty and the challenges of sustaining democratic resilience during […]

  • Decolonizing African Agriculture: Food, Security, & the Need for Radical Transformation with Bill Moseley

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome Bill Moseley, Dewitt Wallace Professor of Geography, Macalester College    This presentation examines the evolution of food security and agricultural development in post-colonial Africa and outlines a more sustainable path forward. Challenging the long-held assumption that increased production alone can end hunger, it argues for rethinking agriculture as a valued livelihood rather than […]

  • Great Decisions Lunch and Learn: U.S. Engagement of Africa

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

      Join us for informal Lunch & Learn sessions tied to the World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions global discussion series, co-hosted with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum.   Each session includes lunch, a 30-minute Foreign Policy Association video on the week’s topic, and a guided discussion led by World Affairs Council and […]

    Free
  • Fostering a Fourth Democratic Wave: Countering the Authoritarian Threat with Hardy Merriman

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome Hardy Merriman,  former President of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)   A powerful autocratic wave is sweeping the globe. According to various measures, authoritarian governments have risen and democracies have declined worldwide over the past two decades. To ensure long-term peace, security, and human rights for billions of people, it is […]

  • The U.S. in a Changing Global Order with Ambassador (ret.) Michael McKinley

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome Ambassador (ret.) Michael McKinley, senior counselor, the Cohen Group    What does it mean for the United States to navigate a world of intensifying conflicts, shifting alliances, and renewed great-power competition? From ongoing wars to economic and technological rivalry, U.S. foreign policy is being reshaped in real time. This program explores the current […]

  • Great Decisions Lunch and Learn: U.S. Foreign Policy

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

      Join us for informal Lunch & Learn sessions tied to the World Affairs Council’s Great Decisions global discussion series, co-hosted with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum.   Each session includes lunch, a 30-minute Foreign Policy Association video on the week’s topic, and a guided discussion led by World Affairs Council and […]

    Free
  • POSTPONED: Nuclear Risk in a Changing World with Page Stoutland

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    NOTE: THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED, RESCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 12. We welcome Page Stoutland, former consultant, NTI    The risk of nuclear weapon use is widely viewed as higher today than at any point since the Cold War. Long-standing security alliances appear to be weakening, prompting additional states to consider developing their own nuclear capabilities. […]

  • From West Michigan to the World: The Global Economy at Home with Randy Thelen and Bradley T. French

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Mueum 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, United States

    We welcome Randy Thelen, President & CEO of The Right Place and Bradley T. French, Member and Chief Strategy Officer, Bodman PLC.     From manufacturing exports and international investment to supply chains and trade policy, global forces play a powerful role in shaping regional economic futures. How do the current global economic trends affect our current […]

  • A Taste of Munich – March Global Mixer

    Küsterer Brauhaus 642 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids, MI

    Join us for our next Global Mixer, 'A Taste of Munich' at the Küsterer Brauhaus on Wednesday, March 25 at 6pm.  Guests will enjoy a selection of German charcuterie skewers, Kraut Knödel (balls) with dressing, Pretzel Bites with Bierkäse (cheese) and three 5oz Bier tastings with a little history presentation and tour.  The Küsterer Brauhaus […]

    $37.00
×