HELP BRING THE WORLD TO IOWA CITY

For more than 40 years, the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC) has served as a bridge between global expertise and the local community.

 

Through public forums, we have advanced our mission to promote understanding of international issues by bringing thought leaders, diplomats, scholars, and activists into conversation with an informed and curious public. As global dynamics have shifted, so too has the focus of our programming—always responsive to emerging challenges, historical turning points, and the lived experiences of communities across the globe.

​

This evolving body of work not only chronicles global affairs across decades but affirms ICFRC’s commitment to civic dialogue, education, and accessibility. The sections below provide a decade-by-decade reflection on the topics, regions, and notable speakers who have shaped our enduring legacy.

​

1980s: Cold War Tensions and Global Development

 

In its founding decade, ICFRC responded to the defining tensions of the late Cold War by hosting programs on U.S.–Soviet relations, nuclear disarmament, and the role of diplomacy in averting global conflict. At the same time, forums highlighted post-colonial development, multilateral aid, and the emergence of new African and Southeast Asian nations on the global stage.

​

Key Themes

• Arms control and nuclear deterrence

• Public diplomacy and U.S. foreign service

• United Nations and international development

• Anti-apartheid movements and global human rights

​

Notable Speakers

• Ambassador Phyllis Oakley, career Foreign Service officer and expert on Africa and the Middle East

• Regional USAID directors and UNDP officers working on post-colonial governance and food security

• Academic leaders from the University of Iowa on Cold War policy and global trade

​

Regions Highlighted
Eastern Europe, Southern Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia

​

1990s: Post–Cold War Transitions and Multilateralism

 

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, ICFRC forums reflected a new world order marked by democratic transitions, global economic integration, and U.S. engagement in peacekeeping efforts. Programs explored the complexities of international law, nation-building, and the expansion of global governance institutions such as NATO and the European Union.

​

Key Themes

• Democratization and constitutional reform in Central and Eastern Europe

• The Gulf War and the geopolitics of oil

• Peacekeeping and humanitarian intervention in the Balkans

• Women’s rights and global education

​

Notable Speakers

• Ambassador Thomas Miller, U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Cyprus, on U.S. engagement in the Balkans

• Senior advisers from the U.S. Department of State on post-Soviet reconstruction

• Fulbright scholars and visiting journalists reporting from Central Asia and the Middle East

​

Regions Highlighted
Balkans, Central Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe

​

2000s: Global Security and the Rise of Civic Diplomacy

 

The 2000s ushered in an era of heightened focus on international security, counterterrorism, and civil society engagement. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, ICFRC forums addressed the legal, humanitarian, and political dimensions of U.S. military interventions and the broader global response to terrorism. Simultaneously, global health and human rights became prominent through the lens of HIV/AIDS, refugee resettlement, and international justice.

​

Key Themes

• U.S. foreign policy in Iraq and Afghanistan

• International humanitarian law and civil liberties

• Public health challenges, including HIV/AIDS and avian flu

• The growing influence of China and India on global markets

​

Notable Speakers

• Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President of The World Food Prize Foundation and former U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia

• Ambassador Thomas Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

• Senior representatives from Doctors Without Borders, World Health Organization, and Human Rights Watch

 

Regions Highlighted
Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and East Asia, Latin America

​

2010s: Interdependence, Displacement, and Environmental Urgency

 

Amid globalization, climate change, and forced migration, ICFRC forums in the 2010s explored both the interconnectedness of societies and the fragility of global systems. Programs increasingly examined the role of international law, civil resistance movements, and multilateral diplomacy in addressing mass displacement, environmental instability, and political polarization.

​

Key Themes

• Climate science and global environmental policy

• Syrian civil war, global refugee crises, and European migration policy

• The erosion of democratic institutions and rise of populism

• Digital diplomacy, cybersecurity, and media freedom

​

Notable Speakers

• Nancy Soderberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

• Janet Reno, former U.S. Attorney General (as part of a joint international justice program)

• Academics and policy experts from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and The Carter Center

​

Regions Highlighted
Middle East, Northern and Eastern Europe, Central America, Arctic nations

​

2020s: Resilience, Equity, and Global Realignment

 

As the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching consequences, ICFRC forums shifted to address global health equity, vaccine distribution, and the economic ripple effects of systemic disruption. Programs have also centered on racial justice, democratic backsliding, and the strategic recalibration of multilateral institutions. In an era marked by both disinformation and innovation, ICFRC continues to offer an informed, accessible space for dialogue.

​

Key Themes

• Pandemic response and international public health coordination

• Racial justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and decolonization in global affairs

• U.S.–China relations and the rise of multipolar geopolitics

• Ukraine, NATO, and renewed debates over sovereignty and security

​

Notable Speakers

• Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, in a 2022 virtual forum on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

• Economists and policy leaders from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund

• Indigenous leaders and scholars on climate justice and global representation

 

Regions Highlighted
Global South, Eastern Europe, North America, Pacific and Arctic regions