Barb Schaepe
SaddleBrooke Great Decisions concludes its 2024 program with a meeting on April 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the East Ballroom of the MountainView Clubhouse.
Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program focused on world affairs. SaddleBrooke Great Decisions strives to serve as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding, and informed opinion on U.S. foreign policy and global issues.
Our thanks to the March presenters. Darlene Carlson’s March 4 presentation described the cross-border implications of new technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence and solar radiation modification. On March 11 George Kramer led a discussion about Indonesia, the role it plays in Asia, and current issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations.
At these meetings, members watched a documentary film prepared by the Foreign Policy Association, listened to a presentation followed by a brief question and answer period, and then split up into small groups and discussed issues related to each meeting’s topic. Finally, each group reported the most pertinent takeaways gleaned from its discussion.
The topic of the April 1 meeting was Pandemic Preparation, and the discussion leader was Art Triester. Looking back at the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?
The topic of the April 15 meeting will be the High Seas Treaty. The discussion leader will be Harry Sloan. Areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas, which are facing the degradation of ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities, such as shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince nations to participate?
The Great Decisions 2024 Briefing Book with readings on these topics is available for purchase through Tucson Great Decisions at tgda.org by clicking on the “Materials” tab. The cost is $29 plus $5 shipping. This year the Great Decisions 2024 Briefing Book is not available to purchase on Kindle/Amazon. However, the digital version is available on platforms such as Apple Store, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Prior to meetings, members are encouraged to read the Briefing Book summary for that meeting’s topic.
Further information about SaddleBrooke Great Decisions is available at www.sbgreatdecisions.wordpress.com. Questions can be addressed to Sandy Epstein at [email protected] or phone Sherry Kaplan at 847-528-1968.