About FPA

The mission of the Foreign Policy Association today, as it has been for over 100 years, is to serve as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding, and informed opinion on U.S. foreign policy and global issues. Through its balanced, nonpartisan programs and publications, the FPA encourages citizens to participate in the foreign policy process.

  • Inform: The FPA is the principal public forum in New York City for foreign policy addresses, attracting broad national and international attention.  Over the years, U.S. presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, have delivered major addresses before FPA audiences.  Through its annual meetings program and World Leadership Forum, the FPA gives members access to discussion and debate on the most critical issues facing America today.  More than 60 heads of government have participated in the World Leadership Forum since 2000.
     
  • Engage:  FPA’s Great Decisions program has flourished over the past 60 years into a multi-dimensional global studies program, adapted to multiple formats, including informal discussion groups, public lectures and formal secondary and university courses. Published annually by FPA, the Great Decisions briefing book highlights eight of the most thought-provoking foreign policy challenges facing Americans today. The Great Decisions briefing book serves as the focal text for discussion groups by providing background information, expert analysis, and suggested discussion questions for each foreign policy issue.  The Great Decisions television series on PBS is broadcast to 75% of U.S. households and is available on DVD.  FPA’s blog network, Foreign Policy Blogs, is the largest network of global affairs blogs online. Staffed by scores of professional contributors from the worlds of journalism, academia, business, non-profits and think tanks, Foreign Policy Blogs tracks global developments from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between.
     
  • Inspire:  The Foreign Policy Association hopes to inspire others to participate in international affairs and the foreign policy process.  FPA’s Global Career Boot Camps provide invaluable tools for internationally-minded professionals.  FPA’s Global Career Boot Camps include specialized seminars, networking opportunities and inside tips on landing a global job.


If you would like to be notified of upcoming FPA events and publications, be sure to sign up for our FPA Today email updates!

Have a question or comment? Contact us today!
or email: [email protected]
 

Watch a brief history of the FPA narrated by Tom Brokaw of NBC News
 

A Brief History of the FPA from Foreign Policy Association on Vimeo

 

A brief history of the FPA

The Foreign Policy Association was founded in 1918 as the League of Free Nations Association. It was formed by 141 distinguished Americans to support President Woodrow Wilson's efforts to achieve a just peace. The Association was reconstituted in 1923 as the Foreign Policy Association with a commitment to the careful study of all sides of international questions affecting the U.S. John Foster Dulles and Eleanor Roosevelt were among the incorporators.

FPA's mission remains much the same today. However, the programs implemented to achieve this mission have changed with the times. Below are some of "FPA's Milestones," which help explain how FPA got where it is today.
 

You can also order a copy of Foreign Policy in a Democracy: The Role of the Foreign Policy Association" to learn about FPA's origins and its work to educate the public about U.S. foreign policy and global affairs.

Check out the Foreign Policy Association on Wikipedia.

In the 1920s...
 

Saturday luncheon discussions on foreign policy were initiated by FPA at the Astor Hotel in New York City.

In the 1930s...

Discussions among citizens spread, and FPA branches in the 1930s and 1940s were forerunners of the independent World Affairs Councils of the 1950s.

FPA's publications, Foreign Policy Reports (1925-51), Foreign Policy Bulletin (1920-61) and Headline Series (1935-present), became known for their clear and impartial analysis of foreign policy issues.

FPA's "Off-the-Record" lecture series was formed in 1938 by 19 women wishing to be better informed about international affairs.

The OTR lecture series celebrates its 57th year in 1995. With a membership of close to 600, it continues to involve discerning participants from the Greater New York area who meet 11 times a year to hear and to question leading authorities on foreign affairs.

In the 1940s...

FPA pioneered international affairs radio discussions by broadcasting New York meetings and weekly talks on "The World Today" over the NBC network.

Today, FPA's national television and radio programs, and educational outreach across the country, bring FPA programs to millions of Americans.

In the 1950s...

In 1954, the Great Decisions program was launched in Oregon. Based on the annual briefing book prepared by FPA's editors, Great Decisions has become the largest nonpartisan public education program on international affairs in the world.

In the 1960s...

FPA undertook a new educational challenge--to improve the teaching of world affairs in the nation's schools.

Today the preparation of innovative study materials and teachers' guides, as well as workshops for teachers, are FPA priorities.

The forerunner of FPA's Citizen's Guide to U.S. Foreign Policy, prepared every Presidential election year, was published in 1968.

In the 1970s...

Great Decisions opinion ballots were tabulated nationally for the first time.

Every year results of ballot tabulations are presented to the White House, the departments of State and Defense, Members of Congress and the nation's media.

FPA emerges as the leading public foreign policy forum for national and international leaders.

Among those who have addressed FPA audiences are Great Britain's Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, China's Premier Zhao Ziyang, India's Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Australia's Prime Minister Robert Hawke, the Soviet Union's Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard A. Shevardnadze, His Majesty King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho, Nicaragua's President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, President Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico, President Carlos Saul Menem of Argentina, as well as then-Governor Bill Clinton, Secretaries of State and Secretaries of Defense.

In the 1980s...

FPA founded the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C.

The first "Think International" Essay Contest for high school students was held.

FPA held its first Student Town Meeting in 1985. Students and their teachers have participated in town meetings where the following leaders have responded to their questions: General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., President Jimmy Carter, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Congressman Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Donald F. McHenry, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, among others.

In 1986, FPA initiated its "model sites" project designed to foster collaboration among local school districts, community organizations and colleges and universities.

FPA founded the Young Professionals Group (YPG). Members meet regularly to discuss world issues with experts.

In the 1990s...

FPA and the Ford Foundation co-published five books in the South Africa UPDATE Series, a detailed account of South Africa in the 1980s.

The third edition of Guide to Careers in World Affairs, by FPA's editors, was published in 1993. FPA held its sixth annual Careers in World Affairs Seminar in 1994.

In the 2000s...

FPA creates the World Leadership Forum, a premier global affairs event in New York City that gives members access to discussion and debate on the most critical issues facing America today.  More than 60 heads of government have participated in the World Leadership Forum since 2000.

FPA.org emerges as a pioneering international affairs Web site, providing support for the Great Decisions program, offering career development services like its Global Job Board and analysis of U.S. foreign policy.

FPA launches www.ForeignPolicyBlogs.com, the largest network of global affairs blogs online.

FPA creates Global Affairs Boot Camps that aim to train the next generation of Foreign Policy professionals. 

The Great Decisions Teacher Training Institute brings high school teachers from across the U.S. to New York City for intensive training on educating students on interntional issues.

The Great Decisions Television Series goes HD, reaching 1.2 million viewers across the United States.  Its transformation from a talk show to documentary increases its appeal on digital services like iTunes. 

 

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Privacy Policy

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Privacy Policy
 
 
This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their 'Personally Identifiable Information' (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website or app?

When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, credit card information or other details to help you with your experience.

When do we collect information?

We collect information from you when you register on our site, place an order, subscribe to a newsletter, respond to a survey or enter information on our site.

Provide us with feedback on our products or services 
How do we use your information?

We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:
 
      • To personalize your experience and to allow us to deliver the type of content and product offerings in which you are most interested.
      • To improve our website in order to better serve you.
      • To allow us to better service you in responding to your customer service requests.
      • To quickly process your transactions.
      • To send periodic emails regarding your order or other products and services.

How do we protect your information?

Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible.
 
We use regular Malware Scanning.
 
Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.

We implement a variety of security measures when a user places an order enters, submits, or accesses their information to maintain the safety of your personal information.

All transactions are processed through a gateway provider and are not stored or processed on our servers.

Do we use 'cookies'?

Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer's hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the site's or service provider's systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. For instance, we use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart. They are also used to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.

We use cookies to:
      • Help remember and process the items in the shopping cart.
      • Understand and save user's preferences for future visits.
      • Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions in order to offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We may also use trusted third-party services that track this information on our behalf.

You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser settings. Since browser is a little different, look at your browser's Help Menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.

If users disable cookies in their browser:

If you turn cookies off, Some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly.Some of the features that make your site experience more efficient and may not function properly.


Third-party disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information unless we provide users with advance notice. This does not include website hosting partners and other parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release information when its release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others' rights, property or safety. 

However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

We engage in this practice because,:
To offer

Third-party links

Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third-party products or services on our website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.

Google

Google's advertising requirements can be summed up by Google's Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/1316548?hl=en 
 
We use Google AdSense Advertising on our website.

Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our users based on previous visits to our site and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt-out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google Ad and Content Network privacy policy.

We have implemented the following:

We, along with third-party vendors such as Google use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) or other third-party identifiers together to compile data regarding user interactions with ad impressions and other ad service functions as they relate to our website.

Opting out:
Users can set preferences for how Google advertises to you using the Google Ad Settings page. Alternatively, you can opt out by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative Opt Out page or by using the Google Analytics Opt Out Browser add on.

California Online Privacy Protection Act

CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law's reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. - See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf

According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:
Users can visit our site anonymously.
Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page or as a minimum, on the first significant page after entering our website.
Our Privacy Policy link includes the word 'Privacy' and can easily be found on the page specified above.

You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes:
      • On our Privacy Policy Page
Can change your personal information:
      • By emailing us
      • By calling us
      • By logging in to your account

How does our site handle Do Not Track signals?
We honor Do Not Track signals and Do Not Track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?
It's also important to note that we allow third-party behavioral tracking

COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)

When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years old, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, United States' consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children's privacy and safety online.
 
We do not specifically market to children under the age of 13 years old.
Do we let third-parties, including ad networks or plug-ins collect PII from children under 13?

Fair Information Practices

The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.
 
In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
      • Within 7 business days
We will notify the users via in-site notification
      • Within 7 business days

We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.