Are you a high school or college student curious to learn more about international relations and foreign affairs?

Join us for the Global Careers Panel on Tuesday, April 16th, from 4:30 - 5:30 pm ET via Zoom to connect with professionals at the forefront of international relations and global affairs. This panel seeks to provide Vermont high school and college students with valuable insights into diverse career paths and inspire them to explore global opportunities.

This event will provide students with the chance to:

• Interact with experienced professionals who have made significant strides in their respective fields

• Gain valuable career advice

• Discover different career paths in international relations and foreign affairs

Come and find out what the world has to offer in the fields of international development, business, and diplomacy from experts. Don't miss out on this opportunity – register now and discover the possibilities!

This event is free to all VCWA members, including our valued Higher Education members:

• Saint Michael's College

• Champlain College

• University of Vermont

• Norwich University

Contact Maddi, our Youth Engagement intern, for more information: intern@vcwa.org

Meet the Panelists

Moderated by:

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on April 5th as we bid farewell to our visitors from Central and Latin America visiting Vermont as part of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on March 8th as we welcome visitors from Central and Latin America visiting Vermont as part of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.

Registration

About the Event

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, the Vermont Council on World Affairs is hosting our annual International Women’s Day networking event to celebrate the power of women, locally and globally.  

In our ever-evolving world, it is crucial to ensure that the voices of girls and women are heard and elevated to the forefront of conversations across industries, sectors, and nations. Through collective effort and collaboration, we can break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and pave the way for a future where the potential of every individual, regardless of gender, is fully realized.  

This event will provide you the opportunity to:  

• Connect with individuals and organizations who collectively support the work to advance women’s rights and the role women play in bringing diverse voices to the table.  

• Discuss how supporting women and girls impacts all of the world’s people  

• Hear from special guest speakers 

Join us as we unite individuals, business leaders, and organizations to engage in conversations on creating a more gender-balanced world.  

Registration

Speakers

Justice Nancy Jear Waples was born in Toronto, Canada to Chinese immigrant parents who fled the communist revolution.  After growing up working in her parents’ Chinese restaurant and becoming a U.S. citizen, she graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1982 and earned her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law in 1987.  Beginning her legal career in both the appeals and trial divisions of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, she later moved to Vermont in 1993, joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.  Here, she prosecuted federal firearms, narcotics, fraud, child pornography, and immigration offenses, also serving as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator.  After her prosecutorial career, she became a criminal defense attorney and managing partner at Hoff Curtis in Burlington.  Appointed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals as the Criminal Justice Act Coordinator for the District of Vermont, she was the liaison between the federal courts and the panel of court appointed attorneys representing indigent clients.

In December 2014, Justice Waples was appointed to the Vermont Superior Court, becoming the first person of color on the trial bench.  After nearly seven years of service, she was appointed and sworn in as the 137th Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court on April 15, 2022.  Breaking barriers, she is the fifth woman and the first person of color to hold this position.  Justice Waples, married to Greg Waples, Chief of Appeals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, has two sons—one an attorney at a large New York City firm and the other a law clerk in the Court of International Trade.  A dedicated community member, she has contributed to various organizations, including serving as president of the Board of Directors of Spectrum Youth and Family Services and the Vermont Youth Orchestra.  Beyond her legal work, Justice Waples has been actively engaged in civic and charitable activities, providing translation and pro bono legal services to the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program.  The Waples family, passionate about rescue animals, is completed by their three cats and four dogs.

Donna met Burton’s founder, Jake Burton Carpenter in a Southern Vermont bar on New Year’s Eve 1981. Ever since, she’s been a driving force at the world’s leading snowboard company. Her first job included dipping snowboards in polyurethane and answering the customer service line that rang in the bedroom. In the mid 1980s, Donna expanded Burton’s business to Europe and ran the company’s first international office in Innsbruck, Austria. In 2003, Jake asked Donna to make Burton a brand of choice and employer of choice for women. Thanks to Donna’s leadership, Burton now has progressive parent policies, mentoring programs and more women in leadership roles. In 2010, Donna stepped up to the role of President, and then in 2016 went on to become Burton’s first female CEO. In February 2020, Donna became the Chair of the Burton Board of Directors, a position formerly held by her late husband and Burton founder, Jake Burton Carpenter who passed away in November of 2019 due to complications from recurring cancer. 

Today, Donna inspires Burton to root the company’s work in a greater purpose. She invests in sustainability efforts and advocates for more diversity on the mountain and in boardrooms. As a founder and Co-Chair of the non-profit youth development organization Chill, she is dedicated to the organization’s mission of inspiring young people through boardsports and building a more equitable outdoor community. Under her ownership, Burton commits $2M of profits annually to support values-aligned organizations doing work that positively impacts people, planet, and the sport of snowboarding. 

Donna and her three sons George, Taylor and Timi do their best to live by Jake’s motto of having as much fun as possible while keeping the world’s leading snowboard company a family-owned brand.

Moderator

Thank You to Our
Sponsors and Partners

Registration

About the event

Join the VCWA for our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, December 6th!

The VCWA board meeting will be from 4:00 - 5:30 pm. During this meeting, we will celebrate our 2023 accomplishments, welcome new board members, and honor our departing board members.

All current VCWA members are welcome to attend the board meeting, if you are unsure of your membership status, please email elizabeth@vcwa.org.

After the meeting, please join us for a reception at 5:30 pm where we will celebrate another great year of citizen diplomacy and cross-cultural connections and kick off the holiday season.

The reception will feature:

• Guest speakers

• A silent auction

• Food and drink

We hope to see you there!

When: Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 | 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Where: Hotel Vermont | 41 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05401

This event is FREE to the public, however, registration is required.

Annual Winter Meeting Agenda

Board Meeting

Open to VCWA members

4:00 pm

Reception & Silent Auction

Open to the public

Doors open at 5:30 pm

Join the VCWA on Thursday, October 12, 2023, as we come together to observe International Day of Peace

In celebration of the United Nations' International Day of Peace, the VCWA is hosting its annual International Day of Peace Celebration on October 12th, focused on Peace and Security in a Changing World. Join us as we unite visionaries, policymakers, and advocates in a shared commitment to building a more peaceful and secure world. Hear from keynote speaker Tim Rieser, senior foreign policy aide to Senator Patrick Leahy along with other distinguished speakers, including former Vermont Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, VCWA board chair and former longtime mayor of Burlington, Peter Clavelle, and VCWA President & CEO Patricia Preston. 

This year's event will delve into the challenges and opportunities of establishing peace and security in a world grappling with threats like climate change, terrorism, and political instability. The conversations will center on crafting a more peaceful and secure world for generations to come. 

“Maintaining the peace is the business of all peoples. ”

— Ambassador Warren Austin, VCWA Founder

Person of the Year Award

Each year, the VCWA’s International Day of Peace event, honors an individual who, in VCWA's view, embodies the qualities inherent in promoting international understanding and building ties between the US and the world. 

This year, the Vermont Council on World Affairs (VCWA) is honored to present the 2023 Person of the Year Award to Tim Rieser, a distinguished senior foreign policy aide to Senator Patrick Leahy. Rieser's unwavering commitment to diplomacy, peace, and global security has left an indelible mark on the international stage.  

Rieser's extensive career spans decades of dedicated service to Senator Leahy and includes pivotal roles such as Democratic Clerk for the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations since 1989. His instrumental contributions to shaping U.S. foreign policy encompass critical issues ranging from human rights to global health, international environmental conservation, and a wide range of other foreign assistance programs.

An ardent advocate of peaceful dialogue and diplomacy, Rieser played a pivotal role in supporting Senator Leahy in normalizing relations with Cuba during the Obama administration. He has also helped to orchestrate the fight against landmines and cluster munitions, establish programs to assist innocent victims of war and address war legacies in Vietnam including contamination resulting from Agent Orange.

The VCWA community takes great pride in adding Tim Rieser to the esteemed roster of recipients of VCWA's Person of the Year Award. To learn more about this award and past honorees, please visit:

Join us on Oct. 12th to gain insights into peace and security, connect with fellow peacemakers, and celebrate Tim Rieser's important contributions by honoring him as VCWA’s 2023 Person of the Year. 

Climate change is a global issue that affects everyone, but its impacts are not felt equally. Vulnerable communities, including low-income households, indigenous people, and people of color, are disproportionately affected by the changing climate.

Join the Vermont Council on World Affairs on August 21st and 22nd at Hula Lakeside, in partnership with Global Ties U.S. and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, for the 2023 Diplomacy Begins Here Summit, Building an Inclusive Climate Movement. This two-day event will explore how an inclusive and global approach to climate change can help address these disparities and create a more sustainable future for all. We will welcome expert speakers who will share their insights and provide practical solutions that can be implemented at the community level.

Registration opens July 10th.

About

Join us to kick off our Diplomacy Begins Here Summit, Building an Inclusive Climate Movement, at Echo Lake Aquarium in Burlington.

Hear from Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, connect with fellow Vermonters and visitors from around the country, and delve into climate change, citizen diplomacy, and international exchange discussions. We will be joined by representatives from the U.S. Department of State, and members of the Global Ties U.S. network.

If you are a VCWA or Global Ties U.S. member who is registered for the Diplomacy Begins Here Summit - your registration includes a ticket to the welcome reception.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on July 25th at Foam Brewers in Burlington.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on June 7th along with a group of international entrepreneurs visiting Vermont as part of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative and participants from our Global Leadership Program.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on May 17th along with a group of international entrepreneurs visiting Vermont as part of the Professional Fellows Program and Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on March 15th along with Global Leadership Program alumni and current participants and a delegation from Ukraine visiting Vermont as part of the Open World program.

The delegation of medical professionals from Ukraine is here for a program focusing on Organ Transplantation and the ICU. Beginning at 4:00 pm at Hula, the delegation will be giving a presentation on their work in Ukraine, specifically touching on how the war has impacted hospitals and healthcare resources in Ukraine.

Registration

About

The VCWA encourages Vermonters to come together and discuss global issues while enjoying local flavors; that’s why we created Global Talk, Local Taste.

Structured as a casual after-hours networking event, Global Talk, Local Taste gives community members an opportunity to meet other globally focused Vermonters without leaving the comfort of a Burlington restaurant or brewery. To drive the conversation, each Global Talk, Local Taste features special guests.

Join us on March 10th as welcome a delegation from Ukraine visiting Vermont as part of the Open World program.

Registration

About the Event

In current events around the world, women are at the forefront of the issues we are facing and serve as catalysts for change and progress in the fight for equity, equality, and freedom. Global growth across all sectors is limited due to the barriers facing women - providing space for women and girls to have a more prominent role and voice in addressing our changing world will encourage a more prosperous future for all. 

The Vermont Council on World Affairs invites you to our annual International Women’s Day event to celebrate the impactful work women do locally and globally. This event will provide you the opportunity to:

• Connect with individuals and organizations who collectively support the work to advance women’s rights and the role women play as agents of change

• Discuss how supporting women and girls impacts all of the world’s people 

• Hear from special guest speakers

When women succeed, we all succeed - join us as we celebrate women breaking barriers and coming together for the collective good.

Registration

Keynote Speaker

Ambassador Adela Raz was the first female permanent representative and ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Nations. At the U.N., Ambassador Raz was the vice president of the 75th session of the General Assembly, and she was also appointed by the president of the General Assembly to serve as the General Assembly’s co-coordinator on COVID-19-related initiatives.

Prior to her U.N. appointment, Ambassador Raz was the deputy minister for economic cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2013, she served as the first female deputy spokesperson and director of communications for President Hamid Karzai.

She began her career with the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and continued to work in a variety of positions at international development organizations in the U.S. and Afghanistan.

Ambassador Raz holds a master's degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She holds a bachelor's degree with honors, triple majoring in international relations, political science, and economics, from Simmons University in Boston. She also earned a certificate in international development from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Panelists

Attorney General Clark is the first woman to serve as Attorney General of Vermont. She began her career in the Attorney General’s Office in 2014 when she was hired by Attorney General Bill Sorrell to serve as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Protection Division. She was later appointed Chief of Staff by Attorney General T.J. Donovan in 2018 and served in the role until 2022.

Attorney General Clark was born and raised in southern Vermont and is a graduate of Burr & Burton Academy in Manchester, the University of Vermont, and Boston College Law School. Before she entered law school, Attorney General Clark was a policy analyst at the Vermont Governor’s Office. In 2005, she began her legal career as an associate at law firms in Burlington, Vermont, and later New York City.

Akshata Nayak wanted to design a book so her daughter could learn her native language, Konkani. This single idea blossomed into Little Patakha, a minority woman-owned media company that helps young minds discover a diverse world of different people, stories and ideas.

Akshata was born and brought up in Bangalore, India. She moved to the US in 2003 and earned two Master of Science degrees, in Biochemistry and Applied Clinical Nutrition. She is a serial entrepreneur with Little Patakha being her third successful business.

Moderator

Thank You to Our Sponsors

About the Event

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the CEO of New America, a think and action tank dedicated to renewing the promise of America, bringing us closer to our nation’s highest ideals.

Over the course of her lauded career, Anne-Marie Slaughter’s expertise has earned her several top positions. She was the first woman to serve as director of Policy Planning for the U.S. Department of State, from 2009-2011. Previously, she was the Dean of Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs from 2002-2009. Dr. Slaughter is also the author of eight books.

Now, as CEO of New America, she leads a team of writers, policy analysts, researchers, and activists who work to fulfill U.S. ideals in the digital age by studying and solving modern problems.

On January 25, join the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall for a livestream program featuring Anne-Marie Slaughter. Moderated by LAWACTH Board Member Robert Abernethy, the conversation will cover Dr. Slaughter’s career, her public service, and the major issues facing communities across the U.S.

Register

Please visit the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall website here to register.

Meet the Speaker

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the CEO of New America and the Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor Emerita of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. From 2009-2011 she served as the director of Policy Planning for the United States Department of State, the first woman to hold that position. Prior to her government service, Dr. Slaughter was the Dean of Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs (formerly the Woodrow Wilson School) from 2002–2009 and the J. Sinclair Armstrong Professor of International, Foreign, and Comparative Law at Harvard Law School from 1994-2002.

She has written or edited seven books, including “The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World”, “Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family”, and “The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World.

She is also a frequent contributor to a number of publications, including The Atlantic, the Financial Times, and Project Syndicate. In 2012, she published “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” in The Atlantic, which quickly became one of the most-read articles in the history of the magazine and helped spark a renewed national debate on the continued obstacles to genuine full male-female equality. 

Meet the Moderator

Robert J. Abernethy is Chairman of American Standard Development Company. He received a BA from Johns Hopkins University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, certificates in Real Estate and Construction from UCLA and was formerly the Controller of the Technology Division of Hughes Aircraft Company. He is on the boards of Johns Hopkins, Brookings and New America. He serves as a Vice Chairman of The Atlantic Council and of The Los Angeles Music Center.

About the Event

Fiona Hill is a leading expert on Russia and Vladimir Putin. She served as an intelligence analyst for former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and as Deputy Assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council under former President Trump.

Now a senior fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, Hill has recently served as one of the foremost voices analyzing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in the media. This year alone, she has appeared on 60 Minutes, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and in numerous articles for news outlets like Politico. Due to her background in Russian history and time spent living in Russia in the late 1980’s, Hill’s analysis of the current conflict includes cultural and historical context that helps to explain why Putin is so deeply invested in controlling Ukraine.

On December 15, join us for a livestream featuring Fiona Hill, in conversation with Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall Board Member Robert Abernethy. Their intimate discussion will cover her career, her thoughts on the ongoing war, and how the U.S. should move forward in their dealings with Russia and Ukraine.

Register

Please visit the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall website here to register.

Meet the Speaker

Fiona Hill is a senior fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. She recently served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council from 2017 to 2019. From 2006 to 2009, she served as national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at The National Intelligence Council. She is author of “There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century” and co-author of “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin” (Brookings Institution Press, 2015).

Prior to joining Brookings, Hill was director of strategic planning at The Eurasia Foundation in Washington, D.C. From 1991 to 1999, she held a number of positions directing technical assistance and research projects at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, including associate director of the Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project, director of the Project on Ethnic Conflict in the Former Soviet Union, and coordinator of the Trilateral Study on Japanese-Russian-U.S. Relations.

Hill has researched and published extensively on issues related to Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, regional conflicts, energy, and strategic issues. Her book with Brookings Senior Fellow Clifford Gaddy, “The Siberian Curse: How Communist Planners Left Russia Out in the Cold,” was published by Brookings Institution Press in December 2003, and her monograph, “Energy Empire: Oil, Gas and Russia’s Revival,” was published by the London Foreign Policy Centre in 2004. The first edition of “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin” was published by Brookings Institution Press in December 2013, also with Clifford Gaddy.

Hill holds a master’s in Soviet studies and a doctorate in history from Harvard University where she was a Frank Knox Fellow. She also holds a master’s in Russian and modern history from St. Andrews University in Scotland, and has pursued studies at Moscow’s Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages. Hill is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Meet the Moderator

Robert J. Abernethy is Chairman of American Standard Development Company. He received a BA from Johns Hopkins University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, certificates in Real Estate and Construction from UCLA and was formerly the Controller of the Technology Division of Hughes Aircraft Company. He is on the boards of Johns Hopkins, Brookings and New America. He serves as a Vice Chairman of The Atlantic Council and of The Los Angeles Music Center.

Registration

About the event

Join the VCWA for our Annual Meeting on Wednesday, December 7th!

The VCWA board meeting will be from 4:00 - 5:30 pm. During this meeting, we will celebrate our 2022 accomplishments, welcome new board members, and honor our departing board members.

All current VCWA members are welcome to attend the board meeting, if you are unsure of your membership status, please email liz@vcwa.org.

After the meeting, please join us for a reception at 5:30 pm where we will celebrate our 70th Anniversary and kick off the holiday season.

The reception will feature:

• Guest speakers

• A silent auction

• Food and drink

We hope to see you there!

When: Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 | 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Where: Hotel Vermont | 41 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT 05401

This event is FREE to the public, however, registration is required.

Annual Winter Meeting Agenda

Board Meeting

Open to VCWA members

4:00 pm

70th Anniversary Celebration

Open to the public

5:30 pm

Registration

About the event

Vermont has long been a leader in environmental sustainability, natural resource management, and climate change mitigation. A Just Transition to a Green Economy will focus on how we can build a more just and equitable response to climate change through a focus on renewable energy & urban sustainability, workforce development, and inclusion.

This event will focus on how Vermont has long taken a local approach to address climate change as well as how we can all think on a more global scale to work towards a more inclusive green economy.

When: Friday, October 28th, 2022 | 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Where: Hula Lakeside | 50 Lakeside Ave. Burlington, VT 05401

This event is FREE to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

Speakers

Moderator

Agenda

10:00 am - 10:30 am

Breakfast & Coffee Reception

10:30 am - 11:30 am

Moderated Discussion with Kate Williams and Kevin Cassidy

This event is a partnership between

About the Event

Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, the International Day of Peace represents a globally shared day for all humanity to commit to building a culture of peace in communities around the world. This year, the VCWA is excited to mark the International Day of Peace with a program focusing on this important topic. The program will feature an evening reception with dinner featuring a keynote address and an award ceremony recognizing vital work in the field of peace-building.

About the Day

As global citizens, we must educate ourselves about the crisis in Ukraine beyond the headlines and media reports to develop a well-rounded understanding of this crisis and the real implications for the people and communities affected. As we learned from the events that unfolded last summer in Afghanistan, the crisis doesn't just end; people's lives continue to be impacted, and needs continue to exist.

Join us as we discuss the varying layers of the war in Ukraine and become better informed and positioned to provide support and promote awareness of the realities Ukrainians confront when the media coverage inevitably moves on.

Registration

Sessions happening at 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:30pm, and 6:00pm.

All events are hybrid and will be live-streamed for virtual attendees.

Speakers

Moderators

Agenda

12:00pm

Opening Remarks

Congressman Peter Welch, Peter Clavelle, and Patricia Preston

12:30pm

The International Community's Response to War

Natalie Jaresko

2:00pm

Ukrainian Migration and the Future of Refugee Resettlement in Vermont

Pablo Bose, Amila Merdzanovic, & Adrian Ivakhiv

3:30pm

Impacts of the Ukraine War on International Security

Lyle Goldstein & Rose Gottemoeller

6:00pm

Evening Keynote Reception

Ambassador John Herbst

Thank you to our Sponsors

VCWA is continuing their series called “Timely Topics” in celebration of our 70th anniversary. These events feature experts with knowledge of current events happening around our globe.

This event is open to the public and FREE for VCWA members. If your university or organization is a member you can register for free using your affiliated email.

Not a member? Purchase here.

About the Event

On February 24, 2022 Russia launched a full-scale military invasion on Ukraine causing nearly three thousand civilian deaths and internally displacing more than seven million people. For millions of Ukrainians who have not — and cannot — leave their cities, how are they enduring life in a warzone? Hear from Glen Wright, an International Municipal Finance Expert currently living in Kyiv, Ukraine as he discusses the development of the conflict in Kyiv since the onset of the invasion and his experience living through Russia’s invasion.

RSVP

About the Speaker

Glen Wright has over twenty-five years of experience in support of democracy and governance projects in the transition and post-conflict countries of Central and Eastern Europe, former Soviet Union, Central Asia, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. These projects were directed toward delivering technical assistance and training in public administration reform, central and local budget and finance methods and local government services. He has worked in over twenty-five countries in these regions for the major multilateral and bilateral development organizations, such as UNDP, WB, ADB, USAID, and DFID, among other donor organizations. He has written extensively on these subjects and is the author of the first textbook on western concepts of public administration that was translated into Ukrainian and Russian.

 Mr. Wright has specialized experience in public financial management and the development of fiscal decentralization systems in transition countries, including Kosovo, Tajikistan, Slovak Republic, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine. In these positions, he provided technical support to Ministries of Finance and other ministries dealing with public finance issues and budgeting processes. Learn More.

About the Moderator

Clavelle has more than 40 years of experience in local government and decentralization in both the U.S. and international arenas. As a former mayor and city manager, Peter brings direct, practical experience in managing local government affairs.

Learn more about VCWA’s work to support Ukraine: Click Here

About the Day

Climate Change affects minorities and indigenous people in many ways. Indigenous peoples account for most of the world’s cultural diversity and have been at the forefront of environmental conservation from the beginning. Climate change, deforestation, pollution, development, loss of biodiversity, and technological advances are serious threats to many varying communities due to individuals’ dependence on the environment and the local resources of the lands and territories.

Join us as we discuss the growing impacts of development on various communities and groups around the world and who is at the forefront of sustainable strategies and the fight to strengthen resilience to climate change.

Agenda

Building an Equitable Renewable Energy Movement

9:00am | Virtual

Neha Misra I नेहा मिश्रा is an award-winning climate justice advocate, contemporary visual eco-folk artist, and poet. A first-generation immigrant from India, Neha’s intersectional climate leadership spans global, national, and local impact. Neha serves as the Inaugural Global Ambassador of non-profit Remote Energy whose solar workforce development programs are addressing acute gender and racial inequities in the solar energy movement in America and beyond. She is a 2022 Public Voices Fellow on the Climate Crisis, an initiative of the Op-Ed Project and Yale Program on Climate Change Communication to change who writes history. In 2020, amidst multiple ecological, racial, pandemic reckonings, Neha launched her Earth stewardship-centered multi-disciplinary studio which uses the power of art and poetry to foster planetary health. Prior to this, Neha Co-Founded pioneer social enterprise Solar Sister to grow local women-led sustainable energy access in communities across sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, Neha was selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar. Neha has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, Next Billion, Forbes, Ms. Magazine, Mothers of Invention, Business Fights Poverty Top Climate Podcasts, The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Miami Art Week Regenaissance, The Washington Post, and Voice of America.

About the Moderator

Araí Monteforte joined Tetra Tech in 2014 and brings a background in engineering to the energy and international development markets. As the Chief of Party for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) program, she works with USAID partner countries to reinvent national electric grids and develop the policies and institutional, regulatory, and technical solutions needed to provide sustainable, reliable electricity for future generations. Araí provides technical assistance for strategic energy planning, grid integration, and competitive procurement to help policymakers, utilities, and regulators modernize energy sectors and create policies that enable renewable energy markets to flourish.

The Gender-Climate-Conflict Nexus

11:00am | Virtual

Adenike Oladosu , is an eco-feminist and a climate justice activist. She's the founder of "ILeadClimate" , an award winner and an advocate for the restoration of Lake Chad. Lake Chad is a freshwater body that once supported the livelihoods of around 30 million people across four countries. Climate change has led to it rapidly shrinking, resulting in what the UN calls one of the most unique, complex, and severe humanitarian crises in the world. Born in Nigeria, Adenike earned a first-class degree in Agricultural Economics and is an ambassador for Earth Uprising and African Youth Climate Hub, an initiative of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection. She is also head of the "ILeadClimate" movement for peace, security and equality in Africa, particularly in the Lake Chad region. As part of the "Fridays For Future" (FFF) movement in Nigeria, she shared in the 2019 Ambassador of Conscious award by Amnesty International to Greta Thunberg and the FFF movement in recognition of the youth fight for climate justice.

Lydia Wanjiku Kibandi is the Chief Executive Officer at Lensational, a non-profit social enterprise that works to elevate the voices of women from marginalized communities through photography. She offers climate justice solutions from both a social entrepreneur and a creative’s perspective. As a young leader, Lydia demonstrates extensive experience in leadership, management, and communication gained within a number of roles in the private and international development sector, qualities that had her nominated for Business Daily Kenya, Top 40 under 40 women in Leadership 2019.

A women’s rights and environmental rights advocate and Director of Women4Biodiversity, Mrinalini works on policy advocacy and research on the intersection of gender equality and women and girls’ rights, and environmental justice. She has been working for many years on environmental governance and human rights issues particularly focused on integrating indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ rights, including women’s rights into the decisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). She is also the coordinator of the Women Caucus - UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which supports women's civil society active engagement through active participation, information sharing, and inputs into the policy space on biodiversity and environment-related processes at the CBD.

About the Moderator

Jody Prescott works as a federal attorney in the areas of commercial litigation and environmental law. He has been teaching at UVM since 2012. Jody’s research and writing focuses on four major evolving international security topics: the operationalization of gender, climate change and armed conflict, the education and development of cyber leaders, and military ethics from a law of armed conflict perspective. He returned to Vermont after serving 25 years as an Army Judge Advocate.

Climate Change and Adaptation to Social-Ecological Change

2:00pm | Virtual

Eranga Galappaththi (Ph.D. in Geography, McGill University) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Virginia Tech. Prior to Virginia Tech, he worked as a Research Scientist in the Arctic and Aquatic Research Division (Arctic Salmon group) of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Also, Eranga was a Research Professional for the Institute of Integrative Biology and Systems at Laval University and led Indigenous research in Sri Lanka as part of the COVID Observatories project (University of Leeds). His recent research is central to climate change adaptation in remote Indigenous communities and their local food systems. The research has a strong empirical focus on community-based adaptation, particularly in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. Eranga integrates concepts from social-ecological resilience, vulnerability, adaptation, and food security. Also, he brings a broader perspective to his research, using systematic literature reviews that contribute to global-level assessments. During his PhD, in which he partnered with Inuit (Canada) and Coastal-Vedda (Sri Lanka) communities, Eranga examined opportunities for climate change adaptation in Indigenous fisheries systems.

About the Moderator

Dr. Gillian L. Galford is a Research Associate Professor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as a Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont. As an ecosystems ecologist and earth system scientist, Gillian studies land-cover and land-use change in the tropics and its impacts, particularly on greenhouse gas emissions and the water cycle.

Indigenous Climate Justice: A Local and Global Perspective

6:30pm | Champlain College

Chief Stevens is a political activist, artisan, educator, environmentalist and informational technology expert. Chief Don Stevens is an award-winning leader, businessman, writer, and lecturer. He has been featured in magazines, books, TV shows, and documentaries. Don has served on many boards and commissions including the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, Attorney General Board of Racial Disparities, Lake Champlain Sea Grant Program Advisory Committee, and the Nature Conservancy Advisory Council to name a few. Chief Stevens helped lead the fight to obtain legal recognition, acquire land, and federal settlement agreements for the Abenaki People. A gifted storyteller, he speaks about issues of Native American Sovereignty, Spirituality, Racial Disparity, and Abenaki Identity.

Dilafruz Khonikboyeva is serving in the Biden-Harris Administration as a Senior Advisor, Policy, Planning and Learning at USAID. She is a conflict and development practitioner who has experienced the complex social, economic, and political realities of fragile contexts through the lens of media, government, aid, and organizational development. Her career has spanned policy, communications, and conflict resolution focused on ethnic/identity conflict, humanitarian access, climate crises, and civil wars, including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. She also serves as the Climate Co-Chair at WCAPS working to create a space for women of color to engage in climate-related discussions and initiatives.

Most recently, Dilafruz spent five years in leadership at the Aga Khan Foundation, working in some of the most remote, fragile contexts in Africa and Asia. She started as the Director, Policy, Public Affairs, and Strategic Communications and later became a Global Lead. Before that, she worked for eight years at USAID for the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, focused on complex humanitarian and natural disaster crises. Her last role was the Deputy Director, Center for International Disaster Information. She was selected by the presidential centers and libraries of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson as a 2019 Presidential Leadership Scholar. Ms. Khonikboyeva is a Co-Chair for the Climate Change Working Group for Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict (WCAPS). She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the George Mason University’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.  

Dilafruz is originally from Khorog, Tajikistan and grew up outside Atlanta, Georgia. She is Indigenous Pamiri.

About the Moderator

Bill Schubart is a literary fiction writer who writes about Vermont in fiction, humor, and opinion pieces. He was a former chair of the Vermont Journalism Trust, the parent organization for VTDigger. He was born in New York City. Schubart attended Morrisville grade school, Exeter Academy, Kenyon College, and graduated from UVM with a degree in French. He has lived in Vermont since 1947.

Thank You to our Sponsors!

About the Day

Are we on the brink of a fourth industrial revolution? Is the world headed for an arms race in space? Today’s wave of rapid technological innovation has left many wondering what the transformative effects of today's emerging technologies will have on global affairs.

Join us as we discuss how emerging technologies are transforming world politics and explore how national governments and non-state actors should work to help mitigate the risks associated with such innovations.

Interested in only attending the in-person evening reception? RSVP below:

Agenda

Digital Equity and Inclusion

9:00am | Virtual

As founder and president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), recognized as the world’s top think tank for science and technology policy, Robert D. Atkinson leads a prolific team of policy analysts and fellows that is successfully shaping the debate and setting the agenda on a host of critical issues at the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. Learn More…

Daniel Castro is vice president at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and director of ITIF's Center for Data Innovation. Castro writes and speaks on a variety of issues related to information technology and internet policy, including privacy, security, intellectual property, Internet governance, e-government, and accessibility for people with disabilities. Learn More…

About the Moderator

Edward McMahon has been a faculty member in the University of Vermont’s Community Development and Applied Economics department since 2003 and has a joint appointment with the Political Science department. McMahon has spent decades as an analyst and practitioner in the dynamics of political change. He spent 10 years as a Foreign Service Officer with the US Department of State, specializing in African Affairs. And from 1989-1998, he served as Regional Director for East, Central, and West Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Systemic Racism in Cybersecurity

11:00am | Virtual

Sayako is a Solutions Engineer working in incident response and strategic advisory services at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. She has experience researching topics including IoT security policy, cyber capacity building, the gender gap in cybersecurity and has a paper published by the think tank New America titled "A Brief History on Law Enforcement Hacking in the United States." Sayako graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University with a major in Science, Technology, and International Affairs. Learn More….

Ayan Islam is the Co-Chair of Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies Working Group for the Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), a women's international peace and security leadership organization. As Vice Chair, Ayan supports the working group's efforts to identify, amplify, and augment work being done to explore the effects of emerging technology and cybersecurity concerns on communities of color. Additionally, Ayan is a cybersecurity strategist with the US government. She provides program and project management support for cybersecurity related programs and projects to include reviewing and drafting congressional materials, and examining strategic direction for program initiatives and activities, policy enforcement, cybersecurity awareness, and other resources. 

Kathleen Hyde, is the Champlain College Online cybersecurity co-chair and a Champlain College cybersecurity program director. She teaches information security courses at the graduate level and has developed multiple courses on a variety of cybersecurity, digital forensics, and risk management topics. She holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science, in Computer Information Systems.

Geopolitics of Cyberspace

2:00pm | Virtual

Adam Segal is the Ira A. Lipman chair in emerging technologies and national security and director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). An expert on security issues, technology development, and Chinese domestic and foreign policy, Segal was the project director for the CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force reports Innovation and National Security: Keeping Our Edge and Defending an Open, Global, Secure, and Resilient Internet. His book The Hacked World Order: How Nations Fight, Trade, Maneuver, and Manipulate in the Digital Age (PublicAffairs, 2016) describes the increasingly contentious geopolitics of cyberspace. His work has appeared in the Financial Times, the New York Times, Foreign Policy, the Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Affairs, among others. He currently writes for the blog, “Net Politics.” Learn More…

About the Moderator

Clavelle has more than 40 years of experience in local government and decentralization in both the U.S. and international arenas. As a former mayor and city manager, Peter brings direct, practical experience in managing local government affairs.

Evening Reception: The Rise of Digital Repression

6:00pm | In-Person at Hula Lakeside

Steven Feldstein is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, where he focuses on issues of democracy, technology, human rights, U.S. foreign policy, and Africa. He previously served as the holder of the Frank and Bethine Church Chair of Public Affairs and an associate professor at Boise State University.

Feldstein served as a deputy assistant secretary in the Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau in the U.S. Department of State, where he had responsibility for Africa policy, international labor affairs, and international religious freedom. Previously he was the director of policy at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and also served as counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he oversaw U.S. foreign assistance programs, State Department management, and international organizations.

He has published research on how artificial intelligence is reshaping repression, the geopolitics of technology, China’s role in advancing digital authoritarianism, and COVID-19’s effect on democracies. He also released a global AI surveillance index to track the proliferation of advanced big data tools used by governments. Learn more… 

About the Moderator

Jim Welch is a senior editor at VTDigger and former executive editor at the Burlington Free Press. He also was deputy managing editor at USA Today, where he reported on foreign policy issues from more than a dozen spots around the world, including Russia, China, Northern Ireland, Cuba, and Uzbekistan. On several occasions, he served as an official international election observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Jim has a degree in government from Georgetown University and a master's in leadership from its business school. He is currently an adjunct lecturer in English at the University of Vermont and previously served as a professional in residence at the University of Iowa.

Thank you to our Sponsors

VCWA is continuing their new series called “Timely Topics” in celebration of our 70th anniversary. These events feature experts with knowledge of current events happening around our globe.

This event is open to the public and FREE for VCWA members. It will be held via ZOOM. Join us for a timely discussion on the social and civilian impacts of war in Ukraine with the Center for Strategic and International Studies Director and Senior Fellow, Humanitarian Agenda, Jacob Kurtzer.

Register

About the Event

On February 24, 2022, the Russian military invaded Ukraine, conducting attacks that have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, and damage to civilian buildings, including hospitals, schools, and homes. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has generated widespread humanitarian consequences bringing into question large-scale human rights abuses, food insecurity, and forced displacement of citizens. Hear from leading experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as they discuss the evolving situation in Ukraine and its humanitarian effects.

Meet the Speakers

Jacob Kurtzer is director and senior fellow with the Humanitarian Agenda, an initiative that leverages the expertise of CSIS programs to explore complex humanitarian challenges. Prior to joining CSIS, Mr. Kurtzer spent seven years with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), most recently as head of communications for the ICRC Delegation in Israel and the occupied territories. Previously, he served as head of public and congressional affairs for the Washington Delegation of the ICRC, representing the ICRC to a broad spectrum of audiences in the United States and Canada. Learn more…

Caitlin Welsh is the director of the Global Food Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where she provides insights and policy solutions to global and U.S. food security challenges. She brings over a decade of U.S. government experience to this role. She served most recently in the National Security Council and National Economic Council as director of global economic engagement, where she coordinated U.S. policy in the G7 and G20. Learn More…

Meet the Moderator

Bill Harwood was born in Burlington, Vermont in 1946, and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Harwood earned a doctorate in Polish and East European history at the University of Illinois in. He spent the academic year (1974-1975) conducting dissertation research at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland where he met John-Paul Himka. In May 1977, he trained with the former US Information Agency in Washington DC as a Foreign Service Information Officer doing Press and Cultural work in the U.S. embassies. He served in U.S. Information Service centers in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, and Somalia. Learn More…

About the Day

Throughout history, women have played a critical role in society by ensuring stability, progress, and the long-term development of nations. How have women‘s roles developed over time, specifically on the international stage?

Join us this International Women‘s Day as we explore the transformative and progressive role women are playing in global affairs, peace, and security today and hear from those working to inspire the next generation of female leaders.

Agenda

Gender Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean

9:00am | Virtual

Deyanira Murga, the Executive Director of Cerberus Risk Security Consulting; founder of SecurityNextGen[non-profit] and creator of EsperanzApp[women violence prevention] also serves as a Board member and Advisor for International organizations focused on Security, Peace, and International Cooperation. She made history, a woman leader playing various roles within the most global organizations in the security industry changing the traditional format. Learn More…

Social entrepreneur, project management, operations, and global development professional Ileana Valle brings over a decade of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She is a committed and authentic leader dedicated to women's empowerment, education, and a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Ileana currently serves as the Citizen Security Lead at USAID/Colombia, where she oversees the citizen security, human rights, and justice portfolio within the Venezuela Response and Integration Office (VRIO). She also serves as the International Development and Training Lead at Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). Learn More….

About the Moderator

Afghan Women and Girls in a New Regime

11:00am | Virtual

Manizha has 19 years of experience in development, 15 with a focus on women’s empowerment and gender equality working with international, government and non-governmental organizations. In addition to being a mother, an advocate, and an entrepreneur, she earned an MBA from the American University of Afghanistan in 2017. She co-founded several organizations to advocate for women's economic empowerment, including the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Network and Leading Entrepreneurs for Afghanistan’s Development (LEAD), a predecessor organization to the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI). Learn More….

About the Moderator

Book Talk with Nina Ansary

3:00pm | Virtual

Nina Ansary is an award-winning Iranian American author, historian and women’s rights activist. Her books Anonymous Is a Woman: A Global Chronicle of Gender Inequality (Revela Press/2020) and Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran (Revela Press/2015) garnered multiple awards, including the 2016 International Book Award in “Women’s Issues” (Jewels of Allah) and the 2021 Benjamin Franklin Book Award in “Interior Design” and “History” (Anonymous Is a Woman). She is the Director of the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) Global Women’s Lecture Series and the Director of the Middle East and North Africa Forum Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) at the University of Cambridge. Learn More…

About the Book

About the Moderator

Women’s Role in Peace and Security

6:30pm | In-Person | UVM Alumni House

Ambassador Currie served as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and the U.S. Representative at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Prior to her appointment, she led the Department of State’s Office of Global Criminal Justice (2019) and served under Ambassador Nikki Haley as the United States’ Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council and Alternative Representative to the UN General Assembly (2017-2018). Throughout her career in foreign policy, Ambassador Currie has specialized in human rights, political reform, development and humanitarian issues, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Learn More…

Using her voice to fight for social justice, standing on the front line in marches to end racial disparities, and elevating young women through mentorship, Shalonda Spencer is now deepening her impact as Executive Director at WCAPS. 

Shalonda's admiration for social justice and equality started when she was a graduate assistant for The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute @ COFO. She educated local and long-distance visitors on the Civil Rights Movement of Mississippi. With a ubiquitous legislative portfolio focusing on many public policy issues affecting people of color, Shalonda has been vigilant in honing in on women's rights, social justice, foreign affairs, immigration, healthcare, and education. Learn More…

About the Moderator

Covid-19 Precautions

Due to the current uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the number of tickets is subject to change and may increase or decrease per local COVID-19 guidelines. You must be vaccinated to attend in-person, and masks are required indoors.  

What’s Included 

• Speaker Panel Discussion

• Complimentary appetizers and drinks 

Format: Hybrid *This in-person event will be live-streamed for all virtual pass holders  

Event Location: UVM Alumni House

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

VCWA’s 2022 International Women's Day is supported by Vermont Global Exchange

Funding is available to ensure this event is accessible to all those who wish to attend. Please reach out to marya@vcwa.org for more information

VCWA is kickstarting a new series called “Timely Topics” in celebration of our 70th anniversary. These events feature experts with knowledge of current events happening around our globe.

This event is FREE for members and will be held via ZOOM. Join us for a timely discussion with historian John-Paul Himka.

About the Event

Rising tensions in Ukraine are at an all-time high and leave many wondering about the effects it will have on future relations between Europe, the U.S., and Russia. News outlets have been reporting on the renewed geopolitical rivalry between western powers and Russia for the last several months. With the buildup of Russian military forces along the border with Ukraine late last year, many fear that a large-scale invasion is in the near future.

Meet the Speaker

John-Paul Himka is former professor in the Department of History and Classics at the University of Alberta, Canada. He received a Ph.D. in history and a B.A. with high honors in Byzantine-Slavonic studies at the University of Michigan. For his Pinchas and Mark Wisen Fellowship, Professor Himka conducted research for his project, “Ukrainians and the Holocaust in History and Memory.”

Professor Himka has written extensively on Jews and the Holocaust in Ukraine. He is co-editor of Bringing the Dark Past to Light: The Reception of the Holocaust in Post-Communist Europe, as well as author of a number of books and numerous articles on Ukrainian history. Professor Himka is the recipient of several fellowships and awards and serves on several editorial boards, including the Canadian Slavonic Papers, Journal of Ukrainian Studies, and Ukraina Moderna. Learn More…

Meet the Moderator

Register

Donate

About the Event

The Vermont Council on World Affairs will be participating in its seventh annual Giving Tuesday event, celebrating our work as an organization and fundraising for our cultural programs.

There will be a silent auction, as well as featured guests who will share their international experience and why global diplomacy in Vermont is needed now more than ever.

Giving Tuesday is both a movement and a day held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, dedicated to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to give back in impactful ways to the causes and charities they support.

Your donation is more than a one-time gift. You are helping support our cultural programs throughout the year, and expanding international diplomacy around the world!

Silent Auction

Bidding for this year’s silent auction will begin one-month prior to Giving Tuesday.

Click on the button below to get a sneak peek of some of the items you can win!

Think you got what it takes to compete in VCWA's annual Spooky Trivia? Ready to put your international affairs knowledge to the test? Want to win some super rad prizes?

Join the VCWA for Spooky Trivia on October 27th at 6pm! Teams and individual players are welcome (just don't forget your costume).

As one of VCWA's annual fundraisers, a $20 donation is encouraged by participants.

Compete for the Chance to Win!

Prizes include gift cards to Stowe Cider and Madriver Distillers!

How to Play

• Assign a team captain who will answer your questions (solo players are welcome as well!) Teams are limited to 4 people!

• Have your team captain download ZOOM and MyQuiz.org

• Wait for an access code to the game from the VCWA (it will be sent at 5:00pm on Oct. 29, 2020)

• Join the virtual event at 6:00pm on Oct. 29 (link will be sent with access code at 5:00pm)

• Solo players or team captains enter access code into MyQuiz.org

• Teams attend the game's livestream on ZOOM while team captains answer questions on MyQuiz.org

• Enjoy!

2021 Book Talk Series

Discovering the World of Humanitarian Aid

About the Event

“The Realities of Life as an Aid Worker” is the final event in VCWA’s three part Book Talk Series: Discovering the World of Humanitarian Aid. This all women’s series will explore the complexity of international humanitarian aid, assess its impacts – for better or worse – on local communities, and share strategies for increasing its effectiveness. Authors include researchers, journalists and humanitarians who will share from their unique on-the ground experiences around the world.

This final event will feature special guest, Jessica Alexander, a humanitarian aid professional, as she discusses her book “Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid."

This series is free to all VCWA members. We encourage individuals to purchase and read the book prior to the talk, however it is not required in order to participate. This event will be via ZOOM.

We look forward to welcoming you to this discussion on the challenges and realities of the work as a humanitarian. VCWA Board Member, Denise Johnson, will moderate.

About the Book

In this honest and irreverent memoir, she introduces readers to the realities of life as an aid worker. We watch as she manages a 24,000-person camp in Darfur, collects evidence for the Charles Taylor trial in Sierra Leone, and contributes to the massive aid effort to clean up a shattered Haiti. But we also see the alcohol-fueled parties and fleeting romances, the burnouts and self-doubt, and the struggle to do good in places that have long endured suffering. 

Tracing her personal journey from wide-eyed and naïve newcomer to hardened cynic and, ultimately, to hopeful but critical realist, Alexander transports readers to some of the most troubled locations around the world and shows us not only the seemingly impossible challenges, but also the moments of resilience and recovery.

About the Author

Jessica Alexander is a humanitarian aid professional with experience in operations, evaluation and policy. Her career includes global deployments spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. She has conducted large scale evaluations, assessments and policy research for the UN, Red Cross and various NGOs on a range of humanitarian issues including: child protection, shelter, emergency education, coordination, accountability and humanitarian effectiveness. She has also overseen programming in Sudan, South Sudan and Haiti.

 Jessica is two-time Fulbright grantee who received the award to research Japan’s approach to disaster risk reduction in 2019 and the use of child soldiers in Sierra Leone in 2006. She received a Master of Public Health and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University. She is an editor at The New Humanitarian and teaches humanitarian affairs at numerous global universities. She has authored policy papers and mainstream articles about the humanitarian sector and is the author of “Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid."

About the Moderator

The Honorable Denise R. Johnson was the first woman to be appointed a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. She served on the Court for 21 years. She participated in historic decisions regarding public school funding, gay marriage, and the right to privacy in one’s home, as well as numerous decisions reviewing criminal trials and procedure.

She was a leader in improving access to justice and was active in the field of continuing judicial education for appellate judges nationwide. In international work, Justice Johnson lectured on criminal procedure at the Universita di Trento, Trento, Italy, and on property rights and employment at-will at the Universita degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy. From 2012 – 2014, she was a Legal Specialist for the American Bar Association’s Judicial Reform Program in Yerevan, Armenia, and its Criminal Defense Capacity Programs in Belgrade, Serbia and Skopje, Macedonia. In 2016-2017, she was the Director of Judicial Education in Cairo, Egypt for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.