As part of its longstanding focus on the United Nations, the Stanley Foundation has actively pressed the proposals for UN renewal put forward by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change. The foundation also works to strengthen the United Nations' capability to manage significant global issues—e.g., terrorism, arms control and disarmament, etc. Since the US stance is a major factor in any action at the United Nations, the foundation's efforts have also included extensive communication with the American public on these issues.

This initiative explores in depth the global security role that the United States could and should play in the 21st century. Events and trends that used to seem too remote to be America's concern now ripple across the entire globe. As Americans debate how to achieve security in an increasingly interconnected global system, the foundation is focusing on the role of international norms and cooperation in US national security. In particular, it examines how the United States should work with other nations to strengthen the multilateral rules-based order rather than stand apart from it.

The Middle East continues to dominate US security discussions. This is due to a variety of interrelated issues including transnational terrorism; energy security; the impact of globalization; and ongoing conflicts involving national, regional, and international actors. Given the increasing number of stakeholders with interests in the region, multilateral initiatives are becoming more vital to finding sustainable solutions. Stanley Foundation programming explores and recommends how multilateral approaches that engage both the public and private sectors can help move the region toward a more just, secure, and peaceful future.

The Asian Security initiative takes a new, more sharply focused look at the emerging security situation in Southeast Asia, and it also picks up and extends existing Stanley Foundation work on future multilateral economic engagement with North Korea. It adds in an examination of the evolving relationship between the United States, China, and Japan. And it incorporates a major look at the emerging political/security architecture throughout greater Asia—including Central, Southeast, South, and Northeast Asia.

The advent of India, China, Brazil, Egypt, and others on the world stage as increasingly more powerful actors is causing a major transformation of the global political system. Our work on Rising Powers and US security looks at the ramifications of this systemic transformation, including the impact within regions and globally. A significant part of the initiative considers how regional and global organizations are structured and operate.

The nuclear regime is under tremendous strain in the face of continuing proliferation, resistance to US nuclear dominance, the rise of new nuclear states, and the increasing demand for energy alternatives. This initiative explores each aspect and their interconnectedness to propose and promote avenues toward national and global security.

Thinking globally, acting locally. The Stanley Foundation organizes and supports a number of international, multicultural, and global education projects, including the Catherine Miller Explorer Awards. For projects in and near our hometown of Muscatine, Iowa, contact Jill Goldesberry.