SPEAKER PROGRAMS
International Dialogue for Our Local Community
Public speaker programs
Membership dialogue with policy luminaries
Annual marquee event
Foreign Policy Forums
CCWA’s Foreign Policy Forums bring subject matter experts, government officials, and renowned diplomats to Cleveland to explore relevant and timely geopolitical topics. These 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.
Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer, Center for a New American Security
A New Direction or More of the Same? The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy2024-2025 Full Season schedule:
September 19, 2024
Urgent Needs and Unique Challenges: An Inside Look at Humanitarian Aid in the Middle East
Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, and U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues (Oct. 2023 - Apr. 2024)
November 13, 2024
Keeping the U.S. Competitive: The Role of the Export-Import Bank
Judith Pryor, First Vice President and Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Export-Import Bank of the United States
December 5, 2024
U.S. Leadership on the World Stage
Allison Lombardo, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State
January 14, 2025
A New Direction or More of the Same? The Future of U.S. Foreign Policy
Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer, Center for a New American Security
More Foreign Policy Forums will be announced soon! Contact Jacob Connell at jconnell@ccwa.org with questions.
Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations
The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) has been a forum for in-depth geopolitical discussions since 1938. Today, this members-only dinner and dialogue program offers our Diplomat and Ambassador level members access to informed conversations, candid remarks, and interaction with top experts and diplomats. These intimate, conversation-driven events provide unparalleled access for serious engagement and understanding of today’s most pressing international issues. Participation is exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador level members and their guests.
RECENT & UPCOMING CCFR PROGRAMS
The World’s Forgotten Crises
Christopher Rassi, Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of the Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 5:45 PM | Hofbräuhaus Cleveland
Christopher Rassi will highlight some of the forgotten crises around the world to serve as a launchpad for a discussion of the broader state of international humanitarian aid and law.
Regional Security in Southeast Asia
Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States
Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez will discuss the vital role of the Philippines within the context of security issues in Southeast Asia and what the future may hold for the region.
Poland as the Linchpin of Europe
Paul Jones, Ambassador to Poland (2015-2018), International Affairs Advisor, Squire Patton Boggs
Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ambassador Paul Jones will share his analysis of Poland's strategic role in the current context of Europe, and how Poland's internal challenges impact the wider region.
Imagining a Different Iran: Can the U.S. Expect Change?
Holly Dagres, Non-resident Senior Fellow, The Atlantic Council, and Curator, The Iranist
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Holly Dagres will discuss how Iran's domestic challenges, particularly in regard to youth activism, impact and shape Iran's global standing.
(Re)Organized Crime in Latin America
Will Freeman, Fellow for Latin American Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Will Freeman will share his analysis of the evolving nature of organized crime in Latin America, and how the incoming Trump administration might impact it.
Critical Minerals: How They Shape U.S. Policy
Gracelin Baskaran, Director, Project on Critical Minerals Security, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Gracelin Baskaran will provide a close look at the strategic importance of critical minerals within the United States’ trade policy and how geopolitics are impacting our “minerals trade.”
The Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and National Security
Melanie Sisson, Fellow, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Brookings Institution
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Melanie Sisson will discuss the role that artificial intelligence and other advanced technology play in geopolitical calculations, specifically as it relates to the technological competition between the U.S. and China
South Africa, BRICS, and the United States
Charles A. Ray, Chair, Africa Program, Foreign Policy Research Institute
Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 5:45 PM | The Union Club
Ambassador Charles Ray will share his assessment of South Africa’s role within BRICS and the implications for U.S.-South Africa relations.
2023-2024 SEASON
- Martin Chorzempa: An Inside Look into the Chinese System
- Dr. Lauren Benton: Empires and International Conflict
- Danica Starks: Trade or Aid? Is There a Future for the International Development System?
- Ambassador W. Robert Pearson: Turkiye: Power Broker at Last?
- Ambassador J. Peter Pham: Instability in the Sahel: How Africa's "Coup Belt" Is Impacting the Continent
- Dr. Iulia Joja: The Ripple Effect: How the War in Ukraine Is Causing Waves Across the Black Sea
- Mark Simakovsky: A Crucial Piece of Foreign Policy: Why U.S. Aid Continues to Matter
- Dr. Ryan Berg: The Next Six Years: What to Expect from Mexico's New President
2022-2023 SEASON
- Ivan Kanapathy: An Uneasy Ambiguity: A New Path for U.S.-China Relations
- Dr. John Nagl: Why America Can't Win America's Wars: Ukraine, Afghanistan, and the Future of Conflict
- Oge Onubogu: Nigeria: What is at Stake for Africa's Largest Economy Facing Challenging 2023 Elections?
- Ambassador Liliana Ayalde: Brazil's Presidential Elections and Implications for U.S.-Brazil Bilateral Relations
- Richard Fontaine: The Evolving World Order: How Geopolitics Shape American Security
- Dr. Courtney Freer: A New Era in U.S.-Saudi Arabia Relations?
- Dr. Liana Fix: What if?...: Scenarios for the Future of Ukraine
- Chase Sova: The State of Global Food Security
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
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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.
Contribute to Global Connections
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?