“Russia, Ukraine and Europe” presented by Laura Cooper

Thursday, September 17 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
305 Fahm St.
Savannah, GA 31401 United States
Laura K. Cooper served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia from 2017 to 2025. She spearheaded U.S. security assistance to Ukraine – delivering billions in support – and orchestrated the 50-nation Ukraine Defense Contact Group to unify partners and catalyze assistance. She championed novel unmanned systems and air defense programs, supporting Ukrainian battlefield successes. A career member of the Senior Executive Service, Cooper served as the top Pentagon strategist on Russia. She also strengthened U.S. defense relationships across the region, including the Caucasus, Central Asia, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.
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Connecting Local and Global Communities

Are you interested in learning more about international issues impacting the US and its citizens? The Savannah Council on World Affairs can help! The Council strives to inform its members and the public about world affairs by bringing to Savannah prominent experts, including former high-ranking government officials, private sector executives, think tank analysts and academics, so local audience members have access to up-to-date information and can ask questions of experts, face-to-face.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Savannah Council on World Affairs (SCWA) is to foster individual awareness of, broaden community interest in, and promote the study of international issues, as well as to work with other organizations concerned with similar objectives. 

We pursue this mission primarily through our monthly speakers program, where our invited experts provide reliable information, analysis and strategic thinking about important international issues. When possible, we bring these experts into local schools to speak directly to students studying in world affairs. In addition, we sponsor Great Decisions discussion groups among community members, as well as fund scholarships for college-level study abroad and support other local college and high-school level world-affairs related activities. 

If not already a member, please consider joining SCWA and participating in our mission of fostering greater knowledge about world affairs across all generations.

SCWA News and Upcoming Events

 
Great Decisions Discussion Group Registrations 2026.
 

Registration is now open for our second Great Decisions discussion group, which will meet on Wednesdays from 3:00-4:30 at the Learning Center from April 1st  through May 20th.  Registration for this session will take place only through The Learning Center.  The cost is| $50 for SCI members/$100. for non-members This course is limited to 25 participants.

Great Decisions is the well-respected grassroots foreign affairs discussion program of the Foreign Policy Association. Eight topics lend structure to the course, featuring a text with short readings and corresponding video programs (screened at each class meeting). Facilitated group discussion topics include Trump-era tariffs and the world economy, Ukraine and European security, U.S. engagement in Africa, and more. Once you register, purchase your  Great Decisions Briefing Book for 2026 from the Foreign Policy Association, www.fpa.org.

Todd Gerken retired from the Foreign Commercial Service in 2024. Previously, he spent 25 years in international marketing/sales, advertising, and trade development. He holds an MBA from Thunderbird and a BA in political science/public administration from the University of Florida."
 

SCWA's International Trivia Night 2026 was a great success!!!

Our annual fundraiser for our Student Scholarships and Outreach Program returned with great fanfare on January 22, 2026! Thanks to enthusiastic support from local businesses and members of the community, this event raised close to $5,000.
 
We would like to acknowledge and express our tremendous appreciation to all those who generously donated auction items for this event: 
 
The Savannah Book Festival
Savannah Canoe & Kayak
The Stretch Zone
Scout & Cellar Wines
Capital Bee Company
Anderson Jewelers
17Hundred90 Inn
Sandfly Custom Framing
St Joseph's Candler Wellness
Syd Nichole Flowers
Cutter's Point
The Gaslight Co.
Auspicious Bakery
What's for Dinner
A Good Taste Chocolates
"More than Cakes" Bakery
Origin Coffee
The Savannah Bananas
Jacek Lubecki
Joyce Wallace
Justin Godchaux
Barbara Stockwell
 
On behalf of the students who will benefit from these funds, we greatly appreciate your support and generosity.

Recent Speaker Programs

Our Video Archive is currently not functioning properly and will reemerge here when it is functioning.  In the meantime, all of our video recordings are available on our YouTube channel.  Also, if you subscribe to our SCWA Newsletter, you will received a link to the immediate past program in your email in-box each month.  

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

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