Fridley Community Education

The Great Decisions Discussion Program is designed to encourage debate and discussion of the important global issues of our time. Developed by the Foreign Policy Association in 1954, the Great Decisions Discussion Program is the longest standing and largest grassroots world affairs educational program of its kind. The program provides materials that help people reach informed opinions on the issues and participate in the foreign policy process. A Briefing Book places the thematic or geographic issue in historical context and provides background, current policies and alternative policy options. Photographs, maps, charts and editorial cartoons illustrate the text. An opinion ballot for the National Opinion Ballot Report accompanies each topic so that readers can express their views. This program meets at 10:00 AM at the Fridley Community Center. Please call 763-502-5150 to register. Cost is payable ahead of time or at the door. Mideast Realignment - February 21st The United States and Middle East are at a crossroads. In spite of a reduced presence in the Middle East, the U.S. still has significant national interests there and the area is a key arena for global power politics. Can the U.S. continue to defend its interests in the Middle East and globally with a lower level of military and political involvement, or should it recommit to a leading role in the region? NATO's Future - March 20 Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it further provoke Russia? Climate Technology & Competition - April 17 Will the United States and China, with other powerful countries following suit, approach current and future climate initiatives with an increased commitment to trade protectionism and nationalism, by various measures including trade restrictions? Or could a growing spirit of international accord develop to confront the “common enemy” of climate change? Understanding Indonesia - May 15 Despite its large size, Indonesia remains virtually invisible to most Americans. But as one of the world’s largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and as an economic driver of ASEAN, why does it fly below the radar? What are current issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can the country play in Asia?