Save the date:

Join the

World Affairs Council of Orange County

Thursday, April 30th, 2015

Balboa Yacht Club

Corona Del Mar, CA

“Growing Home” Documentary Viewing & Expert Panel Discussion moderated by Taymor Kamrany, WAC Board Member

The film, “Growing Home” takes place amid Syria’s refugee crisis that has displaced nine million people; a Syrian barber struggles to maintain normality in the Zaatari refugee camp. Following the film will be a panel discussion with the film’s director, Faisal Attrache and panelists.

 Faisal Attrach

is a Syrian-American filmmaker born in Syria and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended UCLA where he received BAs in International Development Studies and Environmental Studies. While at UCLA he fell in love with film and added a Film and TV minor to his studies, set on making it his career.  After graduating, Faisal spent a year living in Syria where he made his first short film and studied Arabic. Faisal attended the University of Southern California’s (USC) prestigious School of Cinematic Arts where he received an MFA in Film and Television Production in 2014.  Faisal is a writer/director who strives to tell unique stories across many genres, with a powerful, socially conscious message.

Souzan Baaj

 is the CEO of Isra Couture. She is the Chairwoman of the Syrian Institute for Progress (SIP), an organization that focuses on addressing and supporting the needs of Syrian refugees. She provides information and advice on the dynamic changes of the Syrian revolution and the opposition in order to help find the most suitable and lasting solution to the crisis. Souzan has been an activist from the beginning of the Syrian revolution. She established and was the president for the Syrian American Council, Los Angeles chapter, (2011-2012) She had worked hard in sending humanitarian aid to the Syrian Refugees and she was able to send 6 of 40-foot containers filled with baby milk, blankets, sleeping bags, and winter jackets for the Children at the camps. Currently she has been working with the Shriner hospital to bring burnt Syrian children to be treated in the US.

Puneh Ala’i

is the founder of For The Unseen, which is a non-profit organization that is currently helping Syrian Refugees. The overall mission of For The Unseen, is to improve the quality of life of those around the globe who are impacted by illness, poverty and/or societal conflicts by providing sustainable solutions to alleviate human suffering.

Puneh is a product of immigrant parents, who was raised with the belief that “Mankind is One” and service is a key factor in one’s contribution to this life. In 2013, her organization helped open a Syrian refugee school in Lebanon that originally had 350 children, and now it has over 1,000 children. She has traveled into Syria four different times to provide immediate aid to the refugees in the worst conditions. She fund raised money before each trip, and 100% of the donations were used to buy food in bulk, hospital supplies and toys for the children.

Taymor Shah Kamrany 

Mr. Taymor Kamrany is a seasoned business development professional with over 15 years of proven leadership and management accomplishments in both domestic and international sectors.  His areas of specialty include strategy, business development and proposal writing.

Taymor’s outside activities include prior host of US-based satellite TV station that broadcasts worldwide. The “Professionals Network Show” was aimed at the younger generation of Afghans. Previously, Taymor served as advisor to the Minister of Finance of Afghanistan (current President), where he played a leading role in the creation and implementation of a computerized reporting system for that country’s Treasury. He trained and supervised employees of eight provinces on methods of data collection, analysis, budget principles, statistics, and familiarity with the Ministry of Finance basic revenue and expenditure structures.  Taymor is  currently on the Executive Board and a Trustee of the World Affairs Council of Orange County.

Genocide – where are we today?

Acknowledging 100 years from the Armenian Genocide

Every year on April 24 Armenians around the world commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide. April 24 of 1915 is the day when thousands of the Armenian community leaders of Constantinople (now Istanbul) were deported and mostly executed (Wikipedia)

One Hundred Years of Solitude: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing, 2015 (Huffington Post)Some articles for reference:

Searching for Historic Armenia after 100 Years (The Armenian Weekly)

100 Years Facts Project (100 Years 100 Facts)

Join the

World Affairs Council of Orange County

to hear from our expert panel and learn about the challenges and possible solutions on border security and immigration.

Mexico’s Drug War, Border Security and Undocumented Immigration:

Separating Spectacle from Reality

The  Mexican Drug War, which is in its ninth year, has spanned two Mexican Presidential administrations and resulted in the arrest and death of several high-ranking drug trafficking figures.  Despite some successes, the war has resulted in a horrific death toll, erosion of civil liberties, and basked public safety in large parts of the country. Drug Cartels are now controlling human smuggling operations all along the border. Our Border Security and Immigration experts will share with you the problems facing Mexico which are also effecting the United States and offer real solutions.

Dr. Everard Meade is Director of the Trans-Border Institute, part of the Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. He holds a PhD in Latin American History from the University of Chicago, and he has published a number of articles and books on the relationship between violence memory and the law in modern Mexico.  His current research examines the social impacts of violence in contemporary Mexico and Central America. For the last 15 years, he has worked closely with the National Immigrant Justice Center, and he recently joined the advisory council of the American bar Association’s Immigrant Justice Project.

Sylvia Longmire is a (medically) retired Air Force captain and former Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. She is currently an independent consultant and freelance writer. With over seventeen years of combined experience in military law enforcement, counter-terrorism analysis, and having written a variety of professional products, Longmire is an expert speaker on the threats posed by the drug violence south of the U.S. border.

 Wednesday March 11th, 2015

 The Center Club – Costa Mesa

650 Town Center Dr.

 Costa Mesa, CA  92626  

 **Valet Parking in included in price**

REGISTER HERE

BUILDING OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY

Register Your OC High School Team Today!

World Affairs Council of Orange County

Invites you to participate in our

7th Annual Academic WorldQuest
February 7, 2015

Academic WorldQuest is a team competition, held among Orange County high school students, testing students’ knowledge of global affairs. This year the local winning team from Orange County will have the opportunity to participate in the National Academic WorldQuest in Washington DC in April 2015! Recruit your team of trivia all-stars and join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and friendly competition! 

Who: One team of 4 students per high school

Cost: There is no fee to participate

What: Academic WorldQuest competition to be held on February 7, 2015 in Orange County. Teams respond to a combination of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, true/false, and open-ended questions in the following categories:

2014-2015 Topics
Russia / Eurasia
Youth, Jobs, and Social Unrest
Food and Water
Future of Energy
Africa Rising
Human Trafficking
Asia and the New Global Economy
Millennium Development Goals: 2015 and Beyond
Great Decisions
Current Events

When: Saturday, February 7, 2015

Tentative Time: 3:30 pm – 7:00 pm.

Registration: – A teacher registers the team by emailing us at Education@WorldAffairsCouncil.org

How: Preparation – A study guide willl be mailed to you when your team is confirmed.

Why it is Important: Academic WorldQuest is a great way for students to learn about and engage in international affairs through fun and challenging activities along with being able to include their experience on their resume or college applications. This year the local winning team from Orange County will have the opportunity to participate in the National Academic WorldQuest in Washington