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2025/2026 Distinguished Speaker Series

The Distinguished Speaker Series, our principal program, usually takes place on the first and third Fridays of each month at the First Presbyterian Church – October through May.  Speakers come from around the globe who are known for their international experience in government, business, military affairs and academia. International speakers are supported by our Global Speakers Program

Meetings are hosted at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head. Programs start at 10:00 AM with the featured speaker addressing the audience for approximately 50 minutes, followed by a Q & A session. Programs end at 11:30 AM. The Council is a 501 (c) 3, nonpartisan educational organization that takes no political position on the topics presented.

Download the 2025-2026 Speaker Program Calendar (PDF) 

See who came last season in 2024-2025: 2024-2025 Speaker Program Calendar


2025/2026 Distinguished Speaker Series

Date

Presenter Topic

10/3/2025

John J. Sullivan

Russia’s War Against the West
10/24/2025 Marwan Muasher** Shifting Political Dynamics in the Middle East
11/7/2025 Joseph Cirincione America’s National Security and Nuclear Weapons
11/14/2025 Dennis Kwok The Fall of Hong Kong and the Implications for Taiwan
12/5/2025 Andrew Wells-Dang US-Vietnam Relations 50 years after the War:  Unlikely Partners
1/9/2026 David Satterfield The Trump Foreign Policy: A First Year Assessment
1/23/2026 Ajay Chhibber India’s Rise in a Changing World
2/6/2026 Barbara Slavin Risks and Opportunities in Iran-US Relations
2/20/2026 Feisal al-Istrabadi Iraq-Two Decades After the War
3/8/2026 Juan Cruz Diaz** Argentina-US Relations under presidents Javier Millel and Donald Trump
3/20/2026 Sean McFate Sneaky War and the Dark Arts
4/10/2026 Mary Thompson-Jones The Arctic: Competition in the Melting North
4/24/2026 Joby Warrick Twilight of the Jackal – From the World’s First Super-Terrorist to Syria 2026
5/8/2026 Linda Weissgold Seeing the World Through an Intelligence Lens

**Made possible by the Global Speakers Program

Sponsors

Ambassador Level 2024-2025

  • Bob & Lynn Burt (2)
  • Peter & Pam Cooper
  • Arno & Liz Dimmling
  •  Jim Irwin & Margaret McManus
  • Les & Michele Janka 
  • Barbara Johnson
  • Toney Mathews
  • Anne & Bill Millhaem
  • Lori & David Wellinghoff
  • Georgia & Henry West
  • Lee & Ruth Wilwerding

Diplomat Level 2024-2025

  • Elizabeth & Thomas Belenchia
  • Jan Cooper & Ray Marcinowski (2)
  • Steven and Barbara Walters Doehrman (2)
  • John & Lesley Gilbert 
  • Lesley Green 
  •  Suzanne Joyce & Tom Tomfohrde (2)
  • Cindy & Ron Latin (2)
  • David & Lisa Long
  • Rick & Sue Mitchell (2)
  • Peter Spreadbury 

Sea Pines Real Estate

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry


Jolley Law Group



Video Archives

Video Archives for past Speaker Meetings are available through the Members Only page. You must be logged into your account as a member of World Affairs Council to access this page. 


World Affairs Council of Hilton Head

Office: 32 Office Park Rd. Ste. 209, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Mail: PO Box 22523, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925

843-384-6758  |  execdirector@wachh.org

Member, World Affairs Council of America


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