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-Bringing the world to Juneau.

'Navigating the Middle East: Insights with Ambassador Alina Romanowski'

Tuesday, December 16 | 5:15 | KTOO Studio 1

The Middle East remains at the center of global attention, from shifting alliances to security challenges and ongoing regional transformations. Join Ambassador Alina Romanowski for a compelling conversation on the forces shaping this critical region and what they mean for U.S. engagement, diplomacy, and stability. Presented in partnership with the Alaska World Affairs Council.

Ambassador Romanowski is a career diplomat who served as US Ambassador to Kuwait from 2020-2022, and to Iraq from 2022-2024.

[All JWAC speaker events are free and open to all]

Tuesday Travelogue: United Arab Emirates: Little Sparta

Tuesday, November 18 | 5:15 - 6:15 | Gold Town Theater

New Juneau resident, Dr. Larry Valero, presented his perspective on living and working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He explored the politics, culture, and history of the UAE, with special attention given to the important role the country plays in the Gulf region and its security and economic relationship with the United States. Doors at 5:00 p.m. Donations to the Gold Town gladly accepted.

'Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World' with Ha-Joon Chang

Monday, November 3 | 11:00 AM - Noon | on Zoom

Virtual presentation led by our partners the Alaska World Affairs Council in Anchorage: Drawing from his latest work, Edible Economics, Chang uses the stories behind everyday foods to illuminate big questions about globalization, climate change, inequality, and the future of capitalism. Through humor, insight, and real-world examples, he challenges conventional thinking and offers fresh ways to understand the forces shaping our world. The event will feature an audience-driven Q&A.

Ha-Joon Chang is a Distinguished Research Professor of Economics and Co-director of the Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation at SOAS University of London. Formerly a professor at the University of Cambridge (1990–2022), he is the author of 17 books. His works have sold over 3 million copies and been translated into 46 languages. Chang has advised numerous international organizations and governments and currently serves on the UN Committee for Development Policy. He is the recipient of the Gunnar Myrdal Prize and the Wassily Leontief Prize.

Registration online before 9:00 AM on November 3 required. Tickets free. Donations gladly accepted.

Forum: Unratified: The International Law of the Sea treaties, and their potential for protecting Arctic resources and cultures.

October 10 & 11 (Friday & Saturday) 2025 | KTOO Studio 1

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

The Convention on the Law of the Sea (known as ''UNCLOS''), in effect since 1994, is an international treaty that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities outside of coastal waters. As of December 2024, 169 sovereign states and the European Union are parties. However, the United States has yet to ratify the treaty. What are the foreseeable consequences of the U.S. Senate's continued failure to ratify for the nation, for Alaska and for Alaska's indigenous peoples? What are the corresponding risks, opportunities and rewards of ratification?

Presented in partnership with Chapter 100 Veterans for Peace.

'Mexico at the Crossroads: Moving Backward or Forward in 2025' with Dr. David Shirk

Thursday, September 11 | 5:15 | KTOO Studio 1

Rounding out her first year in office, Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, enjoys high approval ratings, yet Mexico continues to face serious challenges, including democratic backsliding, endemic corruption, and tensions with the current US administration over trade, drugs, migration, and other bilateral issues. Dr. David Shirk, professor of political science and International relations at the University of San Diego, spoke about Mexico’s current domestic situation and its ties to the United States.

Dr. David Shirk is a professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of San Diego (USD). He is the past director of the USD Trans-Border Institute and the current director of the Justice in Mexico program. As an undergraduate student at Lock Haven University, he was a recipient of the Matthew David Klee scholarship for African Americans and at the University of California San Diego he was an American Political Science Foundation Minority Fellow and UC Presidents Fellow. He has been a fellow at the UCSD Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies and at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He is also the co-author of Contemporary Mexican Politics, recently released in its updated fifth edition.

KTOO 360TV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inkrb9-x5t8