San Diego World Affairs Council upcoming events

Special Event: "Passport to Diplomacy: Celebrating San Diego's Multiculturalism" (September 06, 2026)

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

The San Diego World Affairs Council

The San Diego Diplomacy Council

Present:

Passport to Diplomacy

About the Program

Passport to Diplomacy is an exciting annual celebration of international engagement, cultural exchange, and citizen diplomacy that showcases San Diego's unique role as one of America's most globally connected regions.

This collaborative event brings together the San Diego World Affairs Council (SDWAC), the San Diego Diplomacy Council (SDDC), and the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages to create an immersive afternoon of discovery, dialogue, and global connection in the heart of Balboa Park.

A signature feature of the event is the Passport Program, a longtime San Diego World Affairs Council tradition that encourages attendees to experience the rich cultural diversity represented by the International Cottages. Upon checking in, all pre-registered participants receive an official event passport. Throughout the event, guests are invited to explore the participating cottages, meet cultural ambassadors, learn about countries from around the world, and collect a unique passport stamp from each participating nation.

Visitors who complete their passport by collecting stamps from every participating cottage may submit it for entry into an opportunity drawing for a $500 airfare gift card, generously sponsored by Bright Light Volunteers International.

In addition to the Passport Program, attendees can enjoy:

Interactive exhibits hosted by the International Cottages and globally focused organizations
"Chat with a Diplomat" stations, offering informal conversations with diplomats and foreign affairs professionals about diplomacy, international careers, and global issues
Live cultural performances celebrating music, dance, and traditions from around the world
Educational displays from universities, nonprofits, exchange organizations, and international partners
Family-friendly activities designed to engage visitors of all ages
Networking opportunities with internationally minded professionals, educators, students, and community leaders

Participation in Passport to Diplomacy is free, but advance registration is required.

More than a cultural festival, Passport to Diplomacy celebrates San Diego's extraordinary international character and demonstrates how diplomacy extends beyond governments. Through conversation, cultural exchange, education, and shared experiences, the event encourages every attendee to become a citizen diplomat and contribute to a more peaceful, connected, and globally engaged community.

Registration for this specific event is on Eventbrite and not on the SDWAC website. Click on the link below to register!

REGISTER HERE

TABLING INFORMATION HERE

Program Partners:

Financial Sponsor

SDWAC & SDDC thank the sponsor of our airfare gift card, Bright Light Volunteers, a celebrated nonprofit provider of Global Service Learning (GSL) programs that connect people and communities. Bright Light's mission is to make the world a brighter place by providing educational service opportunities that foster the development of global leaders and citizens

Distinguished Speakers Series: "The UAE and the New Middle East: Diplomacy, Power, and Regional Transformation” with Giorgio Cafiero (September 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The San Diego World Affairs Council Presents

The Distinguished Speakers Series

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Location of Event:

UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies

8980 Villa La Jolla Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

Floor 3

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About the Program:

The Middle East is undergoing one of the most significant geopolitical transformations in decades, shaped by regional conflicts, shifting alliances, and the emergence of a more multipolar world. At the center of these changes is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a nation that has emerged as one of the region's most influential middle powers through its economic strength, diplomatic engagement, and increasingly independent foreign policy.

This program explores how Abu Dhabi is navigating evolving relationships with the United States, China, India, Russia, and its Gulf neighbors while balancing competing strategic interests. From the Abraham Accords to its evolving role in regional security and energy policy, the UAE has demonstrated a pragmatic approach that reflects both growing geopolitical ambition and a desire for greater strategic autonomy.

Join us as we examine how the UAE is shaping the future of the Gulf and the broader Middle East—and what its evolving role means for regional stability, global power competition, and the future of international diplomacy.

About Giorgio Cafiero:

Giorgio Cafiero is the CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a Washington, DC-based geopolitical risk consultancy. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University and an Adjunct Fellow at the American Security Project. Mr. Cafiero is a frequent contributor to Arab Gulf States Institute, Gulf International Forum, Stimson Center, Atlantic Council, and The New Arab. Throughout Mr. Cafiero’s career, he has consulted many public and private sector entities, briefed diplomats of various countries on regional and international affairs, and worked as a subject matter expert for multinational law firms. Mr. Cafiero holds an M.A. in International Relations from the University of San Diego.

The San Diego World Affairs Council does not endorse any specific political ideology or viewpoint. As a nonpartisan organization, we are committed to presenting a wide range of perspectives to promote informed, respectful dialogue on complex global issues. The opinions expressed by speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Council, its board, or its partners.

Distinguished Speakers Series: "Next in Sports: Lessons, Legacy, & the Future of Sports Diplomacy” with Krystle Norman (November 14, 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

The San Diego World Affairs Council Presents

The Distinguished Speakers Series

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Location of Event:

UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies

8980 Villa La Jolla Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

Floor 3

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About the Program:

What happens when sports puts a country at the center of the global conversation?

From the FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, global sporting events are about far more than competition. They are powerful stages for storytelling, national identity, cultural exchange, economic opportunity, and diplomacy.

Next in Sports explores what countries and cities can do with that moment. Major sporting events increasingly shape global perceptions, drive policy decisions, attract investment, build community, and create a legacy that extends far beyond the field of play.

Drawing lessons from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and other major global sporting moments, the conversation will ask: What does successful sports diplomacy look like? How can host cities turn global attention into meaningful and sustainable impact? And as the spotlight shifts from World Cup 2026 toward the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, what lessons can Southern California carry forward?

About Krystle Norman:

Krystle Norman is a global communications and policy strategist, former U.S. diplomat, and Founder & Principal of Jackson Norman Agency. Jackson Norman Agency is an advisory firm specializing in storytelling, partnerships, and global engagement across sports, media, culture, and policy. With more than 15 years of experience spanning four continents, she has built partnerships and led high-level initiatives, including with the Smithsonian Institution, The Recording Academy, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). She advises senior leaders, global brands, and mission-driven organizations on how to drive partnerships, strengthen communities, and accelerate relevance and revenue, including using the power of sport and culture to build connections and influence across borders.

About Noah Abrahams (Moderator):

Noah Abrahams is a former BBC Sport, GB News, and Press Association journalist with a background in broadcast and political reporting. A graduate in Specialist Sports Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, he brings a strong understanding of media, storytelling, and public discourse. He is also a former football operations specialist at San Diego FC in Major League Soccer, adding practical experience within the professional game. His work sits at the intersection of sport, media, and diplomacy, drawing on both newsroom and industry experience to explore how sport shapes international engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.

Distinguished Speakers Series: "From Churchill to Kennedy: Leadership, the Special Relationship, and the Path to Peace" with Joel Nelson (December 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

The San Diego World Affairs Council Presents

The Distinguished Speakers Series

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Location of Event:

UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies

8980 Villa La Jolla Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037

Floor 3

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About the Program:

Featuring Joel Nelson, author of Kennedy’s Only Hero: How JFK’s Obsession with Winston Churchill Defined His Presidency

What shapes a president’s understanding of America’s place in the world? And what can we learn from two of the twentieth century’s greatest leaders and foreign policy thinkers?

Long before John F. Kennedy entered the White House, he came under Winston Churchill’s influence. From Churchill, Kennedy learned an approach to foreign policy that privileged military strength and negotiation, and which the Englishman used in the 1930s and 1940s, and which the American used in the 1950s and 1960s. This combination of arms and diplomacy—which Churchill described as “Peace Through Strength”—was a hallmark of both men’s leadership as they sought to deter Soviet aggression. As the world is confronted once more by dictators armed with nuclear weapons and bent upon territorial expansion, the strategy outlined by Kennedy and Churchill remains relevant and vitally important.

In this San Diego World Affairs Council conversation, British historian and author Joel Nelson explores the remarkable relationship at the heart of his new book, Kennedy’s Only Hero, and what it reveals about the intellectual development of America’s thirty-fifth president.

The discussion will move beyond biography to examine the larger geopolitical story: the Anglo-American “special relationship,” Kennedy’s evolution from youthful isolationist to committed internationalist, the importance of alliances and personal diplomacy, and the strategy that both men adopted to avoid World War III.

The conversation will also consider a question which Churchill and Kennedy both struggled to answer, and which remains strikingly relevant today: How can the West peacefully resolve its differences with hostile nuclear powers?

About Joel Nelson

Joel Nelson is a British writer and historian. He has worked as an advisor to the Secretary of State for International Development, an editor at Foreign Affairs, and a Director of European Policy at an AI think-tank in Washington, D.C. He has a first-class honours degree in History from the University of Oxford, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and he was a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard. Kennedy’s Only Hero is his first book, and he will be touring the United States and Canada to promote it, with confirmed stops at venues including the Jimmy Carter Library, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Richard Nixon Library, and the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas.