Think global, learn local

Would you attend a well-researched lecture by a highly qualified professional on a relevant topic that costs only $5?  That is less than the price of a fancy coffee. To attend, you didn’t have to leave the island? I am not making this up. This opportunity IS available to you, right here.

The Critical Issues program for this season is about to begin. It is held at the Council on Aging, 1901 Island Walkway. The first lecture will take place this Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. The program runs Tuesdays through Dec. 15.

I read through the topics being offered and the presenters' biographies.  I knew it was important to get the word out about this opportunity.

I spoke with Robert Weintraub, a long-time presenter and participant in the program, and Richard Scribner, the current facilitator of the planning team.

This lecture series is a sister program to Great Decisions, which happens in the spring, with some major differences. That program has a curriculum set by the Foreign Policy Institute, is more academically focused, and the subject matter is usually geopolitical issues. About 200 different organizations around the country offer it.

Critical Issues is a completely homegrown effort. It spun out from Great Decisions with some of our local participants wanting something equally stimulating offered for the fall season. A big difference is that these lecturers come up with the topics and content themselves, based on an area of interest. It may or may not pertain to their former career or academic background. That means they do their own homework, without being asked. That is enough to stun most students.

I asked Dr. Scribner how the topics were chosen. He is particularly proud of the planning team's work, emphasizing that it is a cooperative effort. Many times, “team effort” means the leader does the work. Not so in this case.

For instance, planning team members chose a wide-ranging theme for this season: “Our Future:  Challenges and Opportunities.”  The team focused on two overarching questions: Do we know who we are? Do we know where we’re going? I joked with Dr. Scribner, replying that from my theological perspective, the answer to both questions is “No.” He laughed and said the team came up with pretty much the same answer. They charged forward with resolve anyway.

At the planning sessions for this season, they talked about how much has changed and is continuing to change in our time at an unprecedented rate. They all had geopolitical concerns for the future, for our society, our planet, and for their own families. Many are parents and grandparents, wondering about the world these generations will inherit.

The planning team started by coming up with 20-30 topics. Over a series of meetings and correspondence, they winnow that list down to 12-13 topics. This year, it is 13. Two of their criteria are their importance and their currency. These lecturers are not dusting off some tired script from the past. They are researching and studying in order to present what is most relevant. The list of the dates, lecture topics and presenters with their biographies is here. I hope you read them. As you do, you will be impressed by the wealth of knowledge and experience that exists right here.  Each session ends with a 30-40 minute question-and-answer period that is lively and engaging.

As with any program, there are some housekeeping details.

The lecture room seats 50-55 at capacity. Therefore, it is important to reserve your space by going to the Council on Aging’s website to reserve a spot.

If you are interested in becoming a presenter, feel free to contact Dr. Scribner at Richardscribner@lalondeassociates.com.

Here is your opportunity to think global and learn local. Didn’t your Tuesday afternoons just get more interesting?