Saturday, November 25, 2017

Lecture by Ambassador Anthony C. E. Quainton

This event may be of interest to our members:
-----------------------------------------------------
THE MILITARIZATION AND MARGINALIZATION OF DIPLOMACY

Upcoming lecture at UNC by Ambassador Anthony C. E. Quainton, former US Ambassador to the Central African Republic, Nicaragua, Kuwait, and Peru; former Director General of the Foreign Service.



Photos from the CFFS Luncheon on November 7, 2017


Below are a few photos of members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service (CFFS) and their guests attending a talk by Professor Klaus Larres presented at the University Club in Durham, N.C., Tuesday, November 7, 2017.  The topic of Dr. Larres's talk was “The Dawning of a New Global Order?  Germany and China in the Age of Donald Trump." 
(Photos Courtesy of H.R. & Betsy Malpass)
Dr. Larres Presents PowerPoint slide show along with his lecture about
the new global order.
 









Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Transnational Terrorism Today

This event may be of interest to our members
----------------------------------------------------------
The Richard M Krasno Distinguished Professorship at UNC Chapel Hill
Prof. Klaus W Larres

in cooperation with
Prof. Tobias Hof
(DAAD Visiting Professor at UNC-CH)


would like to invite you to an international conference this Thursday and Friday coming - November 9 and 10, 2017

TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM TODAY:              
HOW DO THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIES DEAL WITH TERRORISM?

Keynote address by Prof. Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University on November 9, 5.30pm (preceded by an opening reception at 4.30pm - all welcome)


"The Transatlantic Alliance and Terrorism"

(Location: Pleasants Family room, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill)  

Panel discussions on November 10, 2017 with distinguished international speakers:

9.30am - 11.30am:  The Global Terrorist Threat
1.00pm -  3.00pm:   Foreign Policy, Military Operations and Anti-Terrorism
3.30pm -  5.30pm:   Domestic Reactions to Terrorism - Differences, Similarities & Cooperation
6.00pm - 7.30pm:  Final Roundtable - "How can we deal with the Terrorist Threat?"

(Location: FedEx Global Education Center, Room 4003; UNC-Chapel Hill)

Please see the flyer at this link: http://jmce.unc.edu/ttt2017

ALL WELCOME - students, faculty, administrators, and certainly also members of the general public.

For those of you who are too far away or unable to attend, we will videotape all the talks and discussions for our YouTube channel. Please subscribe to our channel for free: www.youtube.com/KrasnoUNC

With our best wishes, 
Klaus Larres & Tobias Hof

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Notes from AFSA’s Retiree Outreach Coordinator

Dear Retiree Association Chairpersons,

I’ve had the pleasure to speak and email with many of you this month. I welcome your feedback and ideas. Please continue to share information about your events and activities.

An Invitation
First and foremost this month I would like to extend an invitation to participate in a webinar with AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson and Retiree Vice President John Naland on Friday, November 17 from 12:00-1:00 pm EST. As you undoubtedly know, outreach, specifically sharing the story of the Foreign Service, has been a consistent call to action of Barbara’s tenure at AFSA. Equally consistent, however, has been her commitment to in-reach, to hear member concerns, issues, and ideas. It is with this in mind that we have scheduled a webinar to provide a forum for AFSA leadership to meet (albeit virtually) with all of you—the leadership of retiree associations across the country. During the webinar, Barbara and John will provide an update on the advocacy, outreach, and professional development work AFSA is doing. We will also have the opportunity to hear your concerns and ideas and answer questions.

We look forward to this opportunity for a small group exchange and hope you do too. Please RSVP to miele@afsa.org and let us know if you can join the webinar on Friday, November 17. Please also submit any questions or particular areas of interest you hope might be covered. We will try to cover as many topics as we can. Detailed instructions for accessing the webinar will be sent on Monday, November 13, but the only requirements will be a computer and internet connection.

AFSA’S 2018 National High School Essay Contest Has Launched—Help Spread the Word!
AFSA offers a national high school essay contest each year, co-sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace<https://www.usip.org/>, Semester at Sea<https://www.semesteratsea.org/> and the National Student Leadership Conference<https://www.nslcleaders.org/>, which is open to any students in grades nine through twelve whose parents do not serve in the Foreign Service. This outreach effort challenges students to consider the role of diplomacy in securing peace and through their research learn about the critical role of the Foreign Service in today’s world. The topic for this year, “Why Diplomacy & Peacebuilding Matter” requires students to compare two examples of where the U.S. pursued an integrated approach amongst agencies to build peace in a conflict-affected country. The winner of this prestigious contest receives $2,500, a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet a member of the State Department’s leadership, and a full scholarship for a Semester at Sea educational voyage.  The runner-up receives $1,250 and a full scholarship to attend the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference. This is a life changing opportunity for students! To learn more about the essay contest visit our website: afsa.org/essaycontest.

If you or members of your association have connections with your local high schools and would like to help us spread the word, please be in touch. Special thanks to retirees in Rhode Island who are currently helping in this effort by sending us the addresses of their local high school, and/or requesting post cards so they can deliver them directly. While essay submissions are not due until March 15, 2018, we are starting now to get the word out. Please contact me if you’d like to be involved.

Information Needed for the 2018 AFSA Retiree Directory
The 2018 AFSA Retiree Directory is currently being updated, and one thing we’d like to do is add more information about retiree associations so that AFSA members looking to be involved can read a brief synopsis about the association and its activities. Would you be willing to draft 2-3 lines about your association and its activities? Ideally it would provide an overview of where and how often you meet and any other information you’d like to showcase. We will use the contact information for the association that is currently on the AFSA website (www.afsa.org/retiree-associations), so please let me know if changes are required. Please provide this information to me by Wednesday, November 15. Thank you!

Events and Get-Togethers Around the Country
Many of you are having or have had a fall event. I’ve listed them below in an effort to share what’s going on around the country. If I haven’t listed your event please let me know.

October 10 – The Foreign Affairs Retirees of New England (FARNE) welcomed Professor Iskander Rehman, Senior Fellow for International Relations at the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University to speak on “The Evolution of Chinese Regional Policy”.

October 10 – The Foreign Service Group – Texas welcomed Dr. Stephen B. Slick, Director, Intelligence Studies Project, LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin to speak on, “The Real Challenges for U.S. Intelligence: Competence, Governance, and Legitimacy”.

October 26 – The Utah Retired Foreign Service Group will be meeting in American Fork, UT for their monthly lunch.

October 27 – The Foreign Service Association of Northern California (FSANC) will be having their fall meeting and reviewing the results of their recent membership survey.

November 7 – The Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service will welcome Professor Klaus Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor at UNC to speak on “The Dawning of a New Global Order?  Germany and China in the Age of Donald Trump."

November 16 – The Foreign Service Retirees Association of Florida will be touring the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Panama City and having a luncheon with a speaker from NSWC.

Finally, please Save the Date for Foreign Service Day, May 4, 2018. If you plan to be in Washington, D.C. we’d love to have you participate in AFSA’s activities. In the new year, we will share idea for local activities to commemorate the day and engage your community on the role of the Foreign Service.

Please feel free to forward this email to the members of your association. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you.

Best regards,

Christine

Christine Miele
Retiree Outreach Coordinator
American Foreign Service Association

Email: miele@afsa.org
Tel: 202.338.4045 ext. 517
Fax: 202.338.6820
www.afsa.org

Monday, October 23, 2017

CFFS Luncheon on 7 November 2017

Invitation To the
Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service Luncheon
Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at 11:30 A.M.
University Club, 3100 Tower Blvd. 17th Floor,
Durham, NC  27707

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service and their guests are invited to the Fall CFFS Luncheon at 11:30 AM, Tuesday, November 7, 2017. The venue for this lunch is the University Club, colloquially known as the “Green Pickle,” located off US 15/501 BR, just north of the overpass connecting US 15/501 to I-85. If you missed the last two luncheons, you’ll want to join us both for the food and the 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 Klaus Larres, Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor at UNC. Prof. Larres is also a Member (Fellow) at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study and a Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Transatlantic Relations. His topic will be “The Dawning of a New Global Order?  Germany and China in the Age of Donald Trump." 

Speaker’s Bio: Prof. Larres joined UNC Chapel Hill in 2012, after having spent the previous two and a half years as a visiting professor at Yale and the Department of European Studies at SAIS in Washington, DC. Before moving to the U.S., he spent almost 18 years working and studying in the UK. He was a Professor of International Relations at the University of London, Jean Monnet Professor at Queen’s University Belfast and Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. He frequently speaks to international audiences, serves as a consultant and interview partner for international media, and has published extensively on European and Transatlantic topics. He has degrees from the University of Cologne and the London School of Economics. 

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: Roasted Chicken with Potato Gratin, Roasted Root Vegetables and Lemon Beurre Blanc; Grilled Salmon with Parmesan Farro and Roasted Brussels Sprouts; or Vegetarian: Butternut Squash with EVOO, Pine Nuts, Piquillo Peppers and Wilted Greens. Please indicate your entrée choice(s) when you make your reservation.

A reminder: Although we will remind you at the January luncheon, it’s not too early to pay your 2018 member dues, still only $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 Wednesday, November 1.

We look forward to seeing you on November 7. 

Gwen C. Clare
Chair, CFFS Steering Committee

Friday, October 13, 2017

Small but Influential: Austria, Europe, and the World from 1945 to the Present

This event may be of interest to our members
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richard M Krasno Distinguished Professorship
-- AMBASSADORS FORUM --

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I would like to send you a friendly reminder regarding our "Ambassadors Forum" on this Friday coming, October 13, 2017, at 4.00pm (four pm exceptionally) in the Pleasant Family Room (Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill).

"Small but Influential: Austria, Europe, and the World from 1945 to the Present"

Two former Austrian ambassadors will talk to us about their recently published book on developments in Austria and Europe from 1945 to the present.  They will enlighten us about the challenging transition from World War II to the post-war period. They will also analyze the difficulties most Europeans countries have in understanding and getting used to President Trump and his unique foreign policy style.

Ambassador Dr Christian Prosl is the former Austrian ambassador to the U.S. and Germany and Ambassador Dr. Frank Cede is the former Austrian ambassador to Russia and NATO.  

As always, ALL WELCOME - no RSVP required.
It would be great if many of you could make it.

With my best wishes, 
Klaus Larres

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge

The Richard M Krasno Distinguished Professorship @ UNC-Chapel Hill
would like to invite you to 
a talk, discussion, and Q and A session with

Prof. Robbert Dijkgraaf
(Director of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 
& Leon Levy Professor of Mathematical Physics)

THIS THURSDAY, September 14,  2017, 5.30pm
in the Pleasants Family Room, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill

Robbert Dijkgraaf will talk about 
"The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge"

Following the talk Prof. J. Christopher Clemens (Senior Associate Dean for Natural Sciences) and Prof. Klaus Larres (Richard M Krasno Distinguished Professor) will engage Prof. Dijkgraaf in a lively discussion. 


ALL WELCOME - NO RSVP needed; just come along (first come, first seated).


For those of you too far away or who can't make it, the event will be available on our You Tube Channel shortly:  www.youtube.com/KrasnoUNC

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Arnold A. Chacon – Diplomat in Residence


Ambassador Arnold A. Chacon is Career Minister in the United States Foreign Service.  He is the Diplomat in Residence at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He was the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources from 2014-2017, leading  State Department’s efforts to recruit, retain and sustain its 75,000-strong world-wide workforce.

Ambassador Chacon was Chief of Mission in Guatemala from 2011-2014, Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Madrid from 2008-2011, and has served as the Department of State’s Deputy Executive Secretary.  He also served at American Embassies in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Italy, Mexico and Honduras as well as the United States Mission to the United Nations.  He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Foreign Service Association and the Hispanic Employees Council of the Foreign Affairs Agencies.  He was a Fellow at the American Political Science Association and is the recipient of the State Department’s Presidential Rank Award and other leadership honors.

Ambassador Chacon is originally from Denver and is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder.  His wife Alida Chacon is also a member of the U.S. Foreign Service.  

Friday, August 25, 2017

Krasno Events Series - Fall 2017

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service may be interested in the following announcement:

Richard M Krasno Distinguished Professorship
@ UNC-Chapel Hill
Prof. Klaus Larres
Krasno Events Series - Fall 2017

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I would like to let you know about the forthcoming events in the Krasno Events Series. At present the series consists of our lecture series on "The U.S. in World Affairs" with eminent scholars and our "Ambassadors Forum" with distinguished diplomats.

Please be so kind as to have a look at the schedule below. All events are open to the public and free of charge (no RSVP required).

It would be wonderful to see you again this semester. For those of you living too far away or otherwise unable to attend the events, we will videotape all events and publish them on our you tube channel:  www.youtube.com/KrasnoUNC

I will also send out reminders and individual flyers closer to the date of each event listed below.


September 14, 2017:
(5.30pm, Pleasants Family Room, Wilson Library, UNC)
Prof. Robbert Dijkgraaf
(Director, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ; eminent Dutch scientist)

"The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge"
Lecture and panel discussion
  

Friday, October 13:
(4.00pm, Pleasants Family Room, Wilson Library, UNC)
Ambassador Christian Prosl and Ambassador Franz Cede
(Dr Prosl is the former Austrian ambassador to the U.S. and Germany;
Dr Cede is the former Austrian ambassador to Russia and NATO)

"Small but Influential:
Austria, Europe, and the World from 1945 to the Present"
Lecture & book presentation and panel discussion

  
November, 9-10, 2017:
International conference:
TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM TODAY:
HOW DO THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIES DEAL WITH TERRORISM?
(co-organized with Prof. Tobias Hof, UNC-Chapel Hill)

Keynote address by Prof. Bruce Hofman of Georgetown University on November 9, 5.30pm
(Pleasants Family Room, Wilson Library, UNC)

Various panel presentations on November 10, starting at 9.00am, Pleasants Family Room. The panel presentations
deal with the most important aspects of the nature of international and also domestic terrorism and include many renowned scholars and policy makers.


All events: ALL WELCOME - students, faculty, administrators, and certainly also members of the general public.

I am greatly looking forward to seeing you at our first event this semester on September 14, 2017, 5.30pm.
Please do not hesitate to come and join us. There will always be an inspiring and fruitful Q and A session.

With my best wishes, see you soon,
Klaus Larres

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Book Signing


From: William Sommers bsommers@earthlink.net
Date: 10 June 2017 at 14:08

Hi Everyone!!

Well the day has finally come – it’s tomorrow here in Fearrington Village at McIntyre’s Bookstore.

My Dad, William A. Sommers, has finished his wonderful new book “Foreign Vistas” and he’ll be signing copies tomorrow Sunday June 11 at 2pm at McIntyre’s Bookstore in Fearrington Village.
Please Join Us!!!

DATE: Sunday, June 11, 2017
TIME: 2pm in the afternoon
PLACE: McIntyre’s Bookstore in Fearrington Village

Light Refreshments, plenty of excellent wine from VINO’S in Pittsboro, and fun goodies, plus books galore in a fabulous literary environment, and hosted by two of the coolest and most knowledgeable booksellers in this sector of our Galaxy: Mssrs. Pete Monk and Mouse Monk.

Take the plastic off the sofa, gas up the Ford, polish up your two tones...

This book, Foreign Vistas, is a collections of stories and articles my Dad has written over the past 50 years and published in the American Foreign Service Journal. One of Kennedy’s young “Best and Brightest”, my Dad joined the State Department’s newly created USAID in the early 60s and served in Saigon, Bangkok, Manila and then Cairo, Jakarta, Krakow... at least the locations we can talk about.

These stories are his observations, historical writings, thoughts and letters of a half century of service in some of the most di cult, dangerous and challenging situations imaginable.
So come on by, meet my Dad, who at 90 is anxious to share this literary gem...


Wednesday, June 7, 2017

2017 CFFS Potluck Social

Ambassador Brenda Schoonover hosted the CFFS Potluck Social at her home in Chapel Hill. Nearly 50 CFFS members gathered there Saturday, 27 May 2017 and enjoyed delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts contributed by the attendees. Musical entertainment was provided by Autumn Rainy.





















Monday, June 5, 2017

Invitation from International Focus of North Carolina

 

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS OF NORTH CAROLINA
in partnership with GO GLOBAL NC

Invites you to the monthly Citizen Diplomacy Series with an

IVLP Delegation of European Policymakers
Studying “U.S. Foreign Policy”

Date: TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM

RSVP by June 15 to:


Location:
North Carolina Farm Bureau
5301 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612


Come, connect and mingle with new people and learn about issues happening around the world!

​BEST WISHES!​

Leila Bekri 
Director
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) by the U.S. Department of State
International Focus, Inc.
919-782-0552  lbekri@internationalfocusnc.org   www.internationalfocusnc.org

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Richard Webber

It is with great sadness that we announce that our long-time member, Richard Webber, age 85, of Chapel Hill, NC departed this life on Thursday, April 27, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Buffie Webber of the home; his son, Casey Webber of Washington, DC and his brother, Donald Webber of Sun City, CA.

Friday, May 19, 2017

CFFS Luncheon on 28 April 2017

Members of the Carolina Friends of the Foreign Service and their guests attended a luncheon on Tuesday, 31 January 2017 at the University Club in Durham.

Our speaker was 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 was Changing Demographic Trends and their Impact on Israeli Domestic and Foreign Policies.

Many Thanks to Betsy and H.R. Malpass for the photos.