Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
Join us for an in-depth discussion about New-Old World wines from the Balkan region. All wines featured will be made from indigenous grape varietals from Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. While the Balkans may not be the first area that comes to mind when thinking of wine regions, it has an important viticultural tradition that dates back centuries, and in some parts for thousands of years. More recently, the two World Wars, the fall of communism, the civil war and the disintegration of Yugoslavia certainly affected winemakers and vineyards. However, the tenacious wines of the Balkans are back on the rise and are featured more and more in restaurants, shops and wine-related articles.
Aleks Krsmanovic is Managing Partner at the Balkan Wine Project, a company that brings wines from the Balkans to the U.S. The Balkan Wine Project's goal is to emphasize education and distribution in order to highlight the diversity of Balkan history, regions, people, foods and wines. It is an effort to look at the complex and finely woven diversity of the Balkans through a wine glass. Mr. Krsmanovic has been involved in the wine business for over 10 years and is passionate about Balkan wines.
A fantastic way to learn about new grapes, wine regions and wines, the Newberry Wine Tasting evening is great fun for everyone! In addition to the wines, the event will feature paired food. more info...
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Pamela Constable is the Kabul and Islamabad bureau chief for The Washington Post. As a foreign correspondent and former South Asia Bureau Chief with the Post, she has also reported from India, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ukraine, Mali, and Nigeria.
Before joining the Post in 1994, she was a foreign correspondent for the Boston Globe, covering Central and South America and focusing on Haiti and Chile. She also reported from the former Soviet Union, Korea, and the Philippines, and served as deputy Washington bureau chief. She was previously a staff reporter for The Baltimore Sun.
Ms. Constable is co-author of a non-fiction book on military rule in Chile and the author of two non-fiction books on contemporary South Asia. Her most recent book is Playing with Fire: Pakistan at War with Itself, published in 2011. She is a 2018 winner of the Arthur Ross media award from the American Academy of Diplomacy, and a 2003 winner of the Maria Moors Cabot prize from Columbia University. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
The promotion of human rights has been a part of U.S. foreign policy at least since the time that Eleanor Roosevelt championed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the earliest days of the UN. Human rights policy has also been the subject of recurring controversy, often related to its very basis in philosophy and law.
Robert Paul Churchill, who grew up overseas as the son of a diplomat and an artist, took his PhD in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University, and was the Elton Professor of Philosophy when he completed 42 years of teaching, research, and educational innovation at George Washington University in 2017. While serving as department chair several times, Dr. Churchill published seven books and numerous monographs, edited volumes and articles in his major areas of interest: ethics and global justice, ethnic and gender violence, human rights, just war theory, peace studies and nonviolent activism, national defense, terrorism, tolerance, reconciliation and moral psychology. His books include Human Rights and Global Diversity and Women in the Crossfire: Understanding and Ending Honor Killing forthcoming from Oxford University Press.
Discussion Questions:
How universal are universal human rights? How can one justify the notion of universal human rights when the world is so divided by cultural, religious, and ideological norms? Is there a philosophical basis for reaching agreement on issues of equality, religious liberty, and freedom of expression?
How can one reconcile personal autonomy, the foundation of individual rights, and the idea of state sovereignty, the premise of diplomacy? Can the community of states hold a sovereign nation to account for violating the human rights of its citizens?
Does the theory of human rights need to be extended to include the collective rights of peoples, like the indigenous, whose identity and way of life differ so much from the basic notions of Western jurisprudence -- property, contract, individual rights?
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Aaron David Miller recently joined the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as a Senior Fellow focusing on U.S. foreign policy. Previously, he was a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center from 2006-2019. Dr. Miller is among America’s foremost experts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. policy in the Middle East. A former adviser to six secretaries of state (George Schultz to Colin Powell), he helped shape America’s policy in the region for more than two decades. A prolific commentator, Miller is currently a global affairs analyst for CNN. He is the author of five books, including the national bestseller The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace, and most recently, The End of Greatness: Why America Can't Have (and Doesn't Want) Another Great President.
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
The violin & viola duo of MarcOliva will be joined by Ralitza Patcheva, piano, and Vasily Popov, cello. Both husband & wife teams, they return to DACOR to perform the music of Rebecca Clarke, Clara Schumann, Dora Pejacevic and Frances McKay, all highly talented and fascinating composers who deserve to be heard, better known and performed more often. Our musicians will comment on the lives of these gifted composers. This musicale kicks off our new 'Women Composers' series. more info...
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Interested in keeping up with your French? Join the French Conversation Group!
Formed to help French-speaking members maintain their proficiency, the group meets monthly for lunchtime conversation involving foreign relations, diplomatic history, cultural activities, travel, and - of course! - French food and wine.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Buffet Lunch at 12:30 pm. Only French is spoken during lunch. more info...
Join us for a fun and challenging evening. Come solo and be assigned a team or register a team of six. An entertaining way to show off your knowledge of the world and learn new facts, you are welcome to bring non-members to join your team. Enjoy snacks, a cash bar and friendly competition.
Each member of the winning team will receive a prize. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Join us for a special Members' Buffet Lunch in honor of veterans, their families and friends. A microphone will be available for any who wish to share their experiences as veterans and/or for those who want to express their appreciation for members of our Armed Forces. This is a family friendly event. more info...
Ms. Paula Jakub will discuss benefits and OPM initiatives, wellness programs, support for chronic conditions, managing prescription drugs, and quality and affordable coverage. She also will talk about the FEDVIP program, and the latest on Medicare.
As CEO and Executive VP of AFSPA, Ms. Jakub provides strategic leadership that facilitates the development and enhancement of various insurance and specialty programs offered by the Association. AFSPA administers the Foreign Service Benefit Plan under contract with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as authorized by the FEHB law. She is also the Executive Director of the Senior Living Foundation (SLF) of the American Foreign Service, where she provides proactive management to the vital organization solely devoted to helping elderly Foreign Service retirees and widows. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
A native of Newton, Iowa, Thielmann is a graduate of Grinnell College and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He served for more than 25 years working on arms control and security issues. He was acting director of the Strategic, Proliferation, and Military Affairs Office in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the State Department at the time of his retirement.
After retiring from the State Department, Thielmann worked for four years for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence before joining the Arms Control Association.
Questions
Democratic states are based on the idea of “popular sovereignty.” The people decide on their future through elected representatives and leaders. In a world of ever-increasing complexity, however, elected governments have come to rely on career officials to advise on policy. Some argue reliance on unelected officials undermines the public will. Others argue that ignoring expert advice weakens policy making and harms American interests.
How much influence should unelected government officials have in the making of policy? Can career officials be trusted to give unbiased and nonpartisan assessments of matters for decision? How can an elected leader be sure that experts do not have their own agendas or, conversely, that experts are not “yes men”?
Does a cadre of experts working in Washington lose touch with the American people and lose sight of their interests? Can such a group become an elite operating inside the government, undermining popular sovereignty?
What should a career-official do when he or she thinks that an elected government is wrong? Does the government have a right to ignore, reassign, or fire such persons? Is it wise for an elected government to ignore the views of career experts? more info...
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
If you have an interest in Africa or want to learn more, join DACOR members at the monthly Africa Discussion Group. Discussions are organized around theme, country, region or on a selected speaker’s interests. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
DACOR's Holiday Buffet Brunches are great fun for all! Bring visiting friends and family to our Holiday Brunches for a delicious spread and great conversation. This is a perfect event for introducing prospective members to our House and community. This event is family friendly. The buffet will feature a wide assortment of tasty dishes, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Be sure to save room for the dessert selection!
We will be holding a canned food drive during the brunch. Please bring unopened, nonperishable food items. All items will be donated to the Capital Area Food Bank and will help feed those in need during the holiday season. Visit www.capitalareafoodbank.org/donate-food/ to see CAFB's most wanted items. more info...
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Interested in keeping up with your French? Join the French Conversation Group!
Formed to help French-speaking members maintain their proficiency, the group meets monthly for lunchtime conversation involving foreign relations, diplomatic history, cultural activities, travel, and - of course! - French food and wine.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Buffet Lunch at 12:30 pm. Only French is spoken during lunch. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Enjoy a delicious buffet, including vegetarian and gluten free options. Self-serve coffee & tea included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
Come to exchange views and analysis of significant current events, foreign and domestic. Some weeks, a pre-chosen topic will be discussed after an initiator launches the discussion with a brief (~5 minutes) framing of a topic, after which free-wheeling discussion follows. Other weeks, the discussion will revolve around what currently piques attendees’ interests. more info...
A delicious lunch with the choice of the special of the week or a vegetarian option. The meal also includes dessert, coffee/tea and House wine. Premium wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase at the table. more info...
