Hudson Valley World Affairs Council

Join Us! Meet and exchange ideas and questions with people in the region who share an interest in international issues.

The World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley, an all-volunteer organization, was founded in 2003 as a forum for citizen education and participation in international issues. Membership and/or donations directly support the educational programs and activities that bring nonpartisan, lively information about critical issues facing our nation and the world to our community.  The Council is a member of the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) and serves Dutchess, Ulster and Orange Counties in New York.

More info on membership

Upcoming Council Events

• October 24, 2024 – On November 5th, US Voters Decide What the World Looks Like in 2025 and Beyond: The Intersection of Domestic Elections and Foreign Affairs – Oct 24th Panel at Dutchess Community College
  October 24, 2024. 7pm, Dutchess Community College, James and Betty Hall Theatre This event is free to the public. Visitors are advised to park in Lot D. – 90 Cottage Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 The 2024 Presidential election will profoundly impact America’s role in global affairs, especially in Ukraine, the Middle East and China. Three leading foreign ...
• Great Decisions: US-China Trade Relations – Nov 18th, 2024
  6:30 pm, Boardman Rd. Library, Poughkeepsie, NY Facilitator: Martin Charwat China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. ...
• Great Decisions: Pandemic Preparedness – Dec 2nd, 2024
  6:30 pm, Boardman Rd. Library, Poughkeepsie, NY Facilitator: Karin Riedl Looking back at the covid-19 pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to ...