Great Decisions: 2017
Sunday Evenings, February 29-April 23
Each year, Aldersgate United Methodist Church sponsors a Great Decisions discussion group, which includes citizens from the community as well as members of Aldersgate, who meet to study eight of the most pressing foreign policy challenges of the year.
Great Decisions: 2017 is a nonpartisan educational program produced by the Foreign Policy Association. It is based on a briefing book with articles on eight topics supplemented by a series of videos. Various schools, civic groups, and churches across the country organize discussion groups.
The Great Decisions discussion group at Aldersgate includes people with a wide variety of perspectives on foreign policy including the military, Foreign Service, government, business, and education. Most parts of the political spectrum are represented, so discussions are often lively, but always in the spirit of shalom (friendly). Our Aldersgate group is now in its 29th year, so regular members have been well informed observers as historic events unfolded during this period – from the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the “Arab Spring”, and most recently the rise of ISIS.
Everyone is invited. You can come for the whole program – or just for a session or two. You don’t have to be an expert. You may just be interested in learning more about current global issues and foreign policy challenges facing our nation.
Experts are also welcome. We often are fortunate to have members or guests with background or experience on one of the topics participate in our discussions and share their insights with us. If you have some expertise or background in the area of one of the topics that you would be willing to share, contact Howard Soroos (see below).
Topics for 2017:
Saudi Arabia in Transition
China and the U.S in the South China Sea
Future of the European Union
Trade, Jobs, and Politics
A New Political Era in Latin America: From Ideology to Pragmatism?
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Nuclear Security
U.S. Foreign Policy and Petroleum
More information on the Great Decisions: 2017 topics
Meeting times: Sunday evenings, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Organizational meeting – February 12, 2017.
Discussions – February 26 to April 23, 2017.
Location: Room 132 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Road (at the intersection of Collingwood and Fort Hunt Roads in the Mount Vernon area).
Room 132 is just inside the Door 3 entrance to the education wing from the south parking lot.
Point of Contact: Howard Soroos
Great Decisions Website: www.GreatDecisions.org