Speaker Series
Art and International Cooperation: The Bridges that Cleveland Helps Build
In a world where conflicts most often make our news headlines, the connections that art can create across countries and cultures are perhaps more vital than ever. These connections are multifaceted: sometimes art creates space for unique international partnerships to flourish, sometimes music transcends conflict in ways than no diplomatic effort could, and sometimes art…
Can the U.S. Reset the Agenda with Latin America?
The Summit of the Americas, hosted in San Diego in June, brought about tense interactions between the U.S. and our hemispheric neighbors to the south. Debate about the guestlist, threats of boycott, and challenges to the agenda were just a few of the reasons many felt the gathering did not accomplish as much as it…
Prosperity and Peace: A Hopeful Future for the Abraham Accords
Significant moves in both diplomatic and economic relationships are already bearing fruit after the historic signing in September 2020 of the Abraham Accords to jointly normalize relations between Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. In the two years since the first signing, four additional Arab countries have signed on to the Accords. Moreover, other…
Denuclearizing the Peninsula? Strategic Outlook for the U.S. and South Korea
The Republic of Korea has been a strategic U.S. military and economic ally since the 1950s. With regional tensions with China at an all-time high, a new Korean President since May, and global trade experiencing massive disruption, what does the future of the strategic U.S.-Korea relationship look like? And how might they jointly, or multilaterally,…
Spotlight on the Environment: Debriefing COP27 and the Global Water Crisis
The United Nations Climate Conference (COP27 ) held in Sharm el-Sheik in November 2022 resulted in a landmark agreement to develop a dedicated fund to assist developing countries in responding to loss and damage that may result from climate change. A delegation of Cleveland leaders traveled to Egypt to participate in the conference and witness…
From Tires to Technology: How Goodyear is Shaping an Evolving World of Transportation
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United States(As the CEO of a multinational corporation, Rich Kramer is leading The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company through an evolution of mobility and transportation that is taking place around the globe. From its world headquarters here in Northeast Ohio, Goodyear has continuously reinvented its business during its 125-year history to adapt to the conditions and…
International Women of Courage: Honoring the 2023 Awardees
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesThe International Women of Courage Award given by the U.S. Secretary of State recognizes extraordinary women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity, often at great personal risk and sacrifice.…
How the UN is Tackling Global Crises: An Insider’s Perspective
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesThe world has always been managing crises. From armed conflict to climate change and pandemics, the United Nations is the place where the international community gathers to attempt to solve them. Effective communication about these challenges and the responses to them is one of the keys to global cooperation. The United Nations’ top communications official…
Lessons from the Edge: Ukraine in Crisis | A Luncheon Event
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesReflecting on the events that led to her removal as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine in 2019, Marie “Masha” Yovanovitch has a stark but hopeful story to tell of the dedication of foreign service officers and her own career. Moving up through the ranks of the State Department, Yovanovitch leveraged her intelligence and work ethic to…
(Re)Organized Crime in Latin America
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesThe Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador members and their guests. Organized, transnational crime has become arguably the most important security threat to democratic governance in Latin America. As corruption and violence spread, citizens become more and more willing to accept a tough-on-crime authoritarian leader. While some Latin American…
Critical Minerals: How They Shape U.S. Policy
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesThe Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador members and their guests. Geopolitical tension and conflict have driven the evolution of critical minerals policies in the U.S. for nearly a century. Today, building resilient supply chains for critical minerals is one of the few issues that receives significant bipartisan support.…
The Global Economic Outlook for 2025
The Union Club 1211 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United StatesThis event is sold out. Please email jconnell@ccwa.org to be placed on a waiting list. The Cleveland Council on World Affairs is hosting a private, members-only luncheon with Michael Weidokal, Founder and Executive Director of International Strategic Analysis (ISA). To kick off the luncheon conversation, Mr. Weidokal will provide a brief analysis of his 2025…