The forums provide a way for people of diverse views and experiences to seek a
shared understanding of the problem and to search for common ground for action.

Join the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum as we partner with the National Issues Forums Institute, bringing public deliberation on current public policy issues to Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids.

We kicked off the National Issues Forums activities in May 2008 with brief informational programs for groups and individuals interested in participating in public deliberation. At the May event, attendees learned about the National Issues Forums Institute, how the forums and public deliberative process works, viewed a subject matter starter video, reviewed print materials, and learned how to get your group or other individuals involved.

Fall Forums

The forums will get underway in this fall with discussions on three current topics at both the Library in Ann Arbor and Museum in Grand Rapids. The schedule for our fall forums is:

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library Ann Arbor	Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Grand Rapids
September 16th Health Care in America: How Can We Make it More Affordable?	* October 2nd Health Care in America: How Can We Make it More Affordable?
September 30th What is the 21st Century Mission For our Public Schools?	October 16th What is the 21st Century Mission For our Public Schools?
October 21st The Energy Problem: Choices for an Uncertain Future	October 30th Racial and Ethnic Tensions: What Should We Do?

National Issues Forums (NIF) is a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums for the consideration of public policy issues. It is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and talk to deliberate about common problems. Indeed, democracy requires an ongoing deliberative public dialogue.

These forums, organized by a variety of organizations, groups, and individuals, offer citizens the opportunity to join together to deliberate, to make choices with others about ways to approach difficult issues and to work toward creating reasoned public judgment. Forums range from small or large group gatherings similar to town hall meetings, to study circles held in public places or in people’s homes on an ongoing basis.

Forums focus on an issue such as health care, immigration, Social Security, or ethnic and racial tensions. The forums provide a way for people of diverse views and experiences to seek a shared understanding of the problem and to search for common ground for action. Forums are led by trained, neutral moderators, and use an issue discussion guide that frames the issue by presenting the overall problem and then three or four broad approaches to the problem. Forum participants work through the issue by considering each approach; examining what appeals to them or concerns them, and also what the costs, consequences, and trade offs may be that would be incurred in following the approach.

Visit the National Issues Forums Institute web site for additional background information