International Relations Council

The International Relations Council is a non-profit non-partisan educational organization in Kansas City, Missouri, and a member of the World Affairs Councils of America. As an educational nonprofit, the IRC works in partnership with a range of businesses, universities, community organizations, K-12 schools, and other interested individuals to grow a global perspective and find international connections within the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area. The IRC works to foster interest in an understanding of international affairs among the citizens of Kansas City through the development of various programs and events. As a membership organization, the IRC welcomes individuals and families, businesses, universities, and other organizations to join as IRC members in order to help sustain global-affairs education in the Kansas City community and receive various benefits.

History

The International Relations Council was founded in late December 1954 by Eliot Berkley, who served as executive director of the IRC for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC. After graduating from Harvard University in 1947, Eliot earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University. Returning to his hometown, Eliot taught history and government at the University of Kansas City, now UMKC. He then taught social science at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he later served as vice president for development from 1960 to 1961 and dean of the college from 1961 to 1965. As an advocate of citizen involvement in the foreign policy process, Dr. Berkley served as executive director of the International Relations Council for nearly forty years and, later, as chairman of the IRC Academy and lifetime board member of the IRC. For many years, his wife Marcia worked side by side with Eliot, hosting dinners and meetings in their home. Eliot died in 2012 but is still remembered fondly by business, community, and academic leaders for his inspirational passion for global issues.
The IRC welcomed Eleanor Roosevelt as its first speaker in January 1955. Since then, a wide range of legislators, professors, journalists, diplomats, and other global-affairs experts have visited Kansas City to share their perspective and expertise. These notable guests include Henry Kissinger, Jim Lehrer, Robert J. Eaton, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, and Janet Napolitano.
Since its beginning, the IRC has grown from a small "kitchen table" gathering to an educational organization with a large number of Kansas City area members. With Matthew Hughes serving as the current executive director, the IRC warmly welcomes involvement in IRC events and programs from citizens of the Greater Kansas City area.

Leadership

CEO/Executive Director
Matthew Hughes
Program Manager
Evan Verploegh
Education Outreach Coordinator VISTA
Natalie Friend
2022 Board Officers
Dr. Karenbeth G. Zacharias - President
Andrea Allison-Putman - First 'Vice President
Dr. Michael Makara - Second Vice President
Aaron J. Mann - Secretary
David B. Au - Treasurer
Board Members
Christina Arnone, Michelle Arthington, Dr. Charles A. S. Bankart, Anna Bazan-Munguia, Narbeli Galindo, Philip Gaskin, Nicole Gresham Perry, Kelvin Igumbor, Frank J. Klimas, Nancy C. Messer, Shahid S. Qadri, Dr. Usha Saha, Dave Saunders, Herb Sih, Jorge Soberón Hernández, Stephen Steigman, Paul Weida
2022 Advisory Directors'
Kirk Doan, Holly Nielsen, Cyprienne Simchowitz, Mike Wood

Finances

The IRC is a not-for-profit 501 organization. It is funded almost entirely by memberships, both individual and corporate, donations, program fees and some small grants. Memberships can be purchased on an annual basis. IRC members receive free admission to most IRC events. IRC member universities & corporations can also attend select events.

Programs

Eliot S. Berkley Lectures

The Eliot S. Berkley Lecture was founded in 1996 and brought an expert in foreign policy and global affairs to the Kansas City area. The lecture was established through the Berkley Endowment to honor the IRC’s founder and his decades of service and to provide a platform for engaging community members in understanding critical global issues. Past Berkley lecturers include former U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford, Gerald Seib, The Honorable Thomas R. Pickering, and Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr..

List of past Eliot S. Berkley Lectures

2020 Dr. Paul Salem President of the Middle East Institute
2019 Ambassador Paula Dobriansky Senior Fellow in the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard's JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
2018 Kate Charlet Director Technology and International Affairs Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
2017 Evans Revere Former U.S. Diplomat and Former CEO of the Korea Society
2016 Col. Nicolas Auboin French Liaison Officer for the Combined Arms Center
2015 Deana Arsenian Vice President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York
2014 Robert Ford Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria
2013 Daniel Markey Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of No Exit from Pakistan
2012 Charles Kupchan Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor at Georgetown University
2011 Gerald Seib Washington Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal
2010 George Friedman Founder and CEO of STRATFOR
2009 Dr. Allison Stanger Russell Leng Professor of International Politics and Economics and Director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs at Middlebury College
2007 Walter Russell Mead Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. foreign policy, Council on Foreign Relations
2006 Dr. George Rupp President and CEO, International Rescue Committee
2005 The Honorable Thomas R. Pickering Former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, Nigeria, El Salvador, Israel, United Nations, India, Russia
2004 The Honorable Lawrence J. Korb Senior Fellow, American Progress and Senior Advisor, Center for Defense Information
2003 James Fallows National Correspondent, Atlantic Monthly
2002 The Honorable Marc Grossman Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
2001 The Honorable Princeton N. Lyman Former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
2000 The Honorable Frank G. Wisner Vice Chairman, American International Group
1999 Hodding Carter III Journalist, Assistant Secretary of State for Carter Administration
1998 Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom
1997 "Mid-Point in the Legacy" Conference and Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan
1996 The Honorable Jack F. Matlock, Jr. ''Former U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union''
IRC Networking Hours

IRC Networking Hours give IRC members and friends the chance to get to know each other and to learn about international opportunities in the IRC organizational partners' many different professional fields. The first IRC Networking Hour of 2017 took place on March 22, where attendees took a visit to Burns & McDonnell, an engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with both domestic and international projects. On August 2, attendees learned about the nationwide work of Commerce Bank and had plenty of time to network. At the final IRC Networking Hour of 2017 on October 9, attendees had a chance to meet employees of Bio-Microbics, a manufacturer of wastewater treatment systems with over 60,000 installations in over 70 countries. The IRC sees great value in allowing members of the Kansas City community the chance to network with internationally interested organizations, as it creates opportunities for further global connections within Kansas City.

IRC Lecture Series

IRC Lecture Series bring dignitaries, foreign-policy experts, and regional leaders together to discuss, debate, and engage the Kansas City area community in issues of international scope and local relevance.
Some of the IRC's recent programs include:

Where Does Venezuela Go From Here? with David Smolansky, the youngest mayor in Venezuela's history, living in exile since September 2017
An Evening with H.E. Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Amb. of Pakistan to the U.S.
Populism and Nationalism on the Rise: A German Perspective with Stefan Schlüter
Speakers Bureau

The International Relations Council's Speakers Bureau is a collection of IRC members willing to share their expertise and experiences with the Greater Kansas City area. Speakers have knowledge of the historical and contemporary aspects of specific countries, foreign policy, geography, and culture. The members of the Bureau don’t charge a fee for their speaking time and are available to the Greater Kansas City area.

Discussion Groups

Great Decisions

is a program produced by the Foreign Policy Association and offered in Kansas City through the IRC. Across Kansas and Missouri, people participating in Great Decisions gather in homes, libraries, and community centers to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our world. Groups receive and study Great Decisions briefing books, which are well-researched, written materials that help guide discussion throughout the year. Each discussion is led by a Discussion Group Leader. However, participants play the most important role, and their interest, enthusiasm, and commitment ultimately determine the success of the group. Each participant's point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. The topics change annually, and these discussions strengthen people's understanding of global issues and build connections in the Kansas City community.