BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council - ECPv6.14.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://secwac.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20230312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20231105T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250618T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250618T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250320T193149Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T164418Z UID:2247-1750267800-1750273200@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Manizha Wafeq on "How Supporting Afghan Women Makes America Safer\, Stronger\, and More Prosperous" DESCRIPTION:How Supporting Afghan Women Makes America Safer\, Stronger\, and More Prosperous\nWho: Manizha Wafeq\, Co-founder & President of Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry \nWhen: Wednesday June 18\, 2025 – 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation \nWhere: Old Lyme Country Club \nAbout the Speaker: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nManizha Wafeq an Afghan-American\, is an International Development expert focused on the economic empowerment of women and girls. She has been a strong policy advocate and speaker on women’s rights topics. Her persistent advocacy work led to the creation of the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI). Her influential lobbying skills resulted in the approval of several policy recommendations\, including the 5% preferential clause in the government’s national procurement procedure and the allocation of 15-25% of industrial parks’ land to small\, medium\, and women-owned businesses in the national industrial park policy before the Taliban takeover in 2021. With over 20 years of experience in development\, she has positively impacted the lives of thousands of women. In her role as Program Director and trainer for the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program\, she has directly trained and mentored over 800 women from more than 17 provinces in the last 19 years. She founded the Bibi Khadija Award\, an annual award honoring successful businesswomen and role models in Afghanistan. The award is named after the Prophet Mohammad’s wife\, who was the first Muslim woman trader. Furthermore\, she established a nonprofit and an online sales portal\, madebyafghanwomen.com\, to support Afghan businesswomen after the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. She has received several awards\, including the Enterprising Women Magazine’s Advocacy and Leadership Award\, the Leadership Award from the National Business Association of the US\, and the Young Activist Award from the Afghan Women’s Network and the Afghan Parliament. She also won the award for the best membership services and entrepreneurship development of SMEs at the 11th World Chambers Congress. She holds an MBA from the American University of Afghanistan and is the mother of 10-year-old Tasnim. Recently\, she co-curated an Afghan women’s global business forum in Washington\, D.C.\, bringing Afghan women entrepreneurs from the diaspora in the US\, Europe\, and Canada to discuss business opportunities with Afghan women inside the country. \n  \n\n\n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-manizha-wafeq-on-womens-rights-in-afghanistan/ LOCATION:Old Lyme Country Club\, 40 McCurdy Rd\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T184258Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T184258Z UID:2178-1750183200-1750188600@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday June 17\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead \nAuthor: Daniel Kurtzer \nThe war in Gaza has brought the region to a crossroads. What are the possible outcomes of the war\, and how might the United States use its influence to shape a long-term settlement that leaves both Israel and the Palestinians in a better position? How might Arab states in the wider region be brought into a settlement? What are America’s interests in the Middle East and how can it advance them? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-american-foreign-policy-in-the-middle-east-taking-stock-and-looking-ahead/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250603T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250603T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T183933Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T184050Z UID:2175-1748973600-1748979000@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - AI and American National Security DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday June 3\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: AI and American National Security \nAuthor: Julie George \nThe AI revolution is the leading edge of a larger high-tech revolution which promises to transform the world. Experts argue that international cooperation is needed to expand the opportunities these new technologies hold while protecting societies from their dangers. What are the key policy debates in this area\, and what are the opportunities and limits on global AI rules of the road? How will the AI revolution impact American national security? What are its policy options to secure the benefits of AI and guard against its dangers? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-ai-and-american-national-security/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250513T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250513T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T183714Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T183714Z UID:2172-1747159200-1747164600@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - The Future of NATO and European Security DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday May 13\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: The Future of NATO and European Security \nAuthor: Kori Schake \nEuropean security is more uncertain than it has been for decades. Putin’s Russia has launched a war with Ukraine on its doorstep\, and America’s uncertain role as leader of NATO and security provider has been called into question with the failure of Congress to pass supplemental military support for Ukraine. What are Europe’s options\, and how might developments on both sides of Western Europe – in Ukraine and across the Atlantic – impact its choices? What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas? \n  \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-the-future-of-nato-and-european-security/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250507T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250507T180000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250313T185729Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250415T195346Z UID:2231-1746633600-1746640800@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Monica Duffy Toft on "Dying by the Sword: The Militarization of U.S. Foreign Policy" DESCRIPTION:09/24/2024 Fletcher School\, Tufts University- Medford\, MA.Monica Toft poses for a headshot at the Fletcher School at Tufts University on Tuesday\, September 24\, 2024\nDying by the Sword: The Militarization of U.S. Foreign Policy\nWho: Monica Dufy Toft\, Ph.D. \nWhen: May 7\, 2025 – 4:30pm Reception | 5:00pm Presentation | 6:30pm Post-Presentation Dinner \nWhere: Essex Yacht Club \nAbout the Speaker: \nMonica Duffy Toft is Academic Dean and Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Before joining Fletcher\, Professor Monica Duffy Toft taught at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. While at Harvard\, she directed the Initiative on Religion in International Affairs and was the assistant director of the John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies. She was educated at the University of Chicago (MA and Ph.D. in political science) and at the University of California\, Santa Barbara (BA in political science and Slavic languages and literature\, summa cum laude). Prior to this\, she spent four years in the United States Army as a Russian linguist. Monica’s areas of research include international security\, ethnic and religious violence\, civil wars\, and demography. \n  \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/monicaduffytoft_foreign_policy/ LOCATION:Essex Yacht Club\, 13 Novelty Lane\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250422T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250422T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T183503Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T183503Z UID:2170-1745344800-1745350200@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - International Cooperation on Climate Change DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday April 22\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: International Cooperation on Climate Change \nAuthor: Josh Busby \nThe 2015 Paris Agreement established a UN-sponsored framework for negotiations on climate change and global warming. In subsequent COP meetings\, experts and political leaders have come together seeking common cause for this growing global crisis. What is the future of these efforts\, and what have they yielded? What is the U.S. role in fostering cooperation on climate change? In a divided country\, what are the possible futures for American policy leadership? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-international-cooperation-on-climate-change/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250313T191450Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T135816Z UID:2237-1744306200-1744311600@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC presents: David Hess on "Burnin' Down the House: The Unexpected End to a Career in USAID" DESCRIPTION:Burnin’ Down the House: The Unexpected End to a Career in USAID\nOn April 10\, SECWAC member David Hess will share stories of the best and worst of his 48 year engagement with USAID and review what has been lost with its destruction. \nWho: David Hess\, Ph.D.\, Former USAID Foreign Service Employee \nWhen: Thursday\, April 10\, 2025 – 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:30pm Post-Presentation Dinner \nWhere: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nAbout the Speaker: \nMy houseIs out of the ordinaryThat’s rightDon’t wanna hurt nobodySome things sure can sweep me off my feetBurning down the house* \nDavid Hess is the son of Federal bureaucrats. Under the Marshall Plan\, his Father negotiated the first U.S. foreign assistance programs directly with Emperor Haile Selassie in 1948. When David arrived in the Bolivian jungle in 1977 to study Bolivian peasant farmer migrants settling that country’s Eastern agricultural frontier for his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology\, he landed in the middle of a USAID project where U.S. taxpayers were funding roads\, water wells\, and help for the pioneer communities with health and agricultural extension services. Three years later\, David swore to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution as he joined USAID’s branch of the Foreign Service. He served in USAID’s regional office for West Africa living in the Ivory Coast\, and then in bilateral country offices in Peru\, Bolivia\, Guinea\, India\, Rwanda\, and Mozambique. After retirement from the Foreign Service he continued to work with USAID\, including a two year resident contract with USAID/Tanzania. He thought he was blissfully retired in bucolic Connecticut when he was recruited and hired to lead USAID/Tanzania’s project that helped the Agency monitor program progress\, evaluate effects and defects\, and learn and adapt to achieve greater impact with U.S. taxpayer dollars. He and his wife Donna flew out on January 20\, 2025 to land in Dar es Salaam to begin the two year engagement. The new U.S. administration froze all USAID and other foreign assistance on January 24. David’s contract was soon terminated “for the convenience of the government” along with over 5\,000 contracts\, grants\, and cooperative agreements that funded implement partners to save lives\, monitor disease outbreaks\, teach farming\, feed starving refugees and other desperately poor\, improve education\, and strengthen democratic institutions in over 100 countries. Since 1961\, USAID was a critical tool in U.S. foreign policy called the third leg of a stool along with diplomacy and defense. It now appears irrevocably destroyed as the first target of the Trump/Musk juggernaut. \n* Talking Heads. Songwriters: David Byrne / Tina Weymouth / Jerry Harrison / Chris Franz.  1983. \n  \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-david-hess-on-burnin-down-the-house-the-unexpected-end-to-a-career-in-usaid/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250408T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250408T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T182515Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T183318Z UID:2168-1744135200-1744140600@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - India: Between China\, the West\, and the Global South DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday April 8\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: India: Between China\, the West\, and the Global South \nAuthor: Leslie Vinjamuri \nIndia is an emerging major power in world affairs\, occupying a pivotal position between China\, the United States\, and the Global South. Its population size\, economy\, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States\, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-india-between-china-the-west-and-the-global-south/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250327T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250327T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250123T152459Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250228T193620Z UID:2197-1743096600-1743102000@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Charles Trueheart on "Diplomats at War: Friendship and Betrayal on the Brink of the Vietnam Conflict" DESCRIPTION:  \n \n\nDiplomats at War: Friendship and Betrayal on the Brink of the Vietnam Conflict\nBefore it spread into a tragic war that defined a generation\, the conflict in Vietnam smoldered as a guerrilla insurgency and a diplomatic nightmare. Into this volatile country stepped Frederick “Fritz” Nolting\, the US ambassador\, and his second-in-command\, William “Bill” Trueheart\, immortalized in David Halberstam’s landmark work The Best and the Brightest and accidental players in a pivotal juncture in modern US history. \nDiplomats at War is a personal memoir by former Washington Post reporter Charles Trueheart—Bill’s son and Nolting’s godson—who grew up amid the events that traumatized two families and an entire nation. The book embeds the reader at the US embassy and dissects the fateful rift between Nolting and Trueheart over their divergent assessments of the South Vietnamese regime under Ngo Dinh Diem\, who would ultimately be assassinated in a coup backed by the United States. Charles Trueheart retells the story of the United States’ headlong plunge into war from an entirely new vantage point—that of a son piecing together how his father and godfather participated in\, and were deeply damaged by\, this historic flashpoint. Their critical rupture\, which also destroyed their close friendship\, served as a dramatic preface to the United States’ disastrous involvement in the Vietnam conflict. \nWho: Charles Trueheart\, Former Washington Post Reporter and author\, in conversation with journalist\, author and Yale Law School lecturer Lincoln Caplan (http://www.lincolncaplan.com/). \nWhen: Thursday\, March 27\, 2025 – 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:30pm Post-Presentation Dinner \nWhere: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nAbout the Speaker: \nThe publication of Charles Trueheart’s Diplomats at War follows his long career as a journalist and nonprofit executive\, including fifteen years as a Washington Post correspondent and ten years as the director of the American Library in Paris. \nThe book\, which alternates between historical narrative and family memoir\, draws on the young years the author lived in Saigon\, the son of the US deputy chief of mission and the godson of the US ambassador. Trueheart’s father\, William Trueheart\, and his godfather\, Frederick Nolting\, were graduate school friends at the University of Virginia and then US Foreign Service colleagues in Paris before their assignment to Vietnam in 1961. \nTrueheart was ten at the time. After Saigon\, he went on to study at Phillips Exeter Academy and then Amherst College before embarking on a journalism career that took him from Greensboro\, North Carolina\, to Baltimore\, and to Los Angeles. In 1983\, he was named associate director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University and director of the Kennedy School’s Public Affairs Forum. In 1986\, Trueheart returned to journalism as a reporter for The Washington Post as its principal writer on books\, authors\, the publishing industry\, and literary and intellectual issues. Among the authors he interviewed and profiled for the Post were Graham Greene\, John Le Carré\, J. M. Coetzee\, John Updike\, Martin Amis\, Gore Vidal\, Doris Kearns Goodwin\, Annie Dillard\, Norman Mailer\, Anthony Powell\, and George F. Kennan. \nIn 1992\, he joined the foreign staff of the newspaper and served first as Canada correspondent and then as Paris correspondent. There he followed French politics\, culture\, and society and covered news throughout Europe\, including extensive coverage of United Nations war crimes tribunals and the war in Kosovo. After leaving the Post in 2000\, he served briefly as a counselor and speechwriter for the US ambassador to France\, Felix Rohatyn. \nIn 2007\, Trueheart was appointed director of the American Library in Paris\, a century-old cultural nexus and the largest English-language library on the European continent. The American Library in Paris Book Award\, which Trueheart founded\, now honors the best work of the year in English about France and the French. He retired in 2017 and began work on Diplomats at War. \nThroughout the last three decades\, Trueheart has written essays and book reviews for The Atlantic Monthly and The American Scholar\, among other publications. His pieces for the Atlantic include cover stories on the American megachurch movement and the war crimes tribunals in the Hague\, and for the Scholar\, retrospective essays on Lawrence Durrell and Jacques Derrida. \nCharles Trueheart\, who was born in Washington in 1951\, now divides his time between Paris and Staunton\, Virginia. He is married to Anne Swardson\, a former Washington Post correspondent and editor at Bloomberg News\, now a blogger about France and a writer of mystery fiction. They have two adult children\, Louise and Henry. \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-charles-truehart-on-diplomats-at-war-friendship-and-betrayal-on-the-brink-of-the-vietnam-conflict/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250311T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250311T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T182321Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T182321Z UID:2166-1741716000-1741721400@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - U.S.-China Relations DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday March 11\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: U.S.-China Relations \nAuthor: Thomas J. Christensen \nWashington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical challenger and\, in the eyes of many\, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations\, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-u-s-china-relations/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250226T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250226T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20241217T200118Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T154324Z UID:2154-1740592800-1740596400@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Edward Wong on "At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning with China" DESCRIPTION:At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning with China\nEdward Wong\, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times\, talks about the epic story in his new book: his father’s years posted along China’s frontiers when he was a soldier in the Chinese army under Mao; and his own journey charting China’s acceleration into hard authoritarian rule under Xi Jinping\, the current leader. Those dual narratives give us insight into the direction of China and US-China ties\, the most consequential relationship of the 21st century. At the Edge of Empire was chosen by The Washington Post as one of the best non-fiction books of 2024 and has been featured on CNN\, MSNBC\, PBS\, NPR and BBC\, and in The New York Times. \nWho: Edward Wong\, Award Winning Journalist\, Author \nWhen: Wednesday February 26\, 2025 –  6:00pm Presentation \nWhere: RJ Julia Booksellers\, Madison\, CT | PLEASE NOTE: Registration is required for all attendees: https://www.rjjulia.com/event/edward-wong-edge-empire \nAbout the Speaker: \nEdward Wong reports on diplomacy and foreign policy for The New York Times from Washington\, DC. He has worked for the Times for more than 25 years\, 13 of those as a correspondent and bureau chief in Iraq and China. He received a Livingston Award for his coverage of the Iraq War and was on a team of Pulitzer Prize finalists. He was awarded the Edward Weintal Prize from Georgetown University for diplomatic reporting and received an honorary doctorate from Middlebury Language Schools after the publication of his book. \nEdward has reported from a cruise in North Korea\, a walk through the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan\, and the final trans-Atlantic flight of the Concorde. He often travels with the U.S. secretary of state to cover diplomatic trips. \nHe has been a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and done fellowships at the Belfer Center of Harvard Kennedy School and the Wilson Center in Washington. He has taught international reporting as a visiting professor at Princeton and at the University of California at Berkeley\, where he serves on the advisory board of the graduate school of journalism. Edward graduated from the University of Virginia and has joint master’s degrees from U.C. Berkeley. \nLearn more about Edward here: \nhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602734/at-the-edge-of-empire-by-edward-wong/ \nhttps://www.nytimes.com/by/edward-wong URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-edward-wong-on-at-the-edge-of-empire/ LOCATION:RJ Julia Booksellers\, 768 Boston Post Rd\, Madison\, CT\, 06443\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250225T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250225T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T162736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T162736Z UID:2164-1740506400-1740511800@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy DESCRIPTION:  \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday\, February 25\,2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy \nAuthor: Daniel Drezner \nUnder President Biden\, the U.S. has advanced new ideas about trade\, technology\, industrial policy\, competition with China\, and the organization of the world economy. For most of the postwar era\, the U.S. has tied its global leadership to cooperative agendas aimed at creating a more open-world trading system\, but that has apparently come to an end. What are America’s options and opportunities as a leader of the world economy? How will America’s “foreign policy for the middle class” and strategic competition with China impact its leadership role? How can the postwar rules and institutions of the world economy be made safe for economic nationalism and great power competition? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-u-s-changing-leadership-of-the-world-economy/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250204T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250204T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20250108T162321Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T162321Z UID:2161-1738692000-1738697400@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2025 - American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads DESCRIPTION:SECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2025 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: February 4\, 2025  |  6pm – 7:30pm \nWhere: Essex Library Association – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads – Author: G. John Ikenberry \nThis chapter will explore the contours of the U.S. foreign policy debate as it plays out in a world of multiple and escalating crises and domestic polarization. \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2025-american-foreign-policy-at-a-crossroads/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250130T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250130T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20241121T143322Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250108T140614Z UID:2131-1738258200-1738263600@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: William J. Holstein on "U.S.-Chinese Relations: The Storm Ahead?" DESCRIPTION:  \n \n  \nU.S.-Chinese Relations: The Storm Ahead?\nAfter years of building tensions\, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to rachet up tariffs against China by up to 60 percent. American consumers and American businesses will feel the pain\, and the government of Xi Jinping will almost certainly retaliate against American interests. Xi is a Marxist nationalist\, meaning he believes that Western capitalistic democracies must be overcome. To that end\, China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Iran’s campaign to encircle Israel shows no sign of abating. China’s cyberwar against America’s Information Technology systems also has reached new heights. It is a kind of confrontation the United States has never before experienced. What is the way forward? \nWho: William  J. Holstein\, Author\, Expert on US-China relations \nWhen: Thursday January 30\, 2025 – 5:30pm reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:00pm Post-Presentation Dinner \nWhere: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nAbout the Speaker: \nWilliam J. Holstein was dispatched to Hong Kong by United Press International in 1979 and witnessed the first stirrings of China’s economic modernization in southern China. He was promoted to Beijing bureau chief and studied the Chinese language intensively. He subsequently became World Editor of Business Week magazine and either wrote for or was on staff at U.S. News & World Report\, Fortune\, The New York Times\, and Chief Executive magazine\, remaining engaged in the issues surrounding the emergence of East Asia. He is the author or co-author of 10 books\, most recently co-authoring “Battlefield Cyber: How China And Russia Are Undermining Our Democracy and National Security.” (Prometheus\, August 2023.) Another title of interest: “The New Art of War: China’s Deep Strategy Inside the United States.” (BrickTower\, 2019). \n  \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-william-j-holstein-on-u-s-chinese-relations-the-storm-ahead/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241210T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20241010T185509Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241125T175442Z UID:2119-1733851800-1733857200@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Arnon Mishkin on "The U.S. Election: Inside the Numbers Analysis" DESCRIPTION:Who: Arnon Mishkin\, Elections Analyst \nWhen: Tuesday\, December 10\, 2024 – 5:30pm reception | 6:00pm Presentation \nWhere: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nAbout Arnon: \nBuilding on over forty years of involvement in American politics\, Arnon Mishkin leads the Fox News Election Decision Team\, which is responsible for analyzing election and polling results and developing models to project election outcomes. \nFollowing the 2016 election\, Mishkin and his team\, working with the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center\, developed the Voter Analysis/AP VoteCast\, the first alternative to the Network “Exit Poll\,” conducted in all states with statewide elections. It is now regarded as a definitive\, timely snapshot of American voter attitudes. \nMishkin has taught and lectured about politics as a Resident Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics\, the USC Center for a Political Future\, and Northeastern University. \nHe got his start in politics as a protégé of David Garth of The Garth Group\, the firm known for the election of multiple governors of New York\, including Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo; New York mayors\, including John Lindsay\, Ed Koch\, Rudy Giuliani\, and Michael Bloomberg; as well as Senators John Heinz and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. The firm was known for its pioneering use of television advertising\, at a time when most campaigns relied on it minimally. \nFormerly a partner with The Boston Consulting Group\, Mishkin earned a BA from Yale University and an MBA\, with distinction\, from Harvard Business School. \n  \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-arnon-mishkin-on-the-u-s-election-inside-the-numbers-analysis/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241114T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241114T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240709T201934Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241017T180446Z UID:2042-1731607200-1731610800@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Dr. Olena Lennon on "The U.S. Election and the Russia-Ukraine War" DESCRIPTION:Presentation: How Will the Outcome of the US Presidential Election Affect the Trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine War? \nAs Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is approaching a third-year mark\, many wonder how the outcome of the US presidential election will affect the trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine war. With millions of Ukrainians displaced\, thousands killed or wounded\, and millions more continuing to endure bombardments of schools\, hospitals\, residential buildings\, and power plants\, Ukraine’s survival rests on continued western support. The talk will discuss the latest developments in the war between Ukraine and Russia and assess scenarios for resolution in the short and long term. \nAbout the Speaker: \nOlena Lennon\, Ph.D. is an Adjunct Professor of National Security at the University of New Haven\, where she teaches such courses as the U.S. Foreign & Defense Policy and International Relations. Formerly a Fulbright scholar from Ukraine\, and most recently a scholar at Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington\, D.C.\, she has dedicated her research to the study of conflict management and identity politics in eastern Europe\, focused on domestic and foreign policy of Ukraine. An eastern Ukraine native\, Dr. Lennon has been a regular participant in scholarly and media forums related to issues in Ukraine\, facilitating a more informed and objective analysis of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. She also serves as an election observer with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and has completed several election observation missions in the region. \nWhere: Old Lyme Country Club \nWhen: November 14\, 2024\, Reception: 6:00pm | Presentation: 6:30pm \n  \nPlease note a slight update in format for this event: There will be an open reception\, and discussion over hors d’oeuvres following the presentation. SECWAC is not organizing a formal dinner following the event. OLCC Members are encouraged to make a dinner reservation at the club if desired.  \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-olena-lennon-november-2024/ LOCATION:Old Lyme Country Club\, 40 McCurdy Rd\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241009T180000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240709T200854Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240926T140531Z UID:2038-1728496800-1728496800@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Aaron David Miller on "October 7 Changed Everything. What If It Didn't?" DESCRIPTION:“October 7 Changed Everything. What If It Didn’t?“ \nAs we mark the first year of the Israeli-Hamas war\, how do we assess what’s transpired for Israel\, Palestinians\, key Arab states\, Iran\, US policy and the international community. And what are the trend lines for the region\, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict\, and US policy. \nAbout the Presenter \nAARON DAVID MILLER is an American Middle East analyst\, author\, and negotiator. He is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace\, focusing on U.S. foreign policy. He previously was vice president for new initiatives at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and has been an advisor to both Republican and Democratic secretaries of state. He is a Global Affairs Analyst for CNN. \nMiller worked for the United States Department of State for 24 years (1978–2003). Between 1988 and 2003\, Miller served six secretaries of state as an advisor on Arab-Israeli negotiations\, participating in American efforts to broker agreements between Israel\, Jordan\, Syria\, and the Palestinians. He left the State Department in January 2003 to serve as president of Seeds of Peace\, an international youth organization founded in 1993. In January 2006\, Miller joined the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington\, D.C.\, first as public policy scholar\, and later as vice president for new initiatives. In 2014\, Miller published his fifth book\, The End of Greatness: Why America Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want) Another Great President. \nhttps://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/dealing-israeli-palestinian-conflict-america-has-no-easy-way-out \nWhere: Connecticut College\, and on Zoom. \nWhen: October 9\, 2024 – 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:00pm Post-Presentation Dinner \nCost: Free for Members | Non-Member Registration (In person or Zoom) – $20 \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-aaron-david-miller/ LOCATION:Connecticut College\, 270 Mohegan Ave Pkwy\, New London\, CT\, 06320 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240923 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240929 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240408T210547Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240806T143010Z UID:1945-1727049600-1727567999@secwac.org SUMMARY:Traveling with SECWAC: Ireland - CANCELED DESCRIPTION:  \n \n \n  \nTHIS TRAVEL OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN CANCELED. Please contact Paul Nugent for any further information: exhibernia@gmail.com or call 860-575-1616. \nSECWAC is a cooperating council in the Philadelphia World Affairs Council (WAC) Travel Program. Through it\, members will receive information on unique international travel opportunities organized by Philadelphia WAC. \nTo kick off this collaboration\, SECWAC’s Executive Director Paul Nugent will lead a trip to Ireland 23-28 September 2024 to explore political and social history of Ireland in the 20th and 21st centuries. The trip will include 2 days in Belfast visiting the Titanic Museum and various sites associated with the Troubles\, and then 3 days in Dublin visiting Trinity College Dublin\, the Irish Parliament\, and sites associated with the 1916 Easter Rebellion. Paul has also organized presentations by experts on Irish history\, Brexit\, and the Irish Constitution. \nPaul was born and raised in Ireland\, emigrating to the US in 1989 after completing graduate studies at University College Dublin. He has a longtime interest in Irish history and current affairs\, and has made presentations to various local libraries and organizations over the past few years on the impact of Brexit on Ireland in the context of Anglo-Irish history. \n  \nIn addition\, travelers will have the opportunity to extend their visit with a 3-day golfing trip to nearby County Wicklow. \nA summary of the trip is provided below\, and here is a link to slides providing more detail. \nIf you would like to learn more about the trip\, please contact Paul at exhibernia@gmail.com or call 860-575-1616. \n\n  \nReservation Info:\nReservations can be made through the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia website at: www.wacphila.org/tour/exclusive-world-affairs-council-tour-to-ireland. \nFind additional details on page 15 of the BROCHURE\, or by clicking on the REQUEST RESERVATION link. \n\n  \n\n\n\n\nTrip Summary\n\n\n\n\nDay 1\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nArrive in Dublin Airport\, transfer to coach and travel to Belfast.\nCheck in at the Europa Hotel.\nWalking tour of areas associated withThe Troubles (1968-1998 – https://www.belfastfreewalkingtour.com/conflicting-stories-walking-tour) in afternoon\nDinner with guest speaker (one of individuals below).\nProfessor Marie Coleman: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/marie-coleman\nProfessor Katy Hayward: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/katy-hayward\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 2\n\n\n\n\n\nVisit Titanic Museum (https://www.titanicbelfast.com/) in the morning;\nvisit Stormont Buildings (Northern Ireland Executive: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/visit-and-learning/visit/) in afternoon.\nDinner with other guest speaker\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 3\n\n\n\n \n\n\nCoach to Dublin\, check in at Buswell’s Hotel.\nVisit 14 Henrietta Street House Museum (https://14henriettastreet.ie/; article in NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/t-magazine/henrietta-street-dublin-building-history-design.html);\nin afternoon visit Kilmainham Gaol (https://www.kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie/) and do some sightseeing in vicinity of the hotel. Dinner with guest speaker (Professor Gerry Whyte\,                Trinity College Dublin\, https://www.tcd.ie/research/profiles/?profile=gwhyte)\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 4\n\n\n\n\n\nTour of Irish Government Buildings (https://www.oireachtas.ie/?tab=dail – unique opportunity for tourists\, as available only through appointment with member of parliament);\nIn the afternoon\, history walking tour of sites associated with 1916 Rebellion and Irish War of Independence (https://www.1916rising.com/cms/); visit to pub with Irish music for those interested.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 5\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVisit the General Post Office Museum (HQ of 1916 Rebellion\, https://www.anpost.com/Witness-history);\nvisit Trinity College Dublin (Book of Kells\, etc) in the afternoon\nFarewell dinner with guest (TBD).\n\n\n\n\n\nDay 6\n\n\n\n\n\nTravel to airport in the morning and depart; for those wishing to extend the visit\, opportunity to play golf or other activities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClick here for Registration Info. URL:https://secwac.org/event/traveling-with-secwac-ireland/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240918T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240918T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240709T200527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240822T125526Z UID:2033-1726680600-1726687800@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Stuart Reid on "The Lumumba Plot" DESCRIPTION:  \n \n  \nWho: Stuart Reid \nSTUART A. REID is an executive editor of Foreign  Affairs. He has written for The Atlantic\, The New York Times\, The Washington Post\, Bloomberg Businessweek\, Politico Magazine\, Slate\, and other publications. \nPresentation: “The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination”  –  A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller—about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo \nWhere: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nWhen: September 18\, 2024  |   5:30pm Annual meeting & Reception  |  6:00pm Presentation  |  7:30pm Post-presentation Dinner at Old Lyme Country Club \n  \n  URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-stuart-reid-september-2024/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240625 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240626 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240523T132038Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240618T213649Z UID:1997-1719273600-1719359999@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Mara Kardas-Nelson on "A Critical History of Microfinance" DESCRIPTION:Who: Mara Kardas-Nelson \nDate: June 25\, 2024 | Meet & Greet: 5:30pm | Presentation: 6pm | Post-Presentation Dinner with Guest Speaker: 7pm \nTopic: Journalist Mara Kardas-Nelson will speak on her just-published book “We Are Not Able to Live in the Sky: The Seductive Promise of Microfinance” (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250817228/we-are-not-able-to-live-in-the-sky)\, a deeply reported work of journalism that explores the promises and perils of Microfinance\, told through the eyes of international lenders and women borrowers in West Africa. \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access\, non-members register at the bottom of this page \nLocation:  Essex Yacht Club\, 13 Novelty Lane\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nAbout the Speaker:    \nMara Kardas-Nelson is an independent journalist focusing on international development and inequality. Her award-winning work has been supported by the international women’s media foundation\, Investigative Editors and Reporter\, the Richard J marigolds Award\, and has appeared in the new York Times\, the Nation\, the guardian\, and on NPR. Originally from the US\, she has lived in Canada\, South Africa\, and Sierra Leone. \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-mara-kardas-nelson-on-her-book-we-are-not-able-to-live-in-the-sky-a-critical-history-of-microfinance/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T200000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240528T204717Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240606T172542Z UID:2008-1718733600-1718740800@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2024: Pandemic Preparedness DESCRIPTION:  \n \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2024 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday June 18\, 2024  |  6pm \nWhere: Essex Public Library – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: Pandemic Preparedness \nLooking back at the covid-19 pandemic\, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned\, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate\, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2024-pandemic-preparedness/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240606T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240606T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240424T125735Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240520T202429Z UID:1974-1717695000-1717700400@secwac.org SUMMARY:Catherine Lutz on The Costs of War: A Public Project on the Hidden Damages of War DESCRIPTION:  \nWho: Catherine Lutz\, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs\, Brown University \nDate: June 6\, 2024 \nTopic: The Costs of War: A Public Project on the Hidden Damages of War \nThe Costs of War project conducts and publishes research to facilitate debate about the ongoing consequences of the United States post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan\, Iraq and elsewhere; the costs of the U.S. global military footprint; and the domestic effects of U.S. military spending. Created in 2010 and housed at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs\, the Costs of War project builds on the work of over 60 scholars\, experts\, human rights advocates\, and physicians from around the world. \nWe aim to raise awareness and foster discussion by providing the fullest possible account of the human\, economic\, political\, and environmental costs of U.S. militarism\, laying the foundation for better informed U.S. foreign and domestic policies. \n\nTime: 5:30pm Meet & Greet & Hors d’oeuvres | 6pm Presentation | 7:30pm Dinner at Old Lyme Country Club \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access\, non-members register at the bottom of this page \nLocation: Presentation: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme | Dinner: Old Lyme Country Club \nAbout the Speaker:    \nCatherine Lutz is a cultural anthropologist and Co-Founder of Costs of War at Brown University. She is the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Family Professor Emerita of Anthropology and International Studies\, and is the author of a number of widely read books\, including Homefront: A Military City and the American 20th Century\, Unnatural Emotions\, Reading National Geographic\, Carjacked\, and Schooled and editor of War and Health and The Empire of Bases and other work on security and militarization\, gender violence\, emotions\, photography\, education\, and transportation. She has also consulted with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations on sexual exploitation and abuse among peacekeepers and with the government of Guam on the U.S. military’s environmental and social impact. She is past president of the American Ethnological Society and has been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Radcliffe Fellow. \nLearn more about the Costs of War project at https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/. \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/catherine-lutz-the-cost-of-war/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240528T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240528T170000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240528T205104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240606T172321Z UID:2013-1716883200-1716915600@secwac.org SUMMARY:Great Decisions 2024: High Seas Treaty DESCRIPTION:  \n \nSECWAC is proud to partner with the Essex Public Library for the Foreign Policy Association’s 2024 “Great Decisions” program. \nWhen: Tuesday June 4\, 2023  |  6pm \nWhere: Essex Public Library – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426 \nTopic: High Seas Treaty \nAreas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas\, which are facing a degradation of ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities\, such as shipping\, overfishing\, pollution\, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty\, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty\, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince nations to participate? \nTo learn more about the topic\, and get up to speed with the recommended reading\, CLICK HERE. URL:https://secwac.org/event/great-decisions-2024-high-seas-treaty/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240501T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240501T183000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240301T193442Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240429T182139Z UID:1907-1714581000-1714588200@secwac.org SUMMARY:"Kennan: A Life Between Worlds"\, with Frank Costigliola DESCRIPTION:  \n \nFrank Costigliola\, distinguished professor of history\, outside Wood Hall on May 31\, 2022. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo) \n  \nWho: Frank Costigliola\, University of Connecticut \nDate: May 1\, 2024 \nTopic: “Kennan: A Life Between Worlds” \nProfessor Costigliola will speak on his recent book “Kennan: A Life Between Worlds”. As well as covering the tumultuous years of the Cold War and Kennan’s role in formulating the policy of Containment\, Costigliola will also speak to Kennan’s writings on the post-Cold War world and NATO’s expansion east. Signed copies of the book will be available for sale at the event. \nBook Reviews: \n\nFinancial Times– Kennan: A Life Between Worlds — lessons for the containment of Russia (ft.com)\nForeign Affairs Magazine– The Ghosts of George Kennan: Lessons From the Start of the Cold War (foreignaffairs.com)\n\nTime: 4:00pm Reception | 4:30pm Presentation | 6:15pm Post-meeting Dinner (Register here) \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access\, non-members register at the bottom of this page \nLocation: Wesleyan University\, Usdan University Center 300: 45 Wyllys Ave\, Middletown\, CT 06459 \nClick here for Campus Map \nAbout the Speaker: \nFrank Costigliola\, has been at UConn since 1998. His first book\, “Awkward Dominion\,” pioneered cultural considerations in foreign relations history. His second\, “France and the United States\,” explored cultural intersections in post-WWII alliances. His third\, “Roosevelt’s Lost Alliances\,” delved into personal politics shaping the Cold War’s start. \nCostigliola\, a renowned lecturer\, received fellowships from prestigious institutions\, including the Guggenheim Foundation and the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. In 2009\, he served as president for the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations. \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n  URL:https://secwac.org/event/kennan-a-life-between-worlds-frank-costigliola/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T183000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240319T191018Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240429T192631Z UID:1923-1711645200-1711650600@secwac.org SUMMARY:Visiting Ireland with SECWAC: 100+ Years of Irish History DESCRIPTION:FIND THE MOST CURRENT DETAILS ON THIS TRAVEL INITIATIVE HERE.\n \n  \nWhen: Thursday\, March 28\, 2024\, at 5pm \nWhere: Essex Library – 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT 06426\, and by Zoom (register below for link) \nAbout the Topic: \nPaul Nugent will outline plans for a new SECWAC initiative: collaborating with the Philadelphia World Affairs Council Travel Program to bring unique international travel opportunities to SECWAC members. He will also describe the first of these events: a trip to Ireland in September for which he will personally act a Tour Host. The topic will be “Partition\, The Troubles\, and Brexit: 100+ Years of Irish Social and Political History”. The trip will include 2 days in Belfast visiting the Titanic Museum and various sites associated with the Troubles\, and then 3 days in Dublin visiting Trinity College Dublin\, the Irish Parliament\, and sites associated with the 1916 Easter Rebellion. Paul has also organized presentations by experts on Irish history\, Brexit\, and the Irish Constitution. \nAbout the Presenter: \nPaul Nugent is Executive Director of SECWAC. Born and raised in Ireland\, he emigrated to the US in 1989 after completing graduate studies at University College Dublin. Paul has a longtime interest in Irish history and current affairs\, and has made presentations to various local libraries and organizations over the past few years on the impact of Brexit on Ireland in the context of Anglo-Irish history. \n  URL:https://secwac.org/event/visiting-ireland-with-secwac-partition-the-troubles-and-brexit-100-years-of-irish-history/ LOCATION:Essex Library\, 33 West Ave\, Essex\, CT\, 06426\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240301T191101Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240423T203344Z UID:1900-1711474200-1711481400@secwac.org SUMMARY:IN THE BLOOD:  How Two Outsiders Solved A Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took on the U.S. Army\, with Charles Barber DESCRIPTION:  \n \n  \nWho: Charles Barber\, Wesleyan University \nDate: March 26\, 2024 \nTopic: IN THE BLOOD:  How Two Outsiders Solved A Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took on the U.S. Army \nTime: 5:30pm Reception & Hors d’Oeuvres | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:00pm Post-meeting Dinner (Register here) \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access\, non-members register at the bottom of this page \nLocation: Connecticut College\, Crozier-Williams Building\, 1941 Room \n  \nThe speaker will discuss his book\, In the Blood. It is the high-stakes true story of how an absent-minded inventor and a down-on-his-luck salesman joined forces to create a once in a generation lifesaving product. This book chronicles their story of discovering and marketing the fast-clotting treatment “QuikClot” and the challenges they faced in getting the military to embrace this lifesaving medication. Signed copies of the book “In The Blood” will be available for purchase. \nCharles Barber is a Writer in Residence at Wesleyan University\, a Lecturer in Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine\, and the author of the critically acclaimed books Songs from the Black Chair\, Comfortably Numb\, and Citizen Outlaw. He was educated at Harvard and Columbia universities\, and lives in Connecticut with his family. \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/in-the-blood-how-two-outsiders-solved-a-centuries-old-medical-miracle-and-took-on-the-us-army/ LOCATION:Connecticut College\, 270 Mohegan Ave Pkwy\, New London\, CT\, 06320 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240222T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240222T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20240108T160905Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240220T133453Z UID:1877-1708623000-1708628400@secwac.org SUMMARY:CANCELLED: The UN Security Council Isn’t What You Think It Is - A Closer Look\, through Facts and Fiction with Loraine Sievers DESCRIPTION:The meeting is CANCELLED due to circumstances beyond our control – we hope to reschedule Ms Sievers later in the year\n\n\n \nWho: Loraine Sievers\, former Chief of the United Nations Security Council Secretariat Branch \nDate: February 22\, 2024 \nTopic: The UN Security Council Isn’t What You Think It Is – A Closer Look\, through Facts and Fiction \nThe Security Council’s failings are more than evident\, most recently in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the devastating conflict in the Middle East. But there’s more happening within the Council than is outwardly apparent. Loraine Sievers will draw on her years of direct UN experience to paint a more nuanced portrait of the Council. She will also present a more lighthearted look at the UN through the pages of her novel\, An UNwilling Spy. \nTime: 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:30pm Dinner at Kamana Fine Indian Cuisine \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access\, non-members register at the bottom of this page \nLocation: Nathanael B. Greene Guilford Community Center (32 Church Street\, Guilford\, CT06437) \nAbout Loraine Sievers: \nLoraine Sievers co-authored the 4th edition of The Procedure of the UN Security Council and is Director of the SC Procedure website (www.scprocedure.org)\, which analyzes new Council procedural developments as they occur. Under the aegis of the UN Institute for Training and Research\, she also provides training to incoming Council members on the Council’s inner workings. Loraine served as a full-time UN staff member for over 30 years\, concluding her career as Chief of the Security Council Secretariat Branch. Prior to that\, she served as Secretary to the Afghanistan and Sierra Leone Sanctions Committees\, contributor to the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council\, and political analyst in the Regional Affairs Division. In addition\, she is an expert on the UN’s architecture and art collection\, which feature prominently in her novel\, An UNwilling Spy. URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-loriane-sievers-former-chief-of-the-united-nations-security-council-secretariat/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240124T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240124T190000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20231221T155909Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240108T160223Z UID:1869-1706119200-1706122800@secwac.org SUMMARY:The Israel Hamas War: Origins\, Possible Endgames\, and International Repercussions DESCRIPTION:Who: Eric Fleury\, Assistant Professor of Government and International Relations\,  Connecticut College \nDate: January 24\, 2024 \nTopic: The Israel Hamas War: Origins\, Possible Endgames\, and International Repercussions \nTime: 5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:00pm Post-Presentation Social (all attendees are invited!) \nCost: Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access \nLocation: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 2 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT 06371 \n\nWhy did Hamas launch the brutal assault of October 7th? Is the Israeli response justified\, and what are the implications for the region and the world? Why has this crisis had such a profound effect in the United States\, ranging from concerns over campus antisemitism to the 2024 election? Professor Eric Fleury of Connecticut College will address these questions and others\, with ample time for questions from the audience. \nEric Fleury is an Assistant Professor of Government and International Relations at Connecticut College\, where he teaches courses on U.S. Foreign Policy\, Terrorism\, Diplomacy\, and International Ethics. He received his PhD from Baylor University\, and is the author of On Absolute War: Terrorism and the Logic of Armed Conflict\, published in 2019. \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/the-israel-hamas-war-origins-possible-endgames-and-international-repercussions/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231211T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231211T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20231010T130436Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231204T144935Z UID:1815-1702315800-1702323000@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Gonul Tol "Turkey at the Centennial: From an Imperfect Democracy to Outright Autocracy?" DESCRIPTION:Who:     Gonul Tol\, Middle East Institute \nDate:     December 11\, 2023 \nTopic:  “Turkey at the Centennial: From an Imperfect Democracy to Outright Autocracy?” \nTime:    5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:30pm Member Dinner \nCost:     Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access \nLocation: StoneRidge\, 186 Jerry Browne Road\, Mystic\, CT 06355 \nDinner is sold out\n\nClick here to learn about Gonul Tol \nThe Turkish Republic has turned 100 years old. The founding elite who carried out the most radical secularization reforms in the Muslim world imagined the new republic as an ethnically homogenous\, modern\, secular country. That vision has been challenged many times by various segments of the country. The most significant of them\, however\, the one led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan\, who took over an imperfect democracy and turned it into an autocracy where religious brotherhoods hold unprecedented power in society and bureaucratic institutions of the country. The idea of an “ethnically homogenous nation” has been dealt the biggest blow thanks to the presence of millions of Syrian refugees. What do all these things mean for the future and prospects for a liberal democratic Turkey? \n  \nStoneRidge Retirement Community Residents – Free to Attend!\n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-gonul-tol-turkey-at-the-centennial-from-an-imperfect-democracy-to-outright-autocracy/ LOCATION:CT END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231115T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231115T193000 DTSTAMP:20260408T094033 CREATED:20231005T185319Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231113T142208Z UID:1819-1700069400-1700076600@secwac.org SUMMARY:SECWAC Presents: Lucretia Bingham "Invaders of an Ancient Culture: Conquistadors\, Explorers\, and Tourists in Peru" DESCRIPTION:  \n \nWho:    Lucretia Bingham \nDate:     November 15\, 2023 \nTopic:    Invaders of an Ancient Culture: Conquistadors\, Explorers\, and Tourists in Peru \nTime:    5:30pm Reception | 6:00pm Presentation | 7:30pm Member Dinner \nCost:     Members are Free | $20 non-member zoom or in-person access \nLocation: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme \nJoin us for dinner: Old Lyme Country Club immediately after presentation \nDinner Sold Out\nThe recently ousted president of Peru came from the altiplano of Peru\, a vast austere landscape dotted with the rare wild vicuña\, and their more plentiful cousins\, llamas and alpaca. In the high mountain valleys\, far from roads\, the Quechua still maintain a symbiotic relationship with their animals as they have for thousands of years. Their culture\, though threatened\, survives. But these people and others who service the tourist industry were angry that their chosen leader was expelled. This outrage fueled the recent outbreak of political unrest. My talk will delve into the history of conquistadors\, explorers and tourists in Peru\, and how and why the indigenous culture still survives despite these incursions. \nFor many years\, Lucretia worked as a food and travel writer. Her pieces have appeared in Vanity Fair\, Savour\, Travel and Leisure\, and very frequently in the Travel Section and Magazine of the Los Angeles Times. But her most favorite assignment was for Condé Nast Traveler. They sent her down to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps. He was Hiram Bingham\, who in 1911 brought the world’s attention to Machu Picchu. She camped where he had camped\, and trekked to many ruins that he had discovered under layers of vines. In recent years she had returned many times to Peru\, leading trips there for CT Audubon Ecotravel. Ms. Bingham is the granddaughter of Hiram Bingham who rediscovered Machu Picchu. She has walked in her grandfather’s footsteps along the Inca trail and has explored exotic locations as a writer and painter. \n  \n\n \n \n Single Event Registration for Nonmembers Only\n \n \n First Name(Required)Last NameEmail(Required)\n \n Address(Required) \n \n \n \n Street Address\n \n \n Address Line 2\n \n \n City\n \n \n State / Province / Region\n \n \n ZIP / Postal Code\n \n \n Single Event Registration\n \n \n Price:\n \n \n \n How Did You Hear About Us?Please choose:(Required)\n \n \n Friend or Family\n \n \n \n Email Notice\n \n \n \n Guest or Friend of Speaker\n \n \n \n Facebook\n \n \n \n Newspaper\n \n \n \n Other URL:https://secwac.org/event/secwac-presents-lucretia-bingham-invaders-of-an-ancient-culture-conquistadors-explorers-and-tourists-in-peru/ LOCATION:First Congregational Church of Old Lyme\, 5 Ferry Road\, Old Lyme\, CT\, 06371\, United States END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR