January Coffee with AFSPA CEO Paula Jakub

Colleagues,

For those of you who live in the Triangle (or don't mind traveling here for a worthwhile event), Paula Jakub, CEO of the American Foreign Service Protective Ass'n. (AFSPA) is coming to the area in January on one of her periodic visits. We are pleased to co-host a coffee for any of our members interested in meeting Paula. This will be of most interest to those of us who have the Foreign Service Benefit Plan health insurance that AFSPA offers, but any Foreign Service veterans with a different Federal Employee Health Benefit Program insurance might also be interested in hearing what the FSBP offers. It will be too late to transfer for CY 2017, but might help you make a decision for 2018.

Paula is also Executive Director of the Senior Living Foundation of the American Foreign Service, a non-profit that provides support to retired Foreign Service personnel and their spouses (including surviving and divorced spouses) and, on the basis of need, to defray the cost of home health care services, senior housing, long term care, or other senior services that contribute to the health and security of the retired Foreign Service family. If you are interested in learning how you can support the foundation, or know someone who could use its services, you are also welcome to come and hear more about it at this coffee. The foundation's website is: www.slfoundation.org

The coffee will take place from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Board Room of Carolina Meadows, on the first floor of the main building, 100 Whipporwill Lane, Chapel Hill 27517.  

I am attaching the invitation that AFSPA sent by mail to its members in our area. If you are not a member of AFSPA you can also sign up by sending an email to me at cotter252@twc.com or calling me at 984-234-3078.

Regards,

Mike Cotter, Secretary

CFFS Luncheon on 31 January 2017 - Update

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service and their guests are invited to the January CFFS Luncheon at 11:30 AM, Tuesday, January 31, 2017. The venue for this lunch is the University Club, 3100 Tower Boulevard, 17th Floor, Durham, North Carolina  27707. Colloquially known as the “Green Pickle,” it located off US 15/501 BR, just north of the overpass connecting US 15/501 to I-85. For those who haven’t been there, it offers a spectacular view of the area from the 17th floor. As usual, we will gather for the social period at 11:30, moving to our tables at noon.

Speaker and Topic:  Our speaker will be Professor Jeff Spinner-Halev, Kenan Eminent Professor of Political Ethics at UNC. Professor Spinner-Halev will speak on "Changing Demographic Trends and Their Impact on Israeli Domestic and Foreign Policies."

Speaker’s Bio: Professor Spinner-Halev received his B.A. from the University of Michigan. He worked at Citizens for Tax Justice, a small public interest group in Washington, D.C., for several years and then returned to Ann Arbor for graduate studies. In 1992, he joined the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska, where he eventually became the Schlesinger Professor of Social Justice. He joined the UNC faculty in 2005.

Professor Spinner-Halev’s research focuses on the tensions that arise within contemporary liberal and democratic theory, and between theory and practice. His current research project is on radical injustice — injustices that linger on, without apparent remedy.  This project has a comparative cast, and is fueled by examples from the U.S., Israel and India.

His publications include: “The Boundaries of Citizenship:  Race, Ethnicity and Nationality in the Liberal State” (1994) and “Surviving Diversity: Religion and Democratic Citizenship” (2000) and he co-edited “Minorities within Minorities: Equality, Right and Diversity” (2005).

Reservations & Dues: The cost of the luncheon is $30 which includes coffee or tea, green salad, entrée, and a dessert.  A cash bar will be available.  The entrée choices are: Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Garlic Jus, Salmon with a Lemon Caper Sauce, or Vegetarian (appropriate for vegans as well). Please indicate your entrée choice(s) when you make your reservation.

A reminder: Unless you are new members who joined late in 2016, please pay your 2017 member dues of $10 a person (life members are exempt) along with your luncheon payment.

Please make checks payable to Treasurer, CFFS and mail them to Bonnie Kuhr, 7316 Ray Road, Raleigh NC 27613-3919.  Checks must be received no later than Friday, January 20.

We look forward to seeing you January 31.

Gwen C. Clare

Chair, CFFS Steering Committee

CFFS Luncheon on 31 January 2017

This is to give advance notice to members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service that our next luncheon will take place on Tuesday, 31 January 2017 at the University Club (3100 Tower Boulevard, Suite 1700 - Durham, NC 27707).  As usual, we will gather for the social period at 11:30 a.m. prior to moving to our tables at noon.

Our speaker will be Jeff Spinner-Halev, Kenan Eminent Professor of Political Ethics, Department of Political Science, University of  North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The topic of his talk will be Changing Demographic Trends and their Impact on Israeli Domestic and Foreign Policies.

The cost of luncheon will be $30.00 which includes coffee or tea, entrée, and a dessert. A cash bar will be available. More details about this event will be provided in the near future.

CFFS Luncheon on 18 October 2016

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service and their guests attended a luncheon on Tuesday, 18 October 2016 at the Chapel Hill Country Club. The speaker, Ambassador (Ret.) W. Robert Pearson served as ambassador to Turkey from 2000 to 2003 and spoke about the current situation in that country.

Gwen Clare, Chair, CFFS Steering Committee, introduces the speaker.

Ambassador Pearson addresses the members of CFFS.

Members enjoyed a social period before the luncheon and then an excellent meal prepared and served by CHCC.

 

Article of Interest to CFFS Members

Members may find this article of interest:

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/obamas-mixed-foreign-policy-balance-sheet-18089?page=show

Klaus Larres is the Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He also is a Senior Fellow, Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University/SAIS, Washington DC and at present Fellow and Member at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, New Jersey.

Upcoming Event of Interest to CFFS Members

The Duke University Center for International & Global 

Studies presents

THE WORLD TODAY

Is Diplomacy Enough?

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the on-line journal American Diplomacy, there will be a screening of the film “America’s Diplomats” narrated by actress Kathleen Turner and a panel talk with three former US ambassadors and career foreign service officers, retired. They will address the critical interaction between the State Department and other US governmental foreign affairs agencies, including how the new President will depend heavily on our US Foreign Service to foster a seamless transition in international affairs from one administration to the next. This will be followed by a reception honoring Duke University’s former and next State Department Diplomats-in-Residence.

Panelists:
Ambassador Gwen C. Clare
(former US Ambassador to Ecuador)
Ambassador Michael W. Cotter
(former US Ambassador to Turkmenistan,
Publisher: American Diplomacy)
Ambassador Brenda B. Schoonover
(former US Ambassador to Togo)


Moderator: Dr. Giovanni Zanalda, Director – DUCIGS

Film: “America’s Diplomats” narrated by Kathleen Turner

WED OCT 19 5 PM

The Ahmadieh Family Conference Hall

John Hope Franklin Center Room 240

This is event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Parking available across Trent Drive in the Pickens Family Medicine lot.

For information: Nancy Hare Robbins

nancy.robbins@duke.edu

CFFS Luncheon on 18 October 2016

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service and their guests are invited to our next luncheon on Tuesday, October 18 at the Chapel Hill Country Club.  As usual, we will gather for the social period at 11:30 a.m. prior to moving to our tables in the adjoining room at noon.  

Speaker and Topic:  Our speaker will be our colleague, Ambassador (Ret.) W. Robert Pearson. Amb. Pearson served as ambassador to Turkey from 2000 to 2003 and will speak about the current situation in that country. 

Speaker’s Bio: Amb. Pearson served in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps prior to entering the Foreign Service in 1973. His first posting was Auckland, followed by Beijing and NATO twice, interspersed with several Department assignments. He was DCM in Paris prior to the Ankara assignment, and was Director General of the Foreign Service from 2003 to 2006. After retiring, Bob served as president of IREX, an international development NGO based in Washington from 2008 to 2014. He has published numerous articles, blogs and opinion pieces on diplomacy, foreign policy, Turkey, NGOs, and development.  He is a frequent speaker on issues concerning Turkey, international development and the role of diplomacy in American engagement abroad. Bob is married to Maggie Pearson, also a retired FSO. They live in Fearrington Village.

Reservations: The cost of luncheon is $27.00 which includes coffee or tea, entrée, and a dessert.  A cash bar will be available.  The entrée choices are: steak salad, salmon, or vegetarian (appropriate for vegans as well). Please indicate your entrée choice(s) when you make your reservation. 

Please make checks payable to Treasurer, CFFS and mail to Greg Flood, 1015 Fearrington Post, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312.  Deadline for receipt of the checks with menu selection is October 10. Greg’s email is: gregoryflood@mac.com.

We look forward to seeing you October 18. 

Gwen Clare 

Chair, CFFS Steering Committee

CFFS January Luncheon at the North Carolina State University Club in Raleigh, NC

CFFS members and their guests enjoy a social gathering before being seated for lunch at NC State University Club.  Afterwards they listen to a speech by Professor Harrington.