World Affairs Council’s 24th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration

Nearly three hundred people attended the World Affairs Council’s 24th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, Friday, February 6, 2015. Bob Fischer, World Affairs Council executive director, welcomed the guests to the Year of the Sheep.

The evening began with a cocktail reception in the Ballroom Prefunction. Guests could participate in several activities like Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting, tarot card reading, raffles, and a photo “booth”. The guests then adjourned to the Ballroom to enjoy a delicious Chinese feast, served family style. During dinner, the Andrew Stephen Trio provided the musical entertainment.

The program honored the 2014 High School “WorldQuest” winners from the Council’s 13th annual international knowledge competition held November 11, 2014 on the campus of Webster University. More than 100 public and private schools received invitations, and 26 accepted the challenge. First prize went to students from Chaminade College Preparatory School, who earned an expense paid trip to Washington D.C., April, 24-26, 2015 to represent St. Louis in a national competition involving over sixty cities. Four schools tied for runner-up recognition and a $500 prize: Clayton High School, Edwardsville High School,Pattonville High School, and Whitfield School.

The Council also recognized two special guests: Dr. David Thomas, past president, World Affairs Council of St. Louis, and Bill Clifford, President and CEO, World Affairs Councils of America. A live auction, successfully run by auctioneer Ron Harke, concluded the evening with items like the Clayton Package, A Night on the Landing, The Classy Gent’s Package, and sports outings.

For over 20 years, the World Affairs Council (WAC) of St. Louis, an international cultural education non-profit, has sponsored an annual fundraiser that celebrates the arrival of the Chinese New Year. The event proceeds underwrite the council’s free international and cultural programs for students and people of all ages.

2015 marks the “Year of the Sheep”. The Sheep occupies the eighth position in the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animal signs. People born in the Year of the Sheep are considered creative and need plenty of time in which to feed their muse. Sheep generally find most comfort in their own minds, making them a great craftsperson, artisan, or perhaps a New Age studies teacher–any occupation that allows its mind the full range of freedom. Sheep tend not to display very good organizational skills, precluding many drier business endeavors. Perhaps this artistic temperament so often causes Sheep to feel insecure, but the result indicates that these high-strung creatures need to feel loved and admired, lest they start worrying incessantly.

As the Year of the Wood Sheep, the 2015 horoscope promises much more favorable times as compared to the previous year. Many astrologists conclude from the conditions of 2015 that the processes that have unfolded and spread chaos over the past few years finally are wrapping up; both political and economic conditions in the world are starting to stabilize. Many people’s quality of life is getting higher, and the crisis that has tormented many countries recently is subsiding. In other words, the year of 2015 is deemed a crucial one!

Founded in 1948, the World Affairs Council of St. Louis comprises a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that connects the citizens of the Gateway region to the world. The Council’s mission focuses on sponsoring programs that promote understanding, engagement, relationships, and leadership in World Affairs. The St. Louis Council belongs to a national association headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Council system, originating its work in 1918, reaches over 2 million people each year with more than 2,500 events, radio, TV, and school programs.

Membership is opened to anyone interested in international issues. The benefits of a World Affairs Council membership include the knowledge you make a difference in the way young people view other cultures and the camaraderie of colleagues interested in global issues.