Montana World Affairs Council

The annual banquet was this weekend for the MFAC with a couple hundred people attending from all around the state. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Montanans to be involved in nations affecting our current events...and the why. Visits are live, televised or on-line to universities and school classrooms across the state that would otherwise not be privy to these discussions on a 2-way basis.
This from the website:


“The Montana World Affairs Council launched the Distinguished Speakers Program to engage Montanans on global issues and raise awareness in the community.
The Distinguished Speakers program brings diplomats, dignitaries, and international policy experts into classrooms and communities around the state to engage Montanans in timely issues of global importance.
As a part of these Distinguished Speakers Programs, the Council hosts Community Discussions in order to give Montanans the opportunity to learn from and engage with these speakers in a live setting. Usually held at the University of Montana, these programs start with a lecture from our guest-speakers, which is then followed by a Q&A session, allowing for the audience to steer the discussion to specific areas of interest and concern. Speakers program brings diplomats, dignitaries, and international policy experts into classrooms and communities around the state to engage Montanans in timely issues of global importance.
With more than 200 past programs, topics have included:
Dalia Mogahed, Senior Analyst and Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. The topic of the discussion: “Who speaks for Islam? What a billion Muslims really think?”
Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan who presented “The U.S.-Afghanistan strategic partnership”.
Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, European Union Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to the United State, who spoke about “Europe at a Crossroads: Crisis or Opportunity?”

Previous guests on Council on the Radio include:
Bruce Jentleson, Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at Duke University and previously Senior Advisor to the U.S. State Department Policy Planning Director, discussing U.S. Policy in the Middle East
Ken Patterson, Global Grassroots Manager for RESULTS, and Genevieve Chabot, co-founder of the Iqra Fund, discussing the powerful role that advocacy and education can have on reducing global poverty
Ambassador Mark Johnson, of Missoula, Council Founder and retired US Ambassador, discussing the Arab Spring and the conflict in Libya

Mr. Hussein Ibish,  Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine and Executive Director of the Hala Salaam Maksoud Foundation for Arab-American Leadership, discussing the current state of affairs in Israel and Palestine.


Extra has this evening's crowd.