Academic WorldQuest is the flagship youth education program of the Tennessee World Affairs Council (TN WAC) and the national network of World Affairs Councils. It is a team game testing high school students’ knowledge of international affairs.

The TN WAC is organizing a WorldQuest competition for Tennessee high school students to encourage global affairs awareness education. The Council will assist teams in preparation and organize the state championship match, hosted at Belmont University APRIL 1, 2012. The winning team in Tennessee will advance to the National Championship match in Washington (April 21, 2012), with transportation and lodging provided by the Tennessee Council.

PLEDGE TEAM BY: FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2012 (postmarked registration)

COMPETITION ON: SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2012

DON’T DELAY – CHECK HERE FOR AWQ 2012 DETAILS

We are pleased to announce a National High School Essay Contest on the Republic of Azerbaijan in partnership with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) National Office and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the 2011-2012 year. Ten Student Winners will be invited by WACA to participate in a two week-Study Tour of Azerbaijan. The program is open to all high school students in Tennessee.

Three regional winners will be selected by the Tennessee World Affairs Council and become eligible to win one of the ten spots on a two-week Study Tour to Azerbaijan in June 2012. High school students from across the State of Tennessee are invited to participate!

Azerbaijan is a country category for this year’s 2011-2012 Academic WorldQuest competition and may be of particular interest to those students participating in Academic WorldQuest.

About Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a country at the nexus point of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Historically, the country has always been a middleman for the East and West– in ancient and medieval times it was a central point along the Silk Road and today its strategic placement keeps it a focal point for commercial and energy policies and regional and global geopolitics. The World Affairs Councils of America conducted a Leadership Mission to Azerbaijan in spring 2011.

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AZERBAIJAN ESSAY CONTEST FLYER

Timeline:
March 1: Student Essays must be submitted to local councils
March 15: Councils select the Top 3 Essay Contest winners and submit to WACA (See below)
April 1: WACA announces Top 10 essay contest winners.
June 20-30: Tentative dates for Trip to Azerbaijan

Essay Topic:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has planned an official visit to Azerbaijan. You are Secretary Clinton’s Foreign Policy Advisor responsible for Azerbaijan and have been tasked to write the briefing materials for her trip. The briefing materials can be no longer than 1000 words maximum. The materials must be succinct and to the point. They must include:

1. An assessment of whether/how the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918-1920 influences Azerbaijan today in terms of democracy, rights of women, and foreign policy;
2. A discussion of how Azerbaijan’s geographic location has influenced the country’s security and economic policies;
3. An explanation of where the strategic interests of the U.S. and Azerbaijan converge and diverge;
4. A summary of perspectives for extending Azerbaijan’s geopolitical influence beyond the South Caucasus in light of its leading regional position and its socio-economic development; and
5. The top 3 most important issues in US-Azeri relations and your recommendations for US policy on the trip.

Reference Materials
Please encourage students to consult the Azerbaijan section of the 2012 Academic WorldQuest Study guide, available here: LINK  (MORE BELOW)

Judging Rubric:

A top-placing essay should have all of the following qualities:
1. Essay answers all of the questions asked in the Essay Topic (above)
2. Essay is within the word limit of 1000 words
3. Essay is clearly written with no typos or grammatical mistakes
4. Essay displays a clear understanding of Azerbaijan and its current geopolitical realities.

TO APPLY

Submit your essay to the Tennessee World Affairs Council by emailing it (as a .doc file) as an attachment to < patryan@tnwac.org >. Three winners will be selected by TN WAC and will then be eligible for one of the ten spots on the Study Tour to Azerbaijan.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council will award a certificate to each student who participates.

WACA will award the top three placing students from each Council with an official certificate.

Note on Students Selected for Study Tour:
Once selected, WACA will work directly with the top ten students to coordinate and ensure preparedness for the trip to Azerbaijan. WACA reserves the right to ensure students’ suitability to participate in the study tour to Azerbaijan. If a top-ten placing student is unable to participate in the trip to Azerbaijan, he or she will receive recognition for their essay but no alternative prize.

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RESOURCE LINK HERE

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a country at the nexus point of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Historically, the country has always been a middleman for the East and West– in ancient and medieval times it was a central point along the Silk Road and today its strategic placement keeps it a focal point for commercial and energy policies and regional and global geopolitics. The World Affairs Councils of America conducted a Leadership Mission to Azerbaijan in spring 2011.

• State Department

o Read the State Department’s Background Notes on the Republic of Azerbaijan: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2909.htm

• Washington Post

o Read Azerbaijan wavers between East and West: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/azerbaijan-wavers-between-east- andwest/2011/06/03/AGmdvgRH_story.html

• Youtube-Discovery Channel’s Build it Bigger: o Watch until 4:25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gl0q_Didvo

• Smithsonian Institute

o Under the left-hand side bar, read Azerbaijan under Site Overviews, Azerbaijan under Cultural History (including each period linked), and each subcategory under Shared Heritage
http://agt.si.edu/

• Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions 2011 (if you don’t have a copy on hand, please contact the Council to obtain a copy): o Read The Caucasus pages 87-100

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is pleased to offer the “Spotlight on Turkey” program for the third year. Through this program the Council has been able to offer teacher workshops and study tours and community outreach in the subject area of Turkish culture, history, art, architecture, cuisine and more. The TN WAC participated in 2008 and 2009, and has been selected again for 2012.

SPOTLIGHT ON TURKEY PROGRAM OVERVIEW – LINK HERE

PHASE I – TEACHERS WORKSHOP – LINK HERE

PHASE II – TURKEY STUDY TOUR – LINK HERE

PHASE III – “PORTRAIT OF TURKEY” – LINK HERE

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Program objectives:

To promote the vast contributions of Turkish culture by educating the general public and educators in particular through an engagement and learning campaign.

Program Overview:

For the sixth consecutive year, the World Affairs Councils of America has partnered with the Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF) to offer a year-long program on Turkish culture in 2012. The Tennessee World Affairs Council has been chosen by the World Affairs Councils of America to participate in the program during 2012. The program consists of three phases:

Phase I is a Teachers’ Workshop on Turkey. These workshops will each offer local teachers the chance to be immersed in Turkish history, culture, art, and more through a series of exhibitions, speakers, publications, and more. Councils are expected to host at least 15 teachers at their workshops.  [March 24, 2012 at Belmont University, Nashville]

Phase II is a Study Tour of Turkey. Three teachers from each council will be selected to travel to Turkey, thus furthering their knowledge and experience of its people and culture. A standard application form for the study tour will be provided to councils. Teachers must attend the workshop in order to participate in the study tour.  [TN WAC teachers are in Group I - June 25-Jul 8 (Departure Jun 24)]

Phase III is a “Portrait of Turkey” program, which consists of one workshop, program, speakers, and/or cultural event, open to teachers, students, and the general community held in the fall of 2012. Teachers who participated in the Study Tour of Turkey will be expected to participate in this Council event an integral way in order to share the experience with others.  [Fall 2012]

SPOTLIGHT ON TURKEY – ‘BROAD HORIZONS’

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CALENDAR

March 16, 2012 (Friday) – Registration deadline for Phase I Teachers Workshop (Postmarked by date)

March 24, 2012 (Saturday) – Phase I – Teachers Workshop – Belmont University
[Classroom 104, The Jack C. Massey Business Center, Belmont University, Nashville, TN -
Campus Map]

April 2, 2012 (Monday) – Application deadline for Phase II Teachers Study Tour to Turkey (Postmarked by date)

June 24, 2012 – Phase II – Study Tour to Turkey – TN WAC teachers depart USA.

June 25-Jul 8, 2012 – Phase II – Study Tour to Turkey

Fall 2012 – Phase III – “Portrait of Turkey” program

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This program is sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America,
with the generous support of the Turkish Cultural Foundation.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is pleased to bring the Global IQ program to you through our networking relationship with the World Affairs Council Dallas-Forth Worth.

Global I.Q. with The Economist: Special Report: State Capitalism

Friday, January 20, 2012 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST

Get the world at your desktop on Friday, January 20th with this month’s edition of Global I.Q. with The Economist. The first Global I.Q. of the year features Adrian Wooldridge, Schumpeter columnist and management editor for The Economist who will discuss his forthcoming special report on State Capitalism. Go beyond the pages with the World Affairs Council and The Economist as you submit your questions live for Jim and Adrian, helping to guide the conversation in this free, online webinar.

Adrian Wooldridge is The Economist’s Management Editor and writes the Schumpeter column. He was previously based in Washington, DC, as the Washington Bureau Chief where he also wrote the Lexington column. He covers politics, social policy, and social and political events. Previously he has been The Economist’s West Coast Correspondent, Management Correspondent and Britain Correspondent. He is the co-author of “The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea”, “A Future Perfect: The Challenge and Hidden Promise of Globalisation”, “Witch Doctors” a critical examination of management theory and “The Right Nation”, a study of conservatism in America. His latest book, “God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World”, was published by the Penguin Press on April 6th 2009.

Click here to register

Click here for more info on WACDFW Global IQ Program

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The Tennessee World Affairs Council thanks the Dallas-Fort Worth World Affairs Council for producing
this terrific program and sharing it with network members.

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is pleased to offer its members access to the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) “HOT TOPICS” program. This current events learning resource provides access to specialists and individuals with insight and knowledge of the important issues of the day.

This week WACA is hosting a “HOT TOPICS” conversation on the “Taiwan Presidential Elections: A Firsthand Experience” featuring the perspectives of the WACA Taiwan Leadership Delegation — WAC network representatives who traveled to Taiwan in October for special access briefings and visits. [Click here for the WAC team Taiwan Trip Report]

Here’s the details for this week’s “HOT TOPIC” program.

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The Taiwan Presidential Elections: A Firsthand Perspective with the WACA Taiwan Leadership Delegation

Friday, January 13, 2012
from 3:00 to 3:30pm EST

Dial-in Number: 1-605-475-6350
Participant Access Code: 502507

Please RSVP to Kelsey Compton at kcompton@worldaffairscouncils.org as soon as possible, and no later than Thursday, January 12 COB.

Please join us for what is certain to be an insightful and very timely discussion on the Taiwan Presidential Elections a day before the voting. The WACA Taiwan Leadership Delegation, who visited Taiwan in October, will be sharing their first hand perspectives on the Taiwan elections, the political climate in Taiwan and the potential impact on Cross Straight relations and the region.

Michael Phillip, Board Chair, World Affairs Council of California Central Coast and WACA National Board Member, and Jay Bruns, Board Member, World Affairs Council of Connecticut and WACA National Board Member, will give a 5-8 minute overview, which will be followed by Q&A with the participants and the WACA Leadership Delegation. Lori Murray, WACA President & CEO, will be moderating.

Other delegation members participating in the call will be: Angela Bisig, Board Member, World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana; Aaron Brown, Vice Chair of the Board, World Affairs Council of Seattle; Richard Crepage, Senior Director of Outreach & Education, Cleveland Council on World Affairs and WACA National Board Member; Carlos Juarez, Secretary of the Board, Pacific and Asian Affairs Council; Ellen Levey, Board Member, World Affairs Council of Western Michigan; Robyn Meadows, Secretary of the Board, World Affairs Council of Harrisburg; Wally Stimpson, President & CEO, Naples Council on World Affairs; and Annette Whiteside, President, World Affairs Council of Las Vegas.

Read the Taiwan Trip Report for some background information before the call!

PROGRAM FEATURES TEACHER WORKSHOP AND FUNDED STUDY TOUR TO TURKEY

The World Affairs Councils of America and the Turkish Cultural Foundation selected the Tennessee World Affairs Council to participate in the 2012 “Spotlight on Turkey” program. This will be TN WAC’s third year as a participant in an incredible opportunity for Tennessee teachers to attend a workshop in the spring, travel to Turkey in the summer and help organize outreach programs in the fall.

The first step will be the teacher workshop. It will be held at Belmont University in Nashville. The Council will have date/time details shortly but it will be in the March-April timeframe. Three teachers from Tennessee will be chosen for the summer study tour to Turkey. Participation in the workshop is a prerequisite to selection for the study tour. The dates for the travel to Turkey will be announced in the spring.

We will have many more details but here is the outline of how the program works:

Phase I is a Teachers’ Workshop on Turkey. These workshops will each offer local teachers the chance to be immersed in Turkish history, culture, art, and more through a series of exhibitions, speakers, publications, and more. Councils are expected to host at least 15 teachers at their workshops.

Phase II is a Study Tour of Turkey. Three teachers from each council will be selected to travel to Turkey, thus furthering their knowledge and experience of its people and culture. A standard application form for the study tour will be provided to councils. Teachers must attend the workshop in order to participate in the study tour.

Phase III is a “Portrait of Turkey” program, which consists of one workshop, program, speakers, and/or cultural event, open to teachers, students, and the general community held in the fall of 2012. Teachers who participated in the Study Tour of Turkey will be expected to participate in this Council event an integral way in order to share the experience with others.

Drop us an email ( patryan@tnwac.org ) if you are interested in the program — participants and workshop volunteers — and we’ll make sure you get details as soon as they are known.

“Spotlight on Turkey” is a program organized by the Turkish Cultural Foundation and the World Affairs Councils of America.

STATE-WIDE COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, TRIP TO WASHINGTON

The Tennessee World Affairs Council will host a state championship match of the Academic WorldQuest (AWQ) program on April 1, 2012. AWQ is an annual competition for high school students, four per team, that encourages learning about the world in preparation for an entertaining and rewarding match to capture the Tennessee title. The champion team will advance to the National competition in Washington, set for April 21, 2012.

Academic WorldQuest - A game with a purpose.

All of the details — signing up, preparing, competing — are on the TN WAC web site at these links.

Organize a team today and get ready to play AWQ in Nashville on April 1, 2012.

Please share this information with students and teachers.  Thanks!

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Academic WorldQuest Main Page

More information about AWQ

• 2011-2012 Tennessee AWQ Program Information
• 2011-2012 AWQ Study Guide (PDF)
• 2011-2012 Competition Rules – How to Play
• 2011-2012 National Competition Details
• AWQ Questions from 2011 National Championship (PDF)

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is pleased to announce its participation in the 2012 National High School Essay Contest on the Republic of Azerbaijan, sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Ten students from the network of World Affairs Council, which includes the TN WAC, will be selected for a two-week study tour to the country of Azerbaijan this summer. The top three essays from Tennessee will be submitted to the World Affairs Councils of America in Washington to compete for the ten study tour slots. The deadline for essay submissions to the Tennessee World Affairs Council is March 1, 2012.

Azerbaijan

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Details:

About Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a country at the nexus point of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Historically, the country has always been a middleman for the East and West– in ancient and medieval times it was a central point along the Silk Road and today its strategic placement keeps it a focal point for commercial and energy policies and regional and global geopolitics. The World Affairs Councils of America conducted a Leadership Mission to Azerbaijan in spring 2011.

Essay Topic

The Essay Topic is the following: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has planned an official visit to Azerbaijan. You are Secretary Clinton’s Foreign Policy Advisor responsible for Azerbaijan and have been tasked to write the briefing materials for her trip. The briefing materials can be no longer than 1000 words maximum. The materials must be succinct and to the point. They must include:

• An assessment of whether/how the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918-1920 influences Azerbaijan today in terms of democracy, rights of women, and foreign policy;
• A discussion of how Azerbaijan’s geographic location has influenced the country’s security and economic policies;
• An explanation of where the strategic interests of the U.S. and Azerbaijan converge and diverge;
• A summary of perspectives for extending Azerbaijan’s geopolitical influence beyond the South Caucasus in light of its leading regional position and its socio-economic development; and
• The top 3 most important issues in US-Azeri relations and your recommendations for US policy on the trip.

Dates:

• March 1 – Student essays must be submitted to TN WAC.
• March 15 – Councils select the top 3 essay contest winners and forward to WACA.
• April 1 – WACA announces top 10 essay contest winners.
• June 16-30 – Tentative dates for trip to Azerbaijan

Submitting Essays:

Essays must be sent hard copy via mail to the TN WAC, postmarked not later than March 1, 2012. We recommend that you send an email to the TN WAC advising that your essay has been submitted so we can make sure the hard copy is among those reviewed. We will confirm receipt of essays from anyone who provides an email to us. ( patryan@tnwac.org).

Mail to:
Tennessee World Affairs Council
Attn: Patrick Ryan
c/o Center for International Business
Belmont University
1900 Belmont Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37212

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Reminder – Only Hours Left for your 2011 Tax Year Donation

Your generous donation to the Tennessee World Affairs Council annual fund will go a long way to increasing global affairs education opportunities in our schools and communities.

Academic WorldQuest Tennessee Championship Match

The Tennessee World Affairs Council is managed and operated by a group of volunteers — we have no paid staff. One hundred percent of your donation goes to support programs. What programs? How about: the distinguished visiting speaker program that brings ambassadors, scholars, international business people, think tank experts and others to our civic organizations, schools, universities and public forums; the Academic WorldQuest competition that hosts a state championship match and supports the winners’ trip the national competition in Washington, encouraging high school students to learn about the world; the teacher workshops and summer immersion program on Turkish history and culture; the essay contest that will select students for summer travel to Asia; and much more that is being built with your generous support.

Donate to the Annual Fund of TNWAC.. click here.

Did you know that the Tennessee World Affairs Council web site is in the Amazon affiliate network? What does that mean?

Tennessee Academic WorldQuest Championship Competition

If you are going to shop on Amazon.com — where you can find just about anything — and link to the Amazon.com web site from the TNWAC web site, by clicking on one of our links on any of our pages, we will receive a referral fee, up to 15% of the purchase price, for any items you buy during that session.

Global awareness seminars for youth groups.

While we don’t endorse any individual product or service on Amazon.com, we do endorse supporting education. So if you’re going to do your holiday shopping online, why not link to Amazon.com from TNWAC.org and help support global affairs awareness education in your community? Thanks and please share this news with your friends and family.