Save the Date

Thursday, July 30th, 2015

Afghanistan 2.0 – Future Visions and Business Opportunities

Col. Bullion and Mr. Delawari recently returned to the US from multiple assignments in Afghanistan where they oversaw aspects of the Afghan economy which has grown 10 fold since 2002. They will serve on a panel to provide insight into the critical policies and infrastructure that need to be put in place to ignite the Afghan economy. The Afghan government has identified key objectives in the areas of banking, mining, energy, agriculture, and rule of law. This discussion will not only provide background on various projects, but also business opportunities for investors in the West.

Location: The Pacific Club

4110 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Time: 5:30PM – 8:30PM

Pricing: $65 Members |  $90 Non-Members | $40 Students

Col Jim Bullion USA (Ret), Former Director, Task Force for Business Stability Operations (TFBSO) at the U.S. Department of Defense.

From 2010 to 2014, TFBSO worked in Afghanistan, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense, coordinating with  the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, ISAF, the Government of Afghanistan and other agencies. TFBSO’s mission was to help Afghanistan’s private sector grow by attracting foreign investors and encouraging local entrepreneurship. The major areas of effort for TFBSO were in the minerals, energy, indigenous industries and agriculture sectors of the Afghan economy.

Prior to his current position, Col. Bullion was President of Phoenix Global Services LLC, a consulting and investing company he founded in 2005. He has more than 20 years of experience in international business management, consulting, and military service. As an Army Reserve Officer, Col. Bullion has served two tours in Iraq, first as Executive Officer and Commander of a Civil Affairs Battalion attached to the 10th Special Forces Group and to the 101st Airborne Division, then as Plans and Operations Chief for the Multinational Security Transition Command commanded by General David Petraeus. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (2OLC) and the Combat Action Badge for his work in Iraq. Prior to his two tours in Iraq, Mr. Bullion was a Vice President at Genuity, Inc., a $1 billion publicly traded telecommunications services company and built and managed international operations for UNIFI Communications, a high-growth startup company which developed and provided leading-edge data communications services.

Mr. Bullion is a graduate of Dartmouth College and also was commissioned there as an infantry officer through ROTC. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Amos Tuck School and is fluent in French.

   His Excellency Noorullah Delawari – Former Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank
(Central Bank of Afghanistan)

Mr. Delawari was appointed as governor by presidential decree No. 78 dated November 30, 2011. His nomination was confirmed by the (Wolsi Jirga) the lower house of parliament on November 26, 2011. Delawari handed in his resignation on 6 December 2014 to retire and spend time with his family in Southern California.

Governor Delawari brings with him a diverse professional background and rich experience in commercial banking, international business/ leadership. Prior to this assignment he has served as Minister Advisor to President Karzi on Banking and Private Sector, member of DAB Supreme Council, founder and CEO of Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (2003-2004; 2008-November 2011), Governor Da Afghanistan Bank (2004 -2007 and 2011-2014), Senior Advisor to Minister of Finance Afghanistan (2002) and Vice President of Multinational Division, Lloyds Bank of California (1986-2002).

Governor Delawari was born in Kabul Afghanistan on November 23, 1942. He left his home country in 1967 to accept a Colombo Plan university scholarship in the United Kingdom in the fields of commerce and economics. Here, he performed basic training at National Westminster Bank, and then continued his studies at the UCLA. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Governor Delawari decided to settle in Pasadena, CA . Governor Delawari returned to Afghanistan and was given the task of strengthening the national bank, with the help of future governor Anwar ul-Haq Ahady and then Minister of Finance Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai who is the current President of Afghanistan.

Governor Delawari earned a B.S. in Business/Economics from UCLA and was awarded a Professional Designation in International Business from UCLA 1967-1969. He was the recipient of Colombo Plan (Bank Management) Scholarship in London-England.

Special performance by Salar Nader featuring Mustafa Saeed on Afghan Rubab.  

“The Sounds and Rhythms of Afghanistan” Duet performance

An evocative voyage through the various musical styles performed within Afghanistan. These maestros will take you on a play-by-play musical caravan, making stops in Kabul, Herat, Mazar, Qataghan, Loghar, Kandahar. Salar Nader is a world renowned Afghan-American Virtuoso who grew up in San Francisco, California. He’s a musical visionary who has an impressive track record of collaborators and compositions under his belt.

His film scores and compositional work can be heard on: the theatrical adaption of “Kite Runner” ( New York Times bestseller, by author Khaled Hosseini), “The Twentieth Wife” novel written by Indu Sunderasan, theatrical adaptation by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh & Sunderasan, Grammy award winning Kronos Quartet, Jamey Haddad of Paul Simon & Sting, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Mira Nairs “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” and 2014 blockbuster hit “The Heat”.

His latest performances include: Carnegie Hall “In The Footsteps of Babur” 2015, Opening of 2012 London Olympics, Solstice Festival, NYC Central Park Summer stage, Montreal Jazz fest, Theatro De La Ville, Paris (Sounds of Afghanistan)

Salar is a disciple of Grammy award-winning international artist Zakir Hussain, and considers himself privileged to have been guided by the master throughout his music journey.

Walkthrough Art Exhibit
Featuring Talented Afghan Artist, Sulyman Sadat

Artist Sulyman Sadat started early training under the guidance of his father, a Cornell University graduate in Architecture, from whom he learned the fundamentals of drawing and design. Before settling down in Southern California he worked as a freelance artist, graphic designer and art consultant in Europe. He uses forms and colors in an expressionistic and symbolic way to express the beauties about the world around us. For more of his work, please visit: http://www.sulaysadat.com

   

Building Our Global Community

Save the Date

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

Dr. Tom Campbell – War Powers of the U.S. Presidents

Dr. Thomas Campbell, Dean, Chapman Law School and Former U.S Congressman, will speak on the war powers of the US President and the efforts he’s made to define the limits of the President’s power to involve the country in wars without the consent of Congress.

Location: The Westin

686 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Time: 6:00pm – 8:30pm

(6:00pm VIP & General Reception, 6:45pm Dinner, 7:30pm Program)

Members – $65  | Nonmembers – $85  |  Students – $40  | Table of 10 – $650  | Student Program Only – $10

Complimentary Self Parking or $18 for Valet

Dr. Tom Campbell was appointed Dean of the Fowler School of Law in February, 2011. He came to Chapman in January 2009 as a visiting Presidential Fellow and Fletcher Jones Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law. Prior to joining Chapman, he was the Bank of America Dean and Professor of Business from 2002 to 2008 at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Campbell was a Professor of Law at Stanford University from 1987-2002; Associate Professor at Stanford, 1983-1987; a member of the United States Congress from 1989-1993 and 1995-2001; a member of the California State Senate from 1993-1995; and the director of the California Department of Finance from 2004-2005. He has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago, and a JD, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he also served as a member of the board of editors of the Harvard Law Review. He was a law clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and to US Court of Appeals Judge George E. MacKinnon; a White House Fellow; executive assistant to the Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice; and, director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission.

Dr. Campbell’s principal area of academic work is in the application of economics to legal questions. He has published articles in the Harvard Law Review, the Columbia Law Review, the Stanford Law Review, the UCLA Law Review, the Texas Law Review, the Hastings Law Journal, and the Antitrust Law Journal, among others. He is the author of the book Separation of Powers in Practice, published by Stanford University Press(2004). Since 2001, Dr. Campbell and his wife Susanne have taught in Africa as volunteers on seven separate occasions, in Ghana, Eritrea and Rwanda, where they taught courses in fund raising (Susanne) and international financial institutions, business strategy and constitutional law (Tom), at the following universities: Ashesi University, Accra, Ghana; Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, Kigali, Rwanda; School of Banking and Finance, Kigali, Rwanda; and the University of Asmara, Asmara, Eritrea. 

[ Register Now! ]

Building Our Global Community

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

Despite broad public support for a return to American isolationism, American interests require that we stay engaged in global affairs. A world without robust American leadership would be detrimental to the liberal world order we now take for granted.

  Wednesday, January 21, 2015

 Register Today

Ambassador L Paul Bremer III

 Presidential Envoy to Iraq, 2003

VIP (Private Reception)   6:00 pm – Premium WAC Members

General Reception:         6:00 pm

Dinner:                                 7:00 pm

Program:                             7:45 pm

Prices  

WAC Members$ 75

Non-Members  $ 95

Table of 10 (WAC Members)  $ 750

Student Dinner   $ 50

Student – Program Only    $ 10