Is Democracy in Retreat?

In collaboration with the World Affairs Council of Charleston, we look forward to welcoming Ambassador James B. Story, native South Carolinian and former Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for a timely discussion about democracy as a cornerstone of US Foreign Policy. While current trends challenge global order, globalization is not receding, and our vast interconnected world demands cooperation. Join us for an experienced perspective on how nations must join in honoring their international commitments to address everything from pandemics and supply chain disruptions to climate change and cybersecurity.

This program is in partnership with The World Affairs Council. 

About Ambassador James B. Story

James “Jimmy” Story served as both Ambassador and Charge d’Affaires to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from July 2018 until May 2023. In June 2024, Ambassador Story was nominated as Ambassador to Mozambique. While awaiting the nomination process, Ambassador Story taught as a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University and served as the Charge d’Affaires at the US Embassy to Angola and Sao Tome and Principe, as well as the Charge d’Affaires in Eswatini and to the Dutch Caribbean from Curacao. Ambassador Story retired in May 2025.

A career Senior Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Story served as Consul General in Rio de Janeiro; Director of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Office for the Western Hemisphere; Director of the INL Office in Bogota, Colombia; and Senior Civilian Representative in Southeastern Afghanistan. Ambassador Story’s previous assignments include Sao Paulo as the Deputy Principal Officer and Political-Economic Chief; Brasilia as the Regional Environmental Affairs Director for South America; Washington, D.C. in the Office of Marine Conservation in the Oceans Environment and Scientific Bureau; Maputo, Mozambique as Economic-Political officer; Guadalajara, Mexico as a Consular Officer; and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations as the Ambassador’s staff assistant. He is the recipient of numerous State Department and interagency awards including the Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, the Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Award, the Warren Christopher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Global Affairs, the Distinguished Honor Award for the Western Hemisphere Bureau, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Exceptional Service Award.

With local roots growing up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Ambassador Story completed a B.A./B.Sc. in Interdisciplinary Studies from South Carolina College at the University of South Carolina and later received an M.Sc. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. He speaks Portuguese and Spanish. He is married to Susan West Story, and they have a son, James McKelvey “Mac” Story.

About the World Affairs Council

The World Affairs Council of Charleston (WACC), formerly the Charleston Foreign Affairs Forum, was founded in the early 1980s as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. The Council works to deepen our community’s global perspective through speaker programs, discussion groups, and educational experiences. The membership represents a cross-section of individuals from the business community, academia, government service, and civic backgrounds. We welcome participants of all ages and from all backgrounds. The WACC is a 501(c)(3) organization and is a member of the World Affairs Councils of America, a network of 90+ independent, nonpartisan councils across 40 states.