'Great Decisions' looks toward world
Sarah Day — Staff WriterBLUE EARTH - Do you know what's going on in the world? What do you think about it?
Blue Earth Area Community Education and the Traverse de Sioux Library System are hosting a "Great Decisions" discussion series. The first is from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Blue Earth Elementary School conference room.
The remainder of the discussions are scheduled for the Blue Earth Community Library.
Community Education has hosted the discussions before, but this year it received a Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant to make them free for participants. Renee Beattie of Community Ed also said they were able to add another speaker.
On Tuesday, the discussion will be on peace building and conflict resolution.
Overall, the topics are focused on a global perspective.
"To get people aware of what's going on in the world," Beattie said. "Just to get people thinking outside our county or our state."
People can go and get a little more information on a specific topic, participate and discuss.
The speakers all have professional backgrounds, Beattie said.
The Great Decisions series was created by the Minnesota International Center.
"It's dedicated to supporting Minnesota's growing interest in involvement in the world," Beattie said. "Our mission is to inspire our community to understand global issues and cultures in an ever changing world. We just thought it would be a great idea to have people come down here and speak. The first few sessions will just be local people getting together with a facilitator and watching a DVD."
They'll also be using workbooks.
"They sit around and chat about it," Beattie said. "They see what their views are and see how does it affect us here in Minnesota. There are so many things going on in the world that it's good for people here to know what's going on. Great Decisions is a citizen education and discussion program about foreign policy issues that helps thousands of Americans gain a better understanding of global topics affecting America's role in the world."
Beattie said there really aren't any small towns in this area of the state that hold these discussions. Rochester and Mankato have them. St. James also starting hosting them.
Beattie said people don't have to participate in the discussion. They can just sit in and take in all the information if they wish.
Pre-registration is preferred for the discussions. It can be done online via the school's community education Web site, or by calling (507) 526-3172.
For more information on Great Decisions go to www.micglobe.org
The other discussion dates and topics are:
o March 23, Kenya and right to protect;
o April 6, Global financial crisis, with speaker George Prestwich;
o April 19, Russia and its neighbors, with speaker Todd Lefko;
o May 4, Special envoys.
