History and Organizational Status

The World Affairs Council of Texas was incorporated in Texas in March of 2004. as a Texas non-profit membership educational corporation, designated by the IRS as a 501-c-3, charitable organization. It is Sales-Tax exempt in Texas.

The World Affairs Council of South Texas affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America, in 2004. In the program year of 2004-05, our first year of operation in Corpus Christi, we began a monthly speakers’ series with five speakers from September to June.

In July of 2008 we became a provisional member of the National Council for International Visitors, now named Global Ties US, and a year later we became a permanent member.
In the fall of 2007, the city and the port donated funds to the university to open an Intranational Office at the university which was to be the business office and webmaster for our council, the central focus for the university’s international students, and act as a protocol office for the three entities. The office closed in the spring of 2012 due to eh national financial crunch.

The Council owns the names:

• Coastal Bend Council on Energy and Environment
• Coastal Bend Diplomatic Corp
• Coastal Bend Council of Cultures

Coastal Bend Council of Cultures
The Coastal Bend Council of Cultures is an organization formed within and a part of the World Affairs Council of South Texas, to support the continuing international development of the Coastal Bend region through cultural and economic projects.

The Council brings together representatives from the different international cultural organizations in Corpus Christi to work together as advisors and promoters of international affairs in the area.

The Mayor of Corpus Christi will serve as the main advisor for the Council, which will be supported by the International Relations Office in partnership with the City of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi Port Authorities, the World Affairs Council of South Texas and Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.

The Council will have regular meetings to discuss its agenda, which will include cultural events coordination and economic development planning with a focus on international business.
The Council’s inaugural meeting was on July 22nd, 2010 at the Town Club. At the meeting, representatives from the Hispanic Cultural Institute, the Korean Association, the Indian Coastal Bend Association, the Chinese Association and the Filipino Association met with the Mayor and representatives from the Port of Corpus Christi, the World Affairs Council of South Texas, the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation and Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi to discuss the Council’s mission and goals. The following goals were put forth:

1. Raise cultural awareness in Corpus Christi through cultural events

a. Example: “International Week Passport Adventure”: For a week the international associations in Corpus Christi facilitate events to encourage Corpus Christi residents to learn about other cultures. Events can include performances, entrance to restaurants, etc. Residents get issued a “passport” which they can have stamped as they visit the different cultures.

2. Assist international employees and students become adjusted to Corpus Christi

a. Assist student workers in hotel industry become integrated into community
b. Alert international students to presence of international associations who can help them or provide connection to home country
c. Encourage international employees and students to stay in Corpus Christi after completion of employment/graduation

3. Encourage international business development in Corpus Christi

a. Provide infrastructure for new international business owners to facilitate process for opening new businesses
b. Help families of new business immigrants become adjusted to and integrated into community

They put on a well-attended Multi Cultural Festival in Heritage park in May of 2012, with food, beverages, live music and live performances.

Coastal Bend Diplomatist Corp.
Was created to annually honor community persons who have become Citizen Diplomats through their help with our International Visitors program, as program producers, providing home hospitality, and those in the community who have enhanced our national image. We were thinking having an annual award dinner, fund raiser.

Coastal Bend Council on Energy and Environment.
In 2010 the Council files this proposal the U S Department of State and it was liked and accepted. Out Mayor, Joe Adame, presented this proposal to the mayor of the city of Tianjin, his was something the two cities had worked on for a year. Tianjin agreed partner with us in this, but they never filed their response to their government. We believed that was because they were not certain that the TPCO plant, to be built in Texas, would happen. This was the document: Later that DOS program was de-emphasized

For more information, view this document.

Bylaws
WAC BYLAWS (click to view PDF)