International Relations Council

The International Relations Council (IRC) is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) non-partisan educational organization in Kansas City, Missouri, and a member of the World Affairs Councils of America. As an educational nonprofit, the IRC works in partnership with a range of businesses, universities, community organizations, K-12 schools, and other interested individuals to grow a global perspective and find international connections within the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area.[2] The IRC works to foster interest in and understanding of international affairs among the citizens of Kansas City through the development of various programs and events. As a membership organization, the IRC welcomes individuals and families, businesses, universities, and other organizations to join as IRC members in order to help sustain global-affairs education in the Kansas City community and receive various benefits.

International Relations Council logo[1]

History

The International Relations Council was founded in late December 1954 by Eliot Berkley, who served as executive director of the IRC for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC.[2] After graduating from Harvard University in 1947, Eliot earned an M.A. (1949) and Ph.D. (1952) from Princeton University. Returning to his hometown, Eliot taught history and government at the University of Kansas City, now UMKC. He then taught social science at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he later served as vice president for development from 1960 to 1961 and dean of the college from 1961 to 1965. As an advocate of citizen involvement in the foreign policy process, Dr. Berkley served as executive director of the International Relations Council for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC. For many years, his wife Marcia worked side by side with Eliot, hosting dinners and meetings in their home. Eliot died in 2012 but is still remembered fondly by business, community, and academic leaders » for his inspirational passion for global issues.[2]

The IRC welcomed Eleanor Roosevelt as its first speaker in January 1955. Since then, a wide range of legislators, professors, journalists, diplomats, and other global-affairs experts have visited Kansas City to share their perspective and expertise. These notable guests include Henry Kissinger (1975), Jim Lehrer (1986), Robert J. Eaton (1993), Madeleine Albright (2006), Condoleezza Rice (2010), and Janet Napolitano (2014).[2]

Since its beginning, the IRC has grown from a small "kitchen table" gathering to an educational organization with a large number of Kansas City area members. With Matthew Hughes serving as the current executive director, the IRC warmly welcomes involvement in IRC events and programs from citizens of the Greater Kansas City area.

Leadership

CEO/Executive Director (July 2016 – Present)

Matthew Hughes

Program Manager

Evan Verploegh

Education Outreach Coordinator VISTA

Natalie Friend

2022 Board Officers[3]

Dr. Karenbeth G. Zacharias - President

Andrea Allison-Putman - First Vice President

Dr. Michael Makara - Second Vice President

Aaron J. Mann - Secretary

David B. Au - Treasurer

Board Members

Christina Arnone, Michelle Arthington, Dr. Charles A. S. Bankart, Anna Bazan-Munguia, Narbeli Galindo, Philip Gaskin, Nicole Gresham Perry, Kelvin Igumbor, Frank J. Klimas, Nancy C. Messer, Shahid S. Qadri, Dr. Usha Saha, Dave Saunders, Herb Sih, Jorge Soberón Hernández, Stephen Steigman, Paul Weida


2022 Advisory Directors

Kirk Doan, Holly Nielsen, Cyprienne Simchowitz, Mike Wood

Finances

The IRC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is funded almost entirely by memberships, both individual and corporate, donations, program fees and some small grants.[4] Memberships can be purchased on an annual basis. IRC members receive free admission to most IRC events. IRC member universities & corporations can also attend select events.

Programs

Eliot S. Berkley Lectures

The Eliot S. Berkley Lecture was founded in 1996 and brought an expert in foreign policy and global affairs to the Kansas City area. The lecture was established through the Berkley Endowment to honor the IRC’s founder and his decades of service and to provide a platform for engaging community members in understanding critical global issues. Past Berkley lecturers include former U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford (2014), Gerald Seib (2011), The Honorable Thomas R. Pickering (2005), and Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. (1998).[5]

List of past Eliot S. Berkley Lectures
  • 2020 Dr. Paul Salem President of the Middle East Institute
  • 2019 Ambassador Paula Dobriansky Senior Fellow in the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard's JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
  • 2018 Kate Charlet Director Technology and International Affairs Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
  • 2017 Evans Revere Former U.S. Diplomat and Former CEO of the Korea Society
  • 2016 Col. Nicolas Auboin French Liaison Officer for the Combined Arms Center
  • 2015 Deana Arsenian Vice President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York
  • 2014 Robert Ford Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria
  • 2013 Daniel Markey Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of No Exit from Pakistan
  • 2012 Charles Kupchan Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor at Georgetown University
  • 2011 Gerald Seib Washington Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal
  • 2010 George Friedman Founder and CEO of STRATFOR
  • 2009 Dr. Allison Stanger Russell Leng Professor of International Politics and Economics and Director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs at Middlebury College
  • 2007 Walter Russell Mead Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. foreign policy, Council on Foreign Relations
  • 2006 Dr. George Rupp President and CEO, International Rescue Committee
  • 2005 The Honorable Thomas R. Pickering Former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Nigeria, El Salvador, Israel, United Nations, India, Russia
  • 2004 The Honorable Lawrence J. Korb Senior Fellow, American Progress and Senior Advisor, Center for Defense Information
  • 2003 James Fallows National Correspondent, Atlantic Monthly
  • 2002 The Honorable Marc Grossman Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
  • 2001 The Honorable Princeton N. Lyman Former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
  • 2000 The Honorable Frank G. Wisner Vice Chairman, American International Group
  • 1999 Hodding Carter III Journalist, Assistant Secretary of State for Carter Administration
  • 1998 Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • 1997 "Mid-Point in the Legacy" Conference and Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan
  • 1996 The Honorable Jack F. Matlock, Jr. Former U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union

IRC Networking Hours

IRC Networking Hours give IRC members and friends the chance to get to know each other and to learn about international opportunities in the IRC organizational partners' many different professional fields.[6] The first IRC Networking Hour of 2017 took place on March 22, where attendees took a visit to Burns & McDonnell, an engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with both domestic and international projects. On August 2, attendees learned about the nationwide work of Commerce Bank and had plenty of time to network. At the final IRC Networking Hour of 2017 on October 9, attendees had a chance to meet employees of Bio-Microbics, a manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems with over 60,000 installations in over 70 countries. The IRC sees great value in allowing members of the Kansas City community the chance to network with internationally interested organizations, as it creates opportunities for further global connections within Kansas City.

IRC Lecture Series

IRC Lecture Series bring dignitaries, foreign-policy experts, and regional leaders together to discuss, debate, and engage the Kansas City area community in issues of international scope and local relevance. [7]

Some of the IRC's recent programs include:

  • Where Does Venezuela Go From Here? with David Smolansky, the youngest mayor in Venezuela's history, living in exile since September 2017
  • An Evening with H.E. Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Amb. of Pakistan to the U.S.
  • Populism and Nationalism on the Rise: A German Perspective with Stefan Schlüter

Speakers Bureau

The International Relations Council's Speakers Bureau is a collection of IRC members willing to share their expertise and experiences with the Greater Kansas City area. Speakers have knowledge of the historical and contemporary aspects of specific countries, foreign policy, geography, and culture. The members of the Bureau don’t charge a fee for their speaking time and are available to the Greater Kansas City area (but it is ultimately their decision where to travel).[8]

Great Decisions

Great Decisions is a program produced by the Foreign Policy Association and offered in Kansas City through the IRC. Across Kansas and Missouri, people participating in Great Decisions gather in homes, libraries, and community centers to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our world. Groups receive and study Great Decisions briefing books, which are well-researched, written materials that help guide discussion throughout the year. Each discussion is led by a Discussion Group Leader. However, participants play the most important role, and their interest, enthusiasm, and commitment ultimately determine the success of the group. Each participant's point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. The topics change annually, and these discussions strengthen people's understanding of global issues and build connections in the Kansas City community.[9]

News & Views

News & Views, a conversation-based series from the International Relations Council, brings together a small group of community members for respectful, substantive discussion around one of that week’s top international news stories. Facilitated by a member or friend of the International Relations Council, the group meets in different informal settings around town, like a happy hour on the Country Club Plaza, or on Zoom for a guided conversation about a topic and articles that participants review in advance.[10]

Global Affairs Book Club

The Global Affairs Book Club gives participants the opportunity to discuss foreign affairs, global topics, authors' perspectives, historical events, and their current local relevance in a respectful, engaging setting. Convened by seasoned Great Decisions leader Jack McLaren, the group meets every six to eight weeks to dig into a different author's work. Recent books discussed include Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World by Fareed Zakaria, We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled by Wendy Pearlman, and Modi and the Reinvention of Indian Foreign Policy by Ian Hall.[11]

Choices Election Issues Series

In the eight weeks leading up to November 3, 2020, the International Relations Council offered a series of insightful conversations with notable experts on foreign policy issues relevant to the 2020 U.S. presidential election and what comes next. Rather than advocate a particular approach or outcome, the nonpartisan Choices series informed voters through a presentation of historical context and a detailed examination of the foreign policy platforms of the major-party candidates. Topics included Tariffs and Trade with Amb. Ron Kirk, The Transatlantic Relationship with Erik Brattberg, and Peace in the Middle East with Amb. Frank G. Wisner.[12]

Lexicon Language Intros

The International Relations Council's Lexicon Language Intro program is a weekly digital interactive program introducing participants to a new language. Each week, IRC members and friends offer some history and context on a different language, let participants sample the look and sounds of the language, and provide information on where participants can experience more of the language and the cultures it represents. Recent programs include Armenian with Armen Babajanian, Swahili with Wasim Khan, and Norwegian with Lise Falskow.[13]

School Programs

The IRC devotes a large portion of its resources to programs for teachers and students. IRC programs aim to promote global and cross-cultural awareness and to inspire a passion for international studies.

Eliot S. Berkley Award

Each year, in memory of the IRC founder and longtime executive director, Eliot S. Berkley, the International Relations Council presents this award to an exceptional high-school junior or senior who has demonstrated superior academic interest and competence in international studies.[14] Finalists are selected by a committee of IRC members. After personal interviews with the finalists, the winner is selected and is presented an inscribed award and a $500 scholarship at an IRC fall event.[15]

Academic WorldQuest

Each year since 2006, the IRC has offered high-school students the chance to showcase their knowledge of world affairs, geography, history, and current events at this event. Each Greater Kansas City area high school may enter one team of four students plus a faculty sponsor, and participation is entirely cost-free. The winning team will receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the students and their sponsor to represent Kansas City in the national Academic WorldQuest competition.[16] WorldQuest is a copyrighted program of the World Affairs Councils of America and approximately 4,000 students across the country participate in competitions hosted by over 40 local World Affairs Councils in 26 states.[17]

International Classroom Partnership Program (ICPP)

The ICPP is a program which sends international students from several Kansas City area colleges and universities to visit elementary schools to share their life and culture with school children. International college students share facts about their home countries' language, dress, and etiquette with American students. The program aims to dispel stereotypes of other nations while sparking an interest in foreign languages and cultures in elementary-aged children. The International Classroom Partnership Program ended in 2010.

Global Honors Evening

In 1984, the IRC began its annual Awards Banquet, now known as the Global Honors Evening. Each year, the IRC recognizes individuals or organizations for various contributions – to foreign policy and global affairs, international commerce, or the Kansas City community. The IRC awards the Distinguished Service Award for International Statesmanship to an individual who has made outstanding contributions in international commerce, diplomacy, education or understanding and who has a connection to Missouri or Kansas. The IRC also presents awards for Contributions to International Commerce and/or Community Service and for Academic Leadership. The 2020 Global Honors Evening was placed on hold due to COVID-19.[18]

Distinguished Service Award for International Statesmanship

Award for Academic Leadership

Award for Contributions to International Commerce and/or Community Service
  • 2019 Swope Health, Jeron Ravin, president and CEO, accepting
  • 2018 City of Kansas City, Missouri, Scott Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem, accepting
  • 2017 Greater Kansas City Consular Corps, Dean Harry McLear, accepting
  • 2016 A. Zahner Company Robert Zahner, Senior Vice President, accepting
  • 2015 Henry Bloch Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of H&R Block
  • 2014 Julián Zugazagoitia President and CEO of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
  • 2013 R. Crosby Kemper III Executive Director of the Kansas City Public Library
  • 2012 Sporting Kansas City Greg Cotton, Chief of Staff, accepting
  • 2011 Consul Jacob Prado Consul General of Mexico at Kansas City
  • 2010 Seaboard Corporation Robert Steer, Senior Vice President and CFO, accepting
  • 2009 Danny O'Neill President and Owner, the Roasterie
  • 2008 Len Rodman President, Chairman, and CEO, Black & Veatch
  • 2004 Consul General Takao Shibata Consulate General of Japan at Kansas City
  • 2004 Benny Lee Chairman and CEO, Top Innovations, Inc.
  • 2003 Dr. Min H. Kao President and CEO, Garmin International; Co-founder and co-chairman, Garmin Corporation
  • 2002 Michael R. Haverty Chairman, President and CEO, Kansas City Southern Industries
  • 2001 Lillian Gonzalez Pardo, M.D. Medical Director, TEVA Neuroscience; Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology, KU Medical Center; President, Filipino Cultural Center Foundation
  • 2000 Dr. Richard W. Harriman Founder and Director, Harriman Arts Program, William Jewell College
  • 1999 Jeffrey W. Colyer Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center
  • 1998 John P. McMeel Chairman, Andrews McMeel Universal
  • 1997 Stanley H. Durwood Chairman and CEO, AMC Theatres.
  • 1996 Anne and Norman Burkart President and Director, Language Link
  • 1995 William D. Chapman President, Butler International
  • 1994 Lawrence D. Starr President and CEO, Koch Supplies.
  • 1993 Gary B. Morsch, M.D. Founder and Chairman, Heart to Heart International
  • 1992 Morton I. Sosland Chairman, Sosland Publishing
  • 1991 Robert A. Cushman President, ARMCO Worldwide Grinding Systems; Vice President, ARMCO Inc.
  • 1990 James L. Rainey President and CEO, Farmland Industries
  • 1989 William T. Esrey President and CEO, United Telecom and Sprint
  • 1988 John T. Pierson, Jr. President, PRECO Industries
  • 1987 Heinz K. Wehner Group Vice President and General Manager, Agricultural Chemical Division, Mobay Corp.
  • 1986 Allen M. Acheson President, Black & Veatch International
  • 1985 Stanley A. Hamilton President, Hallmark International; Honorary British Consul
  • 1985 James E. Burke Late Honorary Consul of Japan
  • 1984 Rod Turnbull Director of Public Affairs, Kansas City Board of Trade

Affiliations

The International Relations Council is one of more than 90 organizations in the U.S. affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA). WACA is the largest non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to fostering grassroots understanding of and engagement in international affairs.[2]

References
  1. "International Relations Council". www.irckc.org. Archived from the original on 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
  2. "International Relations Council: Who We Are". International Relations Council. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  3. "IRC Board of Directors". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  4. Greater Kansas City Community Foundation International Relations Council Profile Archived 2010-08-20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on Sept. 14th, 2009.
  5. "IRC Berkley Lecture". International Relations Council. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  6. "IRC Networking Hour". International Relations Council. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  7. "IRC Lecture Series". International Relations Council. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  8. "IRC Speakers Bureau". International Relations Council. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  9. "International Relations Council: Great Decisions". International Relations Council. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  10. "News & Views". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12.
  11. "Global Affairs Book Club". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02.
  12. "Choices: Foreign Policy Issues in the 2020 Election". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on 2021-02-07.
  13. "Lexicon: Bite-Size Language Intros". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on 2023-05-02.
  14. "IRC Eliot S. Berkley Award". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  15. Shawnee Mission School District SM South senior earns $500 award for international issues Archived 2023-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 12, 2013.
  16. "IRC Academic WorldQuest". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  17. Fox 4 News Academic WorldQuest champions Archived 2013-05-08 at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 12, 2013.
  18. "Global Honors Evening". International Relations Council. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  19. Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Kansas City Director General Jack J.C. Yang attends the 2012 Annual Awards Banquet held by International Relations Council in Kansas City Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 13, 2013.
  20. Imprint Express Bergrud MCs International Relations Council awards banquet Archived 2013-06-15 at archive.today Accessed June 12, 2013.
  21. Wood, Mike. "KC Plays a Leading Role on the International Stage." The Kansas City Star July 12, 2008.
  22. Canon, Scott."Danforth envisions a crisis coalition"The Kansas City Star December 14, 2005.
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