The International Affairs Council (IAC) brings people from all over the world face-to-face with citizens in our North Carolina communities. Whether they are discussing economic development, local governance, biotechnology, the Friday night hockey game or any topic, they are connecting on a human level. As heads of state come and go and political rhythms change, these relationships at the grassroots level can make all the difference to define the United States' - and North Carolina's - place in the world.

Citizen of the World

Join us November 2, 2012, at the IAC's 18th Annual Citizen of the World Gala Award Dinner! We'll gather at the Umstead Hotel and Spa (Cary, NC) to celebrate our 2012 Citizen of the World honoree, Mr. Rye Barcott, co-founder of Carolina for Kibera.

Click here for more details, including tickets and sponsorship information.

IAC Welcomes New Executive Director

After a national search, the IAC Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of a new executive director, Joe Mosnier. A passionate supporter of global engagement and citizen diplomacy, Joe holds a Ph.D. in U.S. history from UNC-Chapel Hill, where for many years he led innovative academic programming, scholarly research, and related fundraising efforts, and where he collaborated enthusiastically with visiting international scholars. Most recently, Joe completed major projects in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals and for the Smithsonian Institution. A lifelong international explorer, Joe has worked, consulted, and traveled in thirty countries.

Make a Difference

Join the global dialogue right here in North Carolina. Meet leaders from around the world and connect with those in your own community. Make a difference. Join or donate today.

"It would seem self-evident that efforts to nurture and support emerging democracies around the world can only be in the best interest of good government and a better future for all. I was particularly impressed with Mr. Mustafa's desire to understand our system of government and its many facets of local, state and federal responsibilities. I have received a number of visitors from around the globe here at Triangle J, but Mr. Mustafa's visit was especially interesting."
-Dee Freeman, Triangle J Council of Governments

Arriving Visitors

Near East "Peace & Stability through Conflict Resolution"
Armenia “The Legal Framework for NGOs & Public-Private Partnership in the US”
United Kingdom “Foreign Policy, American Political, Judicial & Social Structures”

Upcoming Events

Get Involved

Community Calendar

May, 2013

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World News

Afghan Mineral Treasures Stay Buried, Hostages To Uncertainty

French President Signs Same-Sex Marriage Into Law

Toronto Mayor Blames Newspaper For Cocaine Video

Need A Tattoo Translated? Forget The British Foreign Office

Architect Of Argentina's 'Dirty War' Dies In Prison

Recent News

Youth Leadership Program with Central Europe

In 2013, the IAC will coordinate a second year of the Youth Leadership Program with Central Europe (YLPCE), a program funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Meridian International Center. YLPCE brings high school-aged young adults from Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia to meet peers in the U.S. to build cultural bridges and work together to enhance their leadership skills to solve community problems. Each year, a delegation of thirty-six youth and adults makes an extended visit to the U.S. in July; half of this group visits the Research Triangle region, the other half Kansas City. In turn, North Carolina and Kansas City each sends a group of four young adults and one adult mentor on a reciprocal visit to Central Europe in August. Through carefully tailored experiences, all participants gain leadership skills and plan specific action plans to implement in their home communities.

Get involved! Are you a youth leader interested in traveling to meet peers in Central Europe? The IAC is now inviting applications from interested high school sophomores and juniors from North Carolina for YLPCE 2013. There is no cost to participate. Learn more.

Ukrainian Delegation

IAC recently hosted a delegation of lawyers from Ukraine. The group had many different interests but some common themes included human rights and comparison of the US and Ukrainian justice systems. The delegates stayed with host families and had a full agenda which included meetings with appellate judges, the attorney general of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, US Representative Brad Miller, Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison, as well as visits to Duke Law School, the North Carolina Justice Center, the Wake County Courthouse, and the North Carolina Bar.

New Fall Interns

IAC welcomes its Fall 2012 interns, Ian, Cindy, and Forrest.

Ian Shearer is a Senior pursuing a degree in International Studies at North Carolina State University. He has spent seventeen months in China as both a high school and university student. His interests include languages and linguistics, the outdoors and music.

Cindy Xu is a second-year graduate student at North Carolina State University. She was born and raised in China and is currently pursing a master's degree in International Studies. She is interested in a variety of issues, including intercultural communication, international development, and human rights. As a travel enthusiast, Cindy has visited nineteen countries.

Forrest Stagner has obtained a Master of International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina State University. He studied abroad in Botswana in 2011 in pursuit of a career in international development. Forrest is an avid runner and hopes to join the Peace Corps by the summer of 2013.

IAC Planning for 2013

IAC is planning for its international visitor programming for the upcoming year. We anticipate more than 60 international visitor delegations through programs including the International Visitor Leadership Program (funded through the Department of State), Open World (funded through the United States Agency for International Development), and others. We are also planning the regional WorldQuest competition for February and are looking to expand our home hospitality programs.

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors