« About MWAC »
The World Affairs Council of Montana is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to fostering understanding and engagement in international affairs.
Statement from our Founder »
Ten years ago, Amb. Mark Johnson (ret.) founded the World Affairs Council of Montana. After returning home to Montana after a 30-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department, Mark had one simple goal, to give something back to the community by offering opportunities to help Montanans understand the world around them by demolishing two myths. First, the Council sought to disprove that the world was not some far off distant place with little relevance to us here in the Rocky Mountains. Second, that even if the world did somehow matter, there was no real way for someone in such a remote location far from the world’s ‘hot spots’ to have any meaningful impact. Inspired by the words of Senator Mike Mansfield, the Council has come a long way in dispelling these myths, “Montanans have room to live, to breathe, and above all to think – to think with a breadth of view which goes to the far horizon and beyond.”
The Montana World Affairs Council is a member of the national World Affairs Councils of America, the largest international affairs NGO in the U.S.. When the Council in Missoula was founded, it was the only Council between Minneapolis and Seattle. A dedicated group of community volunteers and University of Montana students helped Amb. Johnson get the Council up and running.
Over the past ten years, the Council has grown into a valuable resource for communities and schools. The World Affairs Council has hosted or co-sponsored over 175 community and school programs across the state. Amb. Johnson has traveled around Montana to promote global awareness, speaking to students and communities in Wolf Point, Poplar, Fort Peck Community College, Gardiner, Livingston, Big Fork, and his home town of Great Falls to name a few. Council events have seen audiences of more than 600 Montanans for Distinguished Speaker Programs. In 2002, the Council received an unprecedented visit by a senior Iranian official resulting in national and international press. Education programs have grown outward from Missoula reaching schools in Troy, Geraldine, Belgrade, and Columbus. As the only non-partisan organization promoting global education, demand for school programs has grown nearly beyond our reach.
We have learned some valuable lessons with our success over the years. Most importantly, Mark’s hunch was correct; Montanans do care deeply about global issues as evidenced by the engaging discussion that pursues at events and by the many Montanans who drive hours to attend programs. While focusing on continuing to build a sustainable organization that can continue to provide these unique opportunities, we take a moment to look back on some of our accomplishments. We are making a difference and helping to create a corps of citizen diplomats who are interested in engaging globally. As President Eisenhower said 50 years ago, “when people come together peacefully, eventually so will nations.” These accomplishments do not belong solely to the Council, they are the result of the dedication and generosity of our members and supporters and especially our founder, Mark Johnson.
