Mark Schwab  

May 17, 2023

We all expected a return to "normal" this past season, and then Hurricane lan passed through our community, wreaking havoc and leaving a path of devastation in its wake. But hard work and persistence prevailed, and your Naples Council on World Affairs was able to deliver a strong season of programs and activities, thanks to our committed teams of volunteers.

Our speaker program featured ten highly, almost uncannily, timely and on-point topics as major international events of consequence unfolded.

Our twenty-five Great Decisions groups were able to return in person to their lively discussions.

Our Model United Nations competition in partnership with FGCU celebrated a successful 30th anniversary.

Our School Outreach team offered a number of programs and awarded numerous scholarships to an impressive group of young people.

Our War College day was well attended, engaging and thought provoking.

And our Village Assistance Program provided badly needed housing assistance to Ukrainian families.

I'd like to thank the leaders of each of those areas and the many, many volunteers who put in countless hours of work to deliver top quality programs. Thanks to our hard-working Board of Directors and special appreciation to Jim Schmotter, who just completed his third term as president of this complex organization.

But especially, I would also like to thank all of you, our members, for your active participation and engagement. This organization exists for you.

As we wrapped the 2022-2023 season, over 40 percent of you took the time to respond to our survey and express your views on your NCWA membership. We learned a lot as we emerged from the Covid years, but we needed a more analytical look forward as we realized the impact of demographic trends, growing reliance on technology for online delivery of programs, the impact of growth (and traffic) on our community, and other important signals in the marketplace.

You provided valuable insights and suggestions which will help guide our work over the summer and coming season and beyond as we strengthen our commitment to educating, inspiring and engaging you and our broader community in international affairs and critical global issues.

Have a great summer and we look forward to welcoming you back in October!

Mark Schwab
President