MISSION STATEMENT

The San Diego World Affairs Council (SDWAC) was founded in 1954. SDWAC is a chapter of the World Affairs Councils of America - the largest international affairs non-profit, nonpartisan organization in the United States. Our Council serves the entire county of San Diego. In addition, we have a North County Chapter specifically serving that area. 

SDWAC is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and engaging San Diegans on global issues, foreign policy, international relations, and cross-cultural opportunities and challenges. We sponsor events with international themes, host prominent speakers, and facilitate discussions on global issues. We encourage all members of the community to join us for lively, thought provoking and educational events exploring the most timely topics of the day, here at home and around the world.

• The San Diego World Affairs Council (SDWAC) is a member of the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA), the largest and oldest international affairs non-profit organization in the United States.  WACA traces its earliest roots to 1918, when the League of Free Nations Association.  In 1986, the National Council of World Affairs Organizations office was established in Washington, DC.  The organization was renamed the World Affairs Councils of America, and today WACA serves more than 90 World Affairs Councils nationwide, in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
• SDWAC was founded in 1954 and has served the San Diego County region region with distinction ever since.   SDWAC has a dedicated branch specifically serving North County residents.”

• San Diego is home to the nation’s largest concentration of military personnel with 60% of the ships in the fleet of the U.S. Navy, and 1/3 of the active duty force of the U.S. Marine Corps. More than 240,000 veterans reside here, as does a robust defense industry.
• San Diego is a border city with the fourth-busiest land border crossing in the world and supports massive cross-border and international trade.
• Port of San Diego is ranked as one of America's top 30 U.S. containership ports, supports major cruise ship activity, and three shipyards.
• San Diego life sciences and tech sectors attract billions of foreign direct investment into our region, playing a vital role in our economy both domestically and internationally. 
  

In an age of globalization and a rapidly shifting international order, we believe that our mission – engaging the public and leaders to better understand global affairs and America’s role in the world – is more vital than ever.

The San Diego World Affairs Council (SDWAC) shares the vision that has guided the nation's World Affairs Councils for almost a century:

• To serve as the focal point of the community's international interests.
• To provide a variety of programs and services to individuals, schools, businesses, and organizations.
• To support the community's civic, social, professional, business, cultural, and educational organizations in their internationally-oriented efforts.
• SDWAC participates in WACA’s Academic WorldQuest, a fun, fast-paced team competition for high school students that tests players' knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures.