Our History
The impetus for the Olympia World Affairs Council (OWAC) came from Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro in late 1983. He encouraged a group of people interested in international issues to form an organization with the twin goals of assisting State officials with visiting foreign officials and fostering local appreciation of foreign cultures.
As a result of this meeting, the Olympia World Affairs Council was officially inaugurated on May 21, 1984. The press release announcing the formation of the group stressed the importance of promoting activities to support international commerce in the State of Washington. It highlighted opportunities for OWAC members to meet foreign visitors and for the group to act as the local host agency for the State. The first OWAC president was Dr. John Ishii, then president of Saint Martin’s College. Dr. Ishii was an alum of Saint Martin’s high school and college and the first non-clerical president of the college. He was also the first Asian-American college president in Washington State.
The Council initially had 13 members. Dues were 10 dollars and programs included dinner meetings with speakers at local restaurants as well as larger talks held in area churches. Programs concentrated on foreign commerce. The first speaker was Sae Hoon Ahn, Consul General of Korea in February 1985, followed by A.S. Poole, Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Consulate, and Robert Kapp of the Washington State China Relations Council.
OWAC was very successful in establishing itself. By 1991 the membership was over 100. Regular programs were being held at the Olympia Center and the Board was meeting at the Port of Olympia. By then the group had assumed its current character as a South Puget Sound organization devoted to promoting the understanding and discussion of international issues.
Today, we are a group of local residents, with a board of 20 members who meet monthly to plan speaker programs, make nominations for our annual Global Connect Award, and debate the foreign affairs issues of the day.
As a result of this meeting, the Olympia World Affairs Council was officially inaugurated on May 21, 1984. The press release announcing the formation of the group stressed the importance of promoting activities to support international commerce in the State of Washington. It highlighted opportunities for OWAC members to meet foreign visitors and for the group to act as the local host agency for the State. The first OWAC president was Dr. John Ishii, then president of Saint Martin’s College. Dr. Ishii was an alum of Saint Martin’s high school and college and the first non-clerical president of the college. He was also the first Asian-American college president in Washington State.
The Council initially had 13 members. Dues were 10 dollars and programs included dinner meetings with speakers at local restaurants as well as larger talks held in area churches. Programs concentrated on foreign commerce. The first speaker was Sae Hoon Ahn, Consul General of Korea in February 1985, followed by A.S. Poole, Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Consulate, and Robert Kapp of the Washington State China Relations Council.
OWAC was very successful in establishing itself. By 1991 the membership was over 100. Regular programs were being held at the Olympia Center and the Board was meeting at the Port of Olympia. By then the group had assumed its current character as a South Puget Sound organization devoted to promoting the understanding and discussion of international issues.
Today, we are a group of local residents, with a board of 20 members who meet monthly to plan speaker programs, make nominations for our annual Global Connect Award, and debate the foreign affairs issues of the day.