A Note on the U.S. Presidential Elections
A Message from Global Ties U.S. —
Dear Colleagues:
As our nation and global community work to digest the news of this week’s election results, we wanted to share a few thoughts. While we should all celebrate American democracy in action, there can be little doubt that we also share a deep sense of uncertainty as to what the future holds for our ability to carry out our collective mission of strengthening ties between individuals and nations.
How the new administration will take shape and what will emerge as their priorities—particularly in the realm of foreign policy—is still very unclear.
What is clear is that our core values of bridging cultures and building understanding between people and nations are being challenged like never before. It is easy to view this as simply a political divide along red and blue lines, but the reality is that this is a global issue. There has been a deep-seated level of anxiety bubbling under the surface around the world over the last decade about the rapidly changing environment in which technology and globalization are threatening people’s traditional sense of place and belonging—causing a significant backlash against all things global.
The amazing thing about the Global Ties network is that through the international exchange programs we host together in communities across the U.S., our members have the ability to effect change in our own backyard and in the backyards of the farthest reaching corners of the world where fear and skepticism about the other is taking root on both sides.
This presents an awesome responsibility for our network to step forward in providing safe spaces for people to come together and share their hopes and fears about the new realities of the 21st century. Our network has the power and potential to serve as incredible healers of the divisiveness that our nation and our world are experiencing, through exchanges that may seem small yet have a greater impact than we know.
It is not a coincidence that our upcoming National Meeting theme seeks to reinforce the importance of strengthening unity in our communities. Whether it be through our National Meeting, our group discussions or our one-on-one conversations, we remain committed to providing the right environment for our members to seek support, guidance, cohesion and strength so that we can rise to the challenge. Together we will play the role that America and our global community needs us to play in bringing about greater peace and prosperity around the world.
Please don’t hesitate to call on us. Let’s work side by side to help unify our great nation in concert with nations around the world. We look forward to seeing you in February.
Sincerely,
James Wolf
Chair, Global Ties U.S. Board of Directors
&
Jennifer Clinton
President, Global Ties U.S.
