2026 Governor's International Breakfast Maine and the World: Looking Back and Moving Forward
2026-04-07 07:00 - 09:30 (America/New_York) | Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring St, Portland, ME, United States
Join us for the annual Governor’s International Breakfast! The World Affairs Council of Maine and the Maine International Trade Center invite you to Maine and the World: Looking Back and Moving Forward — a morning of conversation on Maine’s place in the global economy. Tickets: $25 for members, $30 for non-members, Maine Students always FREE!
REGISTER HERE
Date: April 7, 2026
Time: 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Location: Holiday Inn By the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME
Since 1997, the Governor’s International Breakfast has brought together Maine’s civic, business, academic, and government leaders to make the case that Maine’s prosperity is inseparable from its global connections. This year, as Governor Janet T. Mills delivers her fifth and final address, the breakfast will focus on the importance of Maine’s engagement with the world, and the partnerships and investments the state will work from going forward. This year’s panel will draw on the breakfast themes over the last four year — climate and energy, workforce development, leadership in the Arctic and North Atlantic, food security and supply chains, as well as trade, economic development, and public diplomacy — to take stock of what Maine has built through its global connections and what the state cannot afford to lose.
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Coffee by Design
Northcross Group
Murray, Plumb & Murray
Verrill (Law)
Broadreach Public Relations
Maine International Trade Center (MITC)
Norway Savings Bank

Coffee and Discussion (In-Person) at Magno Terra in Yarmouth
2026-04-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Magno Terra Cafe, 2 Delorme Dr, Yarmouth, ME, 04096
A monthly discussion of world events for members. In-person meetings are held every third Thursday of the month. Currently the group will be meeting at the Magno Terra Cafe in Yarmouth (#2 Delorme St – immediately to the right of exit 17 on 295 if you are coming from Portland).

Date & Time: April 16th, from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM
Place: Community Room – Magno Terra Cafe, 2 Delorme St. Yarmouth, ME
Discussion leader: Clifford Gilpin
Proposed topic: Changes in International Order
Byman, D. (2026, April 8). The fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire: Issues to watch. Center for Strategic and International Studies. https://www.csis.org/analysis/fragile-us-iran-ceasefire-issues-watch
Dworkin, A., Loss, R., & Puglierin, J. (2026, February 12). After the rupture: Middle powers and the construction of new order. European Council on Foreign Relations. https://ecfr.eu/publication/after-the-rupture-middle-powers-and-the-construction-of-new-order/
LaForge, G. (2026, April 10). The new world order will be more dangerous and more cooperative. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-10/the-new-world-order-will-be-more-dangerous-and-more-cooperative
Vakil, S. (2026, April). The U.S.-Iran ceasefire: What it means for Trump, Tehran, Israel and U.S. allies – Early analysis. Chatham House. https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/04/us-iran-ceasefire-what-it-means-trump-tehran-israel-and-us-allies-early-analysis-chatham
REGISTER HERE OR ABOVE.

Leadership in the High North 2026: Advancing Maine's Role in the Arctic
2026-04-22 18:00 - 2026-04-23 16:30 | ME
Leadership in the High North: Advancing Maine’s Role in the Arctic
April 22–23, 2026 Maine National Guard Regional Training Institute 289 Hildreth St. N, Bangor, ME
Contact: LTC (R) Darryl W. Lyon,— darryl.lyon@gmail.com

Event Description
Join Maine’s leading scholars, diplomats, business leaders, and security experts for a two-day symposium exploring our state’s growing role in the rapidly changing Arctic. From climate science and international trade to emergency preparedness and Indigenous inclusion, this conference connects Maine to one of the world’s most consequential regions.
Keynote Speaker: Ambassador Svanhildur Holm Valsdóttir, Embassy of Iceland
Day 1 — Wednesday, April 22
6:00 PM Welcome & Opening Remarks 6:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM Keynote Address — Ambassador Svanhildur Holm Valsdóttir 8:30 PM Concluding Remarks & Preview of Day 2
Day 2 — Thursday, April 23
8:30 AM Breakfast Reception & Student Poster Session 9:10 AM Maine’s Academic Role in the Arctic — featuring Dr. Pips Veazey (UMaine Portland Gateway), Dr. Susan Kaplan (Bowdoin College), and UNE North 10:30 AM Maine’s Economic Role in the Arctic — featuring Maine International Trade Center, New England Ocean Cluster, and Maine Center for Entrepreneurs 12:15 PM Maine’s Diplomatic Role in the Arctic — featuring Dr. Mary Thompson-Jones, author of America in the Arctic 2:15 PM Maine’s Security & Emergency Management Role in the Arctic — featuring Benjamin Strong (Arctic Council), Magnus Nordenman, and USCG Sector Northern New England 3:30 PM The Way Ahead — closing discussion with Ambassador Valsdóttir and Commissioner Diane Dunn (Maine DVEM)
Lunch included. Extended networking breaks with student poster opportunities throughout the day.
Contact: LTC (R) Darryl W. Lyon,— darryl.lyon@gmail.com

Call for Student Posters
Students: Present your Arctic-relevant research alongside leading experts! Posters will be featured during structured networking sessions throughout the conference.

Free attendance for student presenters
Easels provided — just bring your poster (36×48″, vertical)
Topics: climate, geopolitics, trade, security, Indigenous studies, marine science, and more

Contact: Tyler Lissy, UMaine SPIA — lissyt@maine.edu

Presented by: World Affairs Council of Maine • Archipelago • UMaine School of Policy & International Affairs • Maine International Trade Center
Supported by: Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management • ArcticToday

Great Decisions 2026: Ruptured Alliances & the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation
2026-05-07 17:30 - 19:30 | Lee Auditorium, Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedfort St, Portland, ME, 04104, United States
Great Decisions 2026: The Future of U.S. Global Leadership Keynote Series
Ruptured Alliances & the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation
with Heather Williams, Director, Project on Nuclear Issues and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security, CSIS, moderated by Rebecca Davis-Gibbons
May 7, 2026, 5:30-7:30 PM, 34 Bedford Street, Portland
What happens when America’s allies begin to doubt U.S. security commitments—could it trigger a new wave of nuclear proliferation? Heather Williams directs the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and serves on the Defense Science Board. A leading voice on arms control, deterrence, and nuclear risks, she has advised the U.S. government and the UK House of Lords on nuclear policy. Join us for a vital conversation on whether the global architecture that has prevented nuclear spread for decades can survive an era of great power rivalry.
Address: Lee Auditorium, Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedford Street, Portland 5:30-6:15 PM: Reception 6:15-7:30 PM: Keynote

Great Decisions is the largest and longest-running discussion program on foreign policy in the United States, offered locally by the World Affairs Council of Maine since 1980. Thanks to the generous support of our Global Benefactor “Coffee by Design,” we are offering a public lecture series in addition to our regular discussion series co-hosted with the Falmouth Memorial Library.
Note: Public lectures will be recorded to support Great Decisions discussion groups in Maine, including our annual member-facilitated series at the Falmouth Library beginning March 24, 2026.
Reserve your spot today and be part of this essential conversation on the crossroads of American foreign policy.
Tickets:
$10 for members
$15 non-members
Maine Students FREE
REGISTER HERE

Great Decisions 2026: Democracy & the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy
2026-05-14 17:30 - 19:30 | Lee Auditorium, Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedfort St, Portland, ME, 04104, United States
Great Decisions 2026: The Future of U.S. Global Leadership Keynote Series
Democracy & the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy
with Ambassador (ret.) Derek Mitchell, Senior Adviser to the President and Asia Program, CSIS
May 14, 2026, 5:30-7:30 PM, 34 Bedford Street, Portland
What role should democracy play in American foreign policy—and how do we balance values with interests in an era of great power competition? Ambassador Derek Mitchell brings more than three decades of experience navigating these questions across government, diplomacy, and the nonprofit sector. As the first U.S. Ambassador to Burma in 22 years during its political opening, and later as president of the National Democratic Institute, he has seen firsthand the promises and limits of democratic engagement. Join us for a capstone conversation on one of the most enduring debates in American foreign policy.
Address: Lee Auditorium, Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedford Street, Portland, RECEPTION: 5:30-6:00 PM; KEYNOTE 6:05-7:30 PM

Great Decisions is the largest and longest-running discussion program on foreign policy in the United States, offered locally by the World Affairs Council of Maine since 1980. Thanks to the generous support of our Global Benefactor “Coffee by Design,” we are offering a public lecture series in addition to our regular discussion series co-hosted with the Falmouth Memorial Library.
Note: Public lectures will be recorded to support Great Decisions discussion groups in Maine, including our annual member-facilitated series at the Falmouth Library beginning March 24, 2026.
Reserve your spot today and be part of this essential conversation on the crossroads of American foreign policy.
Tickets:
$10 for members
$15 non-members
Maine Students FREE
REGISTER HERE

Coffee and Discussion (In-Person) at Magno Terra in Yarmouth
2026-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Magno Terra Cafe, 2 Delorme Dr, Yarmouth, ME, 04096
A monthly discussion of world events for members. In-person meetings are held every third Thursday of the month. Currently the group will be meeting at the Magno Terra Cafe in Yarmouth (#2 Delorme St – immediately to the right of exit 17 on 295 if you are coming from Portland).

Date & Time: May 21st, from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM
Place: Community Room – Magno Terra Cafe, 2 Delorme St. Yarmouth, ME
Discussion leader: TBD
Proposed topic: TBD
REGISTER HERE OR ABOVE.

WAC207 Silent Auction
2026-06-11 02:00 - 19:30 | ME
Our second silent auction is open. Original art from Maine and abroad, restaurant gift cards, date-night packages, and a few one-of-a-kind experiences — all supporting the Council’s mission to bring the world to Maine, and Maine to the world.
Bidding closes Thursday, June 11, at 7:45 PM, during our 49th Annual Meeting at Coffee by Design. Bid early, bid often.

49th Annual Meeting
2026-06-11 17:45 - 20:00 | Coffee by Design, 1 Diamond Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
It’s been quite a year! We’ve seen a lot and done a lot, and now it’s time to come together as a community and celebrate! We’ll have food, drink, a raffle, and a silent auction with items from around the world. You will hear about the state of the Council, hear from Katherine Brown, President and CEO of Global Ties U.S., and be there when we announce the winner of our first “Citizen Diplomat of the Year” award. Members will also have a chance to vote on candidates for the Board and updates to the by-laws!
Doors open at 5:45, reception begins at 6:00!
Member Tickets: $50 ($95 for two)
General public: $55 each
Maine students: FREE
Register HERE
