Our goal is to cultivate a globally informed, engaged, and active Kansas City region.

You know how important it is to sit down at the table and be part of conversations that matter. You and your organization deserve seats at the table where Kansas City has considered international affairs since 1955.

At the IRC, we anchor global realities, foster aha! moments, mend social fabric, and welcome diverse perspectives.

The following information explains how membership can benefit you and your organization.

Global Connections & Relationships:

As a business leader, you need to know what’s happening around the globe and how it impacts your work. At IRC events, you’ll go beyond the headlines and hear directly from noted journalists, professors, diplomats, and other global experts – both to gain a broader global perspective and to inform the work of your organization.

Whether it’s through opportunities to showcase your organization's international work through roundtables, panel discussions, and community conversations, through introductions to potential partners, clients, and collaborators within Kansas City's international ecosystem, or through invitations to engage with visiting delegations, foreign officials, and international thought leaders - the value of the IRC is in the people.

Recent speakers include:

• A conversation with Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, about the importance of keeping the full scale invasion of Ukraine in the hearts and minds of the heartland of the USA
• A symposium (in partnership with the University of Kansas) about the regional impacts of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with panelists including Luis Guillermo Solís, President of the Republic of Costa Rica from 2014-2018, and Yuan Wang, a 2021-22 fellow at the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program.
• A speaker progam with current U.S. Ambassador to Malawi, David Young, to share his journey from Central High School in Kansas City to the U.S. Diplomatic Corps

Recent series include:

• Nuancing National Security
• World Of Art
• Global Goals: The Intersection of Sports & Diplomacy

Check out the full calendar of recent and upcoming IRC events here, and see recordings of past programs here.

<aside> 💡 We’ll be excited to learn what countries and markets matter to you so that we can cater speakers and topics to your needs.

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A Few Notable IRC Speakers:

1955 – Eleanor Roosevelt First Lady, Diplomat, & Activist

1975 – Henry Kissinger U.S. Secretary of State

1982 – Admiral Robert Long U.S. Navy, Pacific Commander in Chief

2003 – Madeleine Albright U.S. Secretary of State

• Additional Benefits:

The World Right Here: Executive Thought Leadership & Visibility

We know that international businesses are thriving in Kansas City, and we want to help you tell that story, whether it’s to the community, to your partners, or to your special guests.

These opportunities look like:

• Tailored speaking engagements for visiting executives, subject matter experts, and global leaders associated with your organization.
• Opportunities for company executives to participate in public conversations on international issues relevant to your business.
• Other speaking opportunities which position your organization as a thought leader within Kansas City's globally minded community.
• Co-designing of itineraries for international guests to connect them to Kansas City’s diverse diaspora communities
• Opportunities for fun and team-building like global trivia nights and cooking classes.

The IRC’s annual report shares more about the work we do.

• Additional Benefits

*"The world is more connected than ever before... you need to hear from experts in various fields and disciplines. This is where the IRC lives and breathes."

–* Commerce Bank

Members Add Their Voice to the Conversation

We know that your company brings considerable perspective and expertise too. We want you to be a part of this conversation, and to help you fill the rooms where it happen with the right people. We help you do so by:

• Working with your organization to identify leading experts, practitioners, diplomats, and scholars on topics relevant to your business, and scheduling private lunch and learn sessions
• Working with your organization to host speakers, panels, and private briefings for employees, clients, or stakeholders.
• Giving your organization access to the IRC's national World Affairs Council network and expert relationships.

*"Informative IRC programs provide valuable perspectives on issues that affect us all, and opportunities to network with local, national, and international influencers and decision-makers.”

–* Stinson LLP