Community Series

In cooperation with community partners, the Council provides expert speakers, varied panels, and timely discussions on current affairs through a variety of formats and venues.

Library Programs

This series of community programs is designed to bring important international dialogue to the broader Pittsburgh community.  Past program themes have included "The Global Poverty Gap," "Expanding Freedom and Promoting Democracy," and "International Security Challenges." Participating libraries include Peters Township Public Library, Mt. Lebanon Public Library, and Upper St. Clair Public Library.

Dr. Sky Foerster, President of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, presents to Mrs. Pier Lee, Director, Peters Township Public Library, and Mr. Lloyd E. Roessler, Chair, Peters Township Public Library Board of Directors a certificate thanking the Library for its outstanding partnership in promoting educational programs on world affairs in the Peters Township community.
 
For details on the participating libraries, please visit the Peters Township Public Library, Mt. Lebanon Public Library and Upper Saint Clair Township Library web sites.

2008 International Affairs Series at Peters Township Public Library
Looking to the Future: the U.S. and the World

In fall 2008, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh looks forward to continuing its five-year partnership with the Peters Township Public Library. The International Affairs Series, hosted by Peters Township Public Library, provides the community with the opportunity to discuss important international issues that impact the world around us.

This year’s series opened with a program on September 11, 2008. Dr. Sky Foerster, host of the Pittsburgh Global Press Conference on KQV radio and President of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, discussed  "Seven Years After: The Shape of our World" on the anniversary of the events of 9/11/2001.

This series brings experts in the areas of security, foreign policy, and world affairs to the Peters Township community.  Past speakers have included former Ambassadors, expert military personnel, academic scholars, and U.S. Department of State officials. The programs generally draw a large crowd and include students from the local high school. 

As Peters Township resident Mark Redilla has stated, “There is simply no substitute for the opportunity to hear a bona fide expert in a particular field share their knowledge of global events with our students firsthand.”

Another Peter’s Township resident who frequently attends these programs stated, "[These programs] offer township residents a personal window on the world.  We look through this window through the eyes of the speakers who come to the township and discuss a broad range of subjects.  Most of the speakers have studied the subject matter over a career in academia or lived the subject in a military career.  The programs provide invaluable insights," says George Dvorznak.

The library was recognized in 2006 by the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh for the series and awarded a “Certificate of Appreciation” commending the Library Board of Directors and staff of for “their vision, energy, dedication, and sustained support of a model collaboration in the interests of civic education and community engagement in the critical affairs of our nation.”  In 2007, Peters Township Public Library was presented with a “Marketing for Lifelong Learning Award” by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Bureau of Library Development, in part as recognition for the International program series hosted at the library. For the past two years, the series has been supported by a grant from the Veterans of Foreign Wars McMurray Post 764. The grant covers the honorarium provided to the speakers.

You can also visit the Peters Township Public Library web site at www.ptlibrary.org for dates and times of future programs.