The Tennessee World Affairs Council in cooperation with a half dozen sister Councils collaborated to bring you a two-evening special presentation on COVID-19. This is the sterling keynote and scene setting address by a leading physician and expert on the pandemic, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel.

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Dr. Ezekiel Emanual, MD, Ph.D., is an American oncologist, bioethicist and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is the current Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy.

Dr. Emanuel was keynote speaker for the first of two evenings of the COVID-19 Complexities: Global Town Hall seeking a better understanding of the impact of the pandemic and the way out.

Examining Critical Issues in the Global Pandemic

COVID-19 has touched every part of the world but its effects and the reaction of different countries has been uneven. In an interconnected world we need to understand the pandemic’s impact beyond our borders. Importantly, the progress toward a COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic treatments is a global pursuit. There are, as well, already no shortage of changes made and those to come in reaction to the global catastrophe – in our communities, technology, health and science, government performance, elections, the global economy and our lifestyles.

A group of World Affairs Councils – nationwide, independent, nonpartisan educational organizations – is joining together with an international network of journalists and specialists to organize conversations over the course of two evenings in early September. The goal is to help Americans understand the impact of the pandemic in an interactive program open to all.

This episode features Amb Dick Bowers, Dr. Breck Walker and LCDR Pat Ryan as they do a deep dive into top global news items. Here's where you can keep up with the news you won't see on your TV.

Topics for Aug 26, 2020

1 – The Race for a COVID-19 Global Vaccine

2 – Belarus Post-Election Revolt

3 – UAE-Israel Normalize Relations

This episode, recorded August 25th, features former Defense Secretary William Perry, Ploughshares Fund Director of Policy Tom Collina and WPerry Project Communications Director Lisa Perry.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council hosted a Webinar with former Secretary of Defense William Perry and Tom Collina of the Ploughshares Fund about their new book, The Button, which recounts the terrifying history of nuclear launch authority, from the faulty 46-cent microchip that nearly caused World War III to President Trump’s tweet about his “much bigger & more powerful” button. Secretary Perry and Tom Collina will share their firsthand experience on the front lines of the nation’s nuclear history and address the concerns we should all have in 2020 about a president’s ability to launch a nuclear weapon.

IBC Global Update

Webinar with Consul-General of Japan in Nashville, Ms. Kayoko Fukushima

Thursday, June 25, 2020

The Nashville Chamber’s International Business Council in partnership with Baker Donelson hosted a Global Update Webinar featuring Consul-General of Japan in Nashville Kayoko Fukushima. The Consul General offered updates on Japan’s response to COVID-19, the US-Japan business relationship and more.

Consul-General Fukushima assumed her post as Consul-General of Japan in Nashville in December 2019. This is her third diplomatic assignment in the U.S.; she received a Master of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University in 1985 and served at the Consulate-General of Japan in New York (1993-1996). The Consul- General has extensive experience working with the United Nations. She served as a Program Officer at the United Nations University (2003-2006) and as the founding Director of the UN Women Japan Liaison Office (2015-2017), both based in Tokyo.

Consul-General Fukushima joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) in 1981 after receiving a Bachelor of English Literature from Sophia University. She has held a variety of posts at MOFA headquarters in Tokyo, most recently serving as Director of Diplomatic Archives (2017-2019). Prior to that, she held several posts in the Minister’s Secretariat, including as Senior Coordinator of the Public Diplomacy Strategy Division (2014-2015) as well as Assistant Chief of Protocol (2011-2013). She served overseas at the Embassy of Japan in Ireland (1985-1988) and the Embassy of Japan in Thailand (2006-2008).

Consul-General Fukushima is married with two adult daughters.

The event is in partnership with the TN World Affairs Council and Center for International Business at Belmont. Moderating the event will be IBC advisory board member John Scannapieco.

Former Nashville Mayor Dean will be talking about the Sister Cities of Nashville with key staff and board members.

So, what do Kamakura, Japan and Mendoza, Argentina have in common?

How about Edmonton, Canada and Magdeburg, Germany?

Tamworth, Australia and Chengdu, China?

Caen, France and Taiyuan, China?

They can all claim to be sister cities of Nashville.

Tonight you’ll learn about the relationships Nashville enjoys with these international partners, and about the organization that makes it all happen.

With us are Sarah Lingo, Executive Director of Sister Cities and a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand; Claire Coleman, Sister Cities Director of Student Exchanges, with an extensive background working with youth and international programs; and Professor Marieta Velikova, Member of the Sister Cities Board, immediate past Chair and lucky for us, a member of the TNWAC board and Council Vice President.

When she’s not working in service to the community she moonlights as an Assistant Professor of Economics at Belmont University, partner to the World Affairs Council.

Sarah’s, Claire’s and Marieta’s experiences and achievements are many and I invite you to visit their biographical details on our web site.

www.TNWAC.org

Please support the Tennessee World Affairs Council with your membership and donations.

Ambassador Dick Bowers, LCDR Patrick Ryan and Dr. Breck Walker, Ph.D., discuss the top five items in the week’s global news providing commentary and assessments, background and context; and they take your questions and comments.

Topics for Aug 4, 2020

1 – Global Covid Update –

2 – North Korea: Warhead Diplomacy

3 – Germany: GI Auf Wiedersehen

4 – Turkey: On the Edge of NATO

5 – The Passing of John Hume

In this episode former Nashville Mayor Dean will talk with Consul-General Kayoko Fukushima of Japan. Nashville is home to the Consulate. Japan and the Nashville region have a long history of friendship and collaboration. Our economic connections go back decades with Japanese-owned companies like Nissan, Bridgestone and Mitsubishi making Nashville their North American headquarters. Over 19,000 Middle Tennesseans go to work each day in Japanese-owned companies.

Japan is the state’s and the region’s largest foreign direct investor nation both by job creation and capital investment. To put some context around exactly what that means, we would have to add up the jobs created by the next 4 countries to get close to Japan’s 19,000 jobs. The roots of our relationship may have been built on business connections but it is the people who have made this relationship flourish.

Consul-General Fukushima assumed her role as Consul-General of Japan in Nashville in December 2019. The Consulate of Japan in Nashville services the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. This is Consul-General Fukushima’s third diplomatic posting in the United States. She has held a variety of posts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Tokyo and has extensive experience working with the United Nations having served as the founding director of the UN Women Japan Liaison office based in Tokyo.

Among the topics that may be discussed:

* The role of the Consul-General and the Japanese Consulate

* Japan-US and Japan-Tennessee relations — commercial, cultural and friendships

* JET (Japan Education and Teaching) Program

* Impact of Japanese economic and cultural influences on Nashville

*The new social media work at the Consulate

*The Tokyo Olympic Games set for July 23, 2021

* Consul General Fukushima’s goals for the time she will be posted in Nashville

There couldn’t be a more timely program.

Admiral Bill Owens fostered bilateral conversations at the highest levels between American and Chinese military officers for the purpose of building trust and confidence and developing initiatives to resolve conflict.

This is a must see episode of Global Dialogue with host Patrick Ryan and guest co-host John Scannapieco as they talk with Admiral Owens about his insights and perspectives on the deterioration of relations with China and the necessity to find ways to cooperate for the good of both nations and the planet.

Washington and Beijing are doubling down on conflicts in an already troublesome relationship. Consulates in Houston and Chengdu have been ordered shut. Secretary Pompeo traveled to the Nixon library to deliver an address on America’s future approach, “Today China is increasingly authoritarian at home, and more aggressive in its hostility to freedom everywhere else.” With the backdrop of increased hostility between the two dominant global powers we present four-star Admiral Bill Owens at this week’s Tuesday evening Global Dialogue Webinar. In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Owens is author of “China-US 2039: The Endgame?,” and supported over ten years of dialogues between the most senior retired officers in the United States and Chinese militaries.

Ambassador Dick Bowers, LCDR Patrick Ryan and Dr. Breck Walker, Ph.D., discuss the top five items in the week’s global news providing commentary and assessments, background and context; and they take your questions and comments.

This week Dr. Charles Womack, MD, joined the conversation about key issues in global news especially his insight and perspectives on COVID-19. Dr. Womack is a founding member of the TNWAC Board of Directors, former TNWAC Vice President and Member of the Board since 2007. He represented TNWAC on a WACA leaders delegation to the People’s Republic of China. Dr. Womack is a retired physician from Cookeville, Tennessee, a two-term Mayor of Cookeville and a member of the Cookeville City Council.

This week's topics:

1 – In Pursuit of a Vaccine

2 – COVID-19

3 – London Calling: Huawei, 5G and the West

4 – October Surprises

5 – The End of World Order and American Foreign Policy

Ambassador Dick Bowers, LCDR Patrick Ryan and Dr. Breck Walker, Ph.D., discuss the top five items in the week’s global news providing commentary and assessments, background and context; and they take your questions and comments.

This week Dr. Charles Womack, MD, joined the conversation about key issues in global news especially his insight and perspectives on COVID-19. Dr. Womack is a founding member of the TNWAC Board of Directors, former TNWAC Vice President and Member of the Board since 2007. He represented TNWAC on a WACA leaders delegation to the People’s Republic of China. Dr. Womack is a retired physician from Cookeville, Tennessee, a two-term Mayor of Cookeville and a member of the Cookeville City Council.

This week's topics:

1 – In Pursuit of a Vaccine

2 – COVID-19

3 – London Calling: Huawei, 5G and the West

4 – October Surprises

5 – The End of World Order and American Foreign Policy