African brain drain is siphoning tens of thousands of professionals a year, but some emigres like Nigeria-born Olusegun Jaji have become the continent’s leading investors, Joel Millman writes for Compass:
compass.icwa.org/p/could-emig...
"Amsterdam continues to pull at my heartstrings. Like Washington, it attracts educated young go-getters from around the world whose sense of home is about more than one place & are eager to build novel
communities." Rowland Robinson reflects on a nomadic fellowship:
www.icwa.org/on-belonging
We are now accepting letters of interest for The Rydell-Frisa Disarmament Education Fellowship, an immersive two-year independent writing fellowship focusing on global nuclear disarmament. Letters of interest are due by April 30: www.icwa.org/icwa-fellows...
“It may be that the threat of global warming has pushed nuclear fear out of the collective imagination, but the nuclear threat is only growing.” Jean-Louis Doublet revisits the 1959 film “On the Beach,” which captures a nuclear war angst very few feel today: compass.icwa.org/p/when-nucle...
America's growing isolationism & emphasis on hard power has deprived it of more chances to exert its influence softly, through human-to-human exchange, @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports from the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland: www.icwa.org/arctic-circl...
Alumni and friends: We'd love to see you and your ICWA gear out in the wild! 🌎 Send us photos with your ICWA tote bags, caps, ties, scarves, pens, pins, or other swag, and we'll share them on our social media accounts. 🧭 Here's a photo contributing editor Robert Coalson sent from Cancun, Mexico.
"Belonging encompasses more than a handful of sincere relationships rooted in vulnerability. Just as importantly, it's built on small, habitual moments of recognition. Someone acknowledging you, you acknowledging them." Rowland Robinson reflects on a nomadic fellowship: www.icwa.org/on-belonging
"The harbor gleams blue in the light
A mist diffuses the sun
The masts are a pleasing sight
An old and reassuring one"
Two stunning new nature poems by Susan Brind Morrow on Compass: compass.icwa.org/p/two-poems
On January 21, Soldagen, or “the sun-day” marked the first time thesun reappeared over Tromsø, Norway, since November 27. @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports on the seminal moment:
www.icwa.org/out-of-darkn...
Douglas Lyon looks back at photographs from a 2010 visit to the Surma people who inhabit the fertile part of Ethiopia's Omo Valley, near the border with South Sudan: compass.icwa.org/p/ethiopias-...
"Americans have a propensity for denying agency to the people who live in countries such as Iran, nearly always tracing the cause of events back to the US," Paul Rahe writes in a review of Scott Anderson's new book "King of Kings" about the 1979 Iranian Revolution:
compass.icwa.org/p/review-an-...
Slashing Arctic climate science will limit how clearly the U.S. can understand the region, Peter Bird Martin fellow @brettvsimpson.bsky.social writes for @theatlantic.com:
www.theatlantic.com/science/2026...
Americans were notably absent from the Arctic Circle Assembly, the high north's largest annual gathering, which provided opportunities for crucial conversations & offstage diplomacy, @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports from Iceland:
www.icwa.org/arctic-circl...
As the Trump Administration seeks to deprive Americans of citizenship, @brynbarnard.bsky.social describes Kuwait's sweeping campaign to strip tens of thousands of their nationality--in this case to make the country less conservative & more open: compass.icwa.org/p/who-your-d...
"For those of us who have been pulled willingly or unwillingly to unfamiliar lands with different peoples & customs, or those who’ve come to believe differently than we were taught, the feeling of belonging can be elusive." Rowland Robinson reflects on a nomadic fellowship: www.icwa.org/on-belonging
The US can help Syria institute reforms so investment flows back to the country, former fellow Andrew Tabler (Syria 2005-2007) @washinstitute.bsky.social testifies to former fellow Rep. Pramila Jayapal @jayapal.house.gov (India 1995-1996) at a House hearing: www.youtube.com/live/FNkBiuN...
Nuclear disarmament remains one of the most critical priorities of our day, with incalculable stakes. Are you a young professional with a strong interest in disarmament? The Rydell-Frisa Disarmament Education Fellowship is now open. Letters of interest due by April 30: www.icwa.org/icwa-fellows...
In Syria, the new government of President al-Sharaa wants to consolidate its power by forging a new contract with the country's minorities. Syrian Christians may play a
singular role, Rami Al Amine writes for Compass: compass.icwa.org/p/the-loud-s...
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frekeriksen has said that a US attack on Greenland would effectively end NATO. But with Russia an ever-present threat, Norway's hands would be tied if its primary defender invaded its neighbor, @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports from Norway: www.icwa.org/norway-us-na...
Prioritizing public health policies such as low-barrier housing, treatment & harm reduction leads to greater public safety, reduced crime, public nuisance & drug use, Rowland Robinson reports at the Maine Governor's Opioid Response Seminar @janetmillsforme.bsky.social: youtu.be/FI4zYSQS_tY?...
The Czech Cubist Emil Filla's 1935 painting "Susanna" prompts Robert Coalson to consider his complicity as an American citizen in the actions of his government: compass.icwa.org/p/susanna-an...
Kitesurfing has become a popular afterschool activity along northern Brazil’s coast. In Ceará state, kitesurfing programs for kids make a meaningful difference in an environment where criminal organizations recruit middle school students, Rowland Robinson reports: www.icwa.org/brazil-forta...
The Rydell-Frisa Disarmament Education Fellowship is now open to outstanding young professionals with a strong interest in disarmament. The fellow will conduct in-depth research in one or more countries, with professional mentoring. Letters are due by April 30, 2026: www.icwa.org/icwa-fellows...
Over the past year, Norwegian leaders have expressed worry about their dependence on an increasingly volatile American ally. More and more, Trump is placed alongside Putin: The twin bullies of modern imperialism. @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports from Norway: www.icwa.org/norway-us-na...
"The Buddhist temples tapered to heaven, the golden faces of deities fearsome or serene. Visitors placed coins in their mouths, covered them in gold leaf." Former fellow @steventagle.com shares photos from a 2013 trip to Thailand on Compass: compass.icwa.org/p/thailand
The number of foreign tourists visiting Brazil's northern Ceará state grew 21% in 2025, generating $250 million. Americans are still rare, however, Rowland Robinson reports: www.icwa.org/brazil-forta...
For Compass, Marvin Kalb details seven tense days reporting on the Cuban missile crisis from Moscow as the US and Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war: compass.icwa.org/p/dateline-m...
“Dateline Moscow: The Cuban missile crisis
Reporting from the Soviet capital about seven days that changed the world
MARVIN KALB
JAN 27, 2026”
compass.icwa.org/p/dateline-m...
Trump's threats about Greenland have left Europe reeling. What to do when the economic, political & militaristic hegemon of the Western world poses a serious military threat to its own ally? @brettvsimpson.bsky.social reports from Norway: www.icwa.org/norway-us-na...
The right-wing governor of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, Cláudio Castro, ordered the country’s largest & deadliest police raid in modern history w/out coordination w the federal govt to resurrect his run for the Senate & weaken President Lula, Rowland Robinson reports: www.icwa.org/brazil-polic...
