The 78th annual Conference on World Affairs (CWA) at the University of Colorado Boulder, co-sponsored by the International Affairs Program (IAFS), recently concluded after four days of extensive global dialogue. This year’s event set a record, drawing thousands of participants and viewers, featuring over 150 speakers and 57 panels. Notable figures such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and activist Srdja Popovic were among the distinguished speakers. Student leadership played a crucial role in the planning and execution of the conference, with IAFS students Xander Scholpp and Luca Scuriatti serving as co-chairs.
Record-Setting Conference on World Affairs
The CWA, a unique event involving collaborative planning by students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, saw significant engagement. Malala Yousafzai’s closing conversation was a highlight, introduced by the student co-chairs. Srdja Popovic, a globally recognized activist, actively participated in multiple panels, including a widely viewed session on “Constitutional Crisis: The Presidency and the Rule of Law.” The conference recorded an impressive 7,900 registrations, with an estimated 7,000 in-person attendees, including 1,600 CU Boulder students, and over 20,000 livestream views. The IAFS program remains committed to supporting the CWA, fostering student leadership, and promoting global engagement.
AHA Healthier Together Conference Focuses on Health Improvement
Concurrently, the AHA Healthier Together Conference took place in Dallas, gathering approximately 600 leaders from various hospitals, health systems, and community organizations. The primary focus of this conference was to share best practices and identify practical, real-world solutions aimed at improving health outcomes. Discussions centered on critical areas such as the effective utilization of data, addressing health disparities, the role of community health workers, and the advancement of the “Food Is Medicine” initiative. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit local health facilities to observe firsthand the implementation of community-focused health programs.
