Great Decisions Global Discussions

Livestreamed to YouTube

Mondays 6 - 7:15 PM

Know the World, then Change the World

Diplomats, policy makers and practitioners, think tank specialists and journalists

lead conversations on global issues that impact us locally.

February 8 through March 29, 2021

Virtual events. Public invited.

Webinars will be viewable live and as archives.

$10 admission per discussion, $60 for a series pass

New topic and speaker each week

Free admission to WACWM corporate members and their employees; Senator members; and the faculty, staff and students of our educational partners.

Support the series through our Friends of Great Decisions campaign.

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Click on speakers' images or topic titles for more information on topic and speaker

Engage with our experts

February 8

"North Korea: Getting Diplomacy Back on Track"

Suzanne DiMaggio

Senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

February 15

"Have We Learned Anything about this Pandemic?"

Andrew Natsios

Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M

February 22

"The European Union: The New Agenda Post-Brexit"

Tomas Baert

Head of Trade and Agriculture, European Delegation to the U.S.

March 1

"The Future of Business and Global Supply Chains"

Judy Samuelson, founder and executive director, Aspen Institute Business and Society Program

with moderator Brian Kraus, Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Amway

March 8

"Sustainable Globalization Post- COVID-19"

Julia Luscombe

Managing Director of Strategic Planning, Feeding America

March 15

"The Melting Arctic"

Kaare Sikuaq Erickson

North Slope Science Liaison, Ukpeaġvik Inupiat Corporation

Bob Hollister

Leader of Artic Ecology Program (AEP), Grand Valley State Univ.

March 22

"China in Africa and the Case of Ghana"

Elizabeth Asiedu

Professor of Economics, University of Kansas

Mar. 29

"The Saudi-Arabian- U.S. Relationship: Decades in the Making"

Thomas W. Lippman

author, consultant, and lecturer

Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs, initiated by the Foreign Policy Association in New York City.

Want to dig deeper? The FPA offers program resources, including briefing books that cover each topic.

Learn More

Series Sponsor:

Livestream Sponsor:

Media Sponsors:

Topic Sponsors:

Friends of Great Decisions

The Vernis Schad 2021 Lectureship for Women in Global Studies

Educational Partners:

Aquinas College Calvin University Central Michigan University Davenport University Ferris State University Grand Rapids Community College Grand Valley State University

Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University Montcalm Community College Northern Michigan University Western Michigan University

Community Partners:

Arctic Ecology Program (AEP) at Grand Valley State University

Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL) Citizens Climate Lobby of Grand Rapids

City of Holland Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum

Grand Rapids Sister Cities International Kent District Library

U.S. Commercial Services - Grand Rapids