• Back to Event Archives Home

-Bringing the world to Juneau but not in person, in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council in Anchorage.

Travelogue: Ayutthaya to Yangon by Bike

Third Tuesday, November 21 | 5:15 - 6:15 | Goldtown Theatre

Rory Darling shares highlights of a 2019 bike tour from Thailand's City of Kings to the heart of Mon culture in south Central Myanmar. Along the way, Rory surveys the grandeur of Buddhist temples, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, British colonial legacy, and the quiet rural life in a culturally rich and geographically diverse corner of Southeast Asia. Doors at 5:00 p.m. Donations gladly accepted.

'Blueprints for a More Modern U.S. Diplomatic Service' with Ambassador Dan Smith

Wednesday, November 15| 5:15 | KTOO Studio 1

Daniel B. Smith, recently retired from the Foreign Service with the highest rank of Career Ambassador, served as the State Department's Transition Director for the 2020 Presidential Transition and subsequently as Acting Secretary and Acting Deputy Secretary of State in the early months of the Biden Administration. He served prior to that as Director of the Foreign Service Institute - the premier foreign affairs training academy for the U.S. Government.

Ambassador Smith held a series of other senior leadership positions in the State Department, including as Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research and as Ambassador to Greece from 2010 to 2013. He also served as Executive Secretary of the State Department, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs. In addition to Greece, his overseas tours include Bern, Istanbul, Ottawa, and Stockholm, as well as a recent assignment as Chargé d'Affaires in New Delhi. He has taught Political Science at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Ambassador Smith is a recipient of the State Department's Arnold L. Raphel Memorial Award for mentoring, the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award, a Presidential Distinguished Service Award, and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal.

Ambassador Smith received his Ph.D. and M.A. from Stanford University, and his B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjdbbngEBKM

This presentation was made possible with the support of the American Academy of Diplomacy and their partners, Arizona State University and the Una Chapman Cox Foundation.

Fall Forum: Immigration, Detention and Power: Addressing Bias and Prejudice.

Friday and Saturday, October 13 & 14 | UAS Egan Lecture Hall

Click here for schedule, speaker details, and video of each presentation

Invited immigration experts from all over the nation joined us to address the problems, conflicts, tools, and solutions for addressing bias and prejudice in immigration, with emphasis on the consequences of various policies, including trauma, as well as paths to healing and reconciliation.

Presented in partnership with the University of Alaska Southeast.

'The Czech Republic, The European Union and the Rise of Populism' with Dr. Martin Nekola

Thursday, October 5 | 5:15 | KTOO Studio 1

The current political situation in the Czech Republic -historically considered the crossroads between the West and the East- is a reflection in miniature of the latest developments in the entire European Union, currently facing a serious crisis caused by Brexit, significant refugee influx, coronavirus pandemic, and the rise of populist tendencies. Martin Nekola's talk will address all these issues, from the perspective of the Czech Republic, other Central Euorpoean countries, and the EU as a whole.

Dr. Martin Nekola is a Prague-based independent scholar who serves as the Project Coordinator at The Czechoslovak Talks, a non-profit dedicated to preserving the life stories of Czechoslovaks from around the world. He has also worked as the Research Director at Democracy 21, an NGO that works on the pressing problems of democracy in the 21st century. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the Charles University in Prague and has published extensively on the history of Eastern Europe during WWII and the Cold War periods.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcLWIuwjlHg

Travelogue: Icelandic Road Trip

Third Tuesday, September 19 | 5:15 - 6:15 | Goldtown Theatre

Alisha Falberg shares tales of her recent circumnavigation of the land of fire and ice. Driving a camper van on the Golden Circle, Ring Road, and roads less traveled, Alisha experienced the best of Iceland: big cities, national parks, and plenty of hot springs. There were many pictures of waterfalls, as warned! Doors at 5:00 p.m. Donations gladly accepted.

'Stealth Sisters and Threads of Hope: Sahar Provides Underground Education for Women and Girls Under Taliban Rule' with activist Shogofa Amini

Thursday, September 14| 5:15 | KTOO Studio 1

When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, it again banned formal education for girls above 6th grade. Sahar is a Seattle-based non-profit that exists to find innovative ways to promote girls' access to education in Afghanistan by partnering with grassroots, locally-based organizations to create educational opportunities and safe learning spaces for girls and women, empowering and inspiring children and their families to build peaceful, thriving communities. [Learn more.]

Speaker Shogofa Amini, a native of Mazar-e-sharif, is the Program Manager of Sahar. She is an award-winning women's rights activist and holds degrees in International Relations and Global Health. She spoke about her program's work, as well as her own journey under the Taliban.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVPD8GTh9U

'Endurance22: Finding Shackleton's Lost Ice Ship with maritime archaeologist Mensun Bound

Thursday, August 10| NOON | KTOO Studio 1

Renowned British explorer and underwater archaeologist Mensun Bound, described by Discovery Channel as the "Indiana Jones of the Deep," spoke on his team's 2022 discovery of the wreck of Ernest Shackleton's famed Endurance, which was crushed by ice and lost in 1915 in Antarctica's Weddell Sea, leading to one of the world's most celebrated tales of human survival. Learn more about Bound's expedition here.

[No video to ensure Nat Geo and Disney stay happy]
Expedition website: https://endurance22.org/exploration/marine-archaeology

Travelogue: Seattle Without a Car

Third Tuesday, May 16 | 5:15 - 6:15 | Goldtown Theatre

Susan Cable shared the basics of enjoying a low-carbon-footprint Seattle getaway using the city's excellent public transportation system, foot travel, and other non-rental-car options. We discovered activities and destinations that showcase the area's unique flavor and daytime social culture without breaking the bank. (Doors at 5:00. Donations gladly accepted.)

'Turkey at Crossroads: Economic crisis, earthquakes, and elections' with Professor Reşat Kasaba

Friday, May 5 | 5:00 | KTOO Studio 1

On February 6, Turkey was hit by a massive earthquake that caused significant damage in eleven provinces in the south. Over 50,000 people were killed and thousands of buildings were destroyed. Not only is the current government blamed for the large number of casualties and destruction, it is now faced with the practically insurmountable task of reconstruction. This comes while the country is going through a massive economic crisis with triple-digit inflation. The elections that are scheduled for May 14 present President Erdogan with the biggest challenge of his political life. Dr. Kasaba discussed the possible scenarios emerging out of the elections and what these will mean for Turkey, the region, and the world.

Dr. Kasaba is an expert in the history and politics of the Middle East. He has written and edited seven books, and is an award-winning professor at the University of Washington, where he has taught undergraduate and graduate students for over 30 years.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I56TI0TP5aw

'Nuclear Risk Reduction in the 21st Century' with Sarah Frazar

Thursday, April 20 | 5:00 | KTOO Studio 1

Sarah Frazar is a manager at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) specializing in national security policy, training, stakeholder engagement, and technology integration. Her work explores the policy implications of national security solutions, focusing specifically on the impact emerging technologies have on U.S. Government nonproliferation missions. Her talk provides an overview of systems of nuclear risk reduction, a brief historical look at its origins and evolution, a description of its current legal underpinnings, and how nonproliferation agreements are implemented.

She has spent her career focusing on nuclear nonproliferation issues and national security, filling a variety of positions at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, the Center for Strategic and International Studies; the National Security New Service; and the White House. She received her undergraduate degree in government from Colby College and her master's degree in security studies from Georgetown University. Sarah is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the World Affairs Council in Seattle, and speaks to us in that capacity.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPbP5UeXGQU

Travelogue: 'The Stone Temples of Malta'

Third Tuesday, April 18 | 5:15 - 6:15 | Goldtown Theatre

Narrated by Susan Baxter and David Sturdevant. Malta has long been a crossroads of the Mediterranean. Its seven megalithic stone temples are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world, built between 3900 and 2500 BCE. In addition to the temples, the presentation will depict Malta's capital, Valletta, and its densely-populated, vibrant culture. Doors opened at 5:00. Donations gladly accepted.

WorldQuest 2023!

Saturday, March 18 | 6:00 | At the JACC

Juneau's biggest trivia night fundraiser returns! JWAC hosted a just-slightly-smaller-than-usual WorldQuest at the JACC, featuring the traditional delightful questions, presenters, and silent and dessert auctions. Heavy hors d'oeuvres but-not-a-full-dinner-so-eat-ahead-of-time were provided, along with no-host bar.

Doors and snacks were at 6:00, program at 6:45. No reports so far of anyone falling ill. ''Please do not attend if you are ill. Masks and vaccinations recommended but not required.'' Snazzy or international dress recommended as always.

There were 16 teams, and the winner, with the highest ever WorldQuest score and the largest margin of victory, was team Slava Ukraina!