The World Affairs Council (WAC) of Greater Hampton Roads is a non-profit educational organization furnishing community services and programs unduplicated by other agencies in the area. The purpose of the WAC is to promote education, study, discussion, and understanding of world affairs, including all aspects of relations among peoples of the world, and of United States' foreign policy. The foundations of the World Affairs Council (WAC) of Greater Hampton Roads were established by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the Norfolk Regional Foreign Policy Conference with the Department of State. This conference, held on November 21-22, 1968, attracted 450 business and government leaders from Virginia and North Carolina and 400 Virginia college students. Beginning in January 1969, the Chamber sponsored a World Affairs Program Series in order to measure interest in the formation of World Affairs Council. As a result of the World Affairs Program Series, a nucleus of 150 persons, representing most of Hampton Road' cities, were identified as supporters for the establishment of a World Affairs Council. This group elected a temporary executive committee and charged them with establishing WAC. After a series of public sessions to provide a guideline for the programming and activities of the Council, a charter was submitted to the State Corporation Commission and was validated on May 8, 1969.

Note written by Mel Frizzell