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The Global Midwest Initiative

The mighty heartland of the United States, the American Midwest, is struggling. Globalization is testing the Midwest's productivity and resilience. As Richard Longworth, senior fellow at The Chicago Council of Global Affairs writes in his new book, Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism, "what happens to America happens first to the Midwest. A healthy nation cannot house a diseased heart."

Given the importance of the Midwest to America's future and the urgent need to encourage debate about how to position the region for success in a global era, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs launched the Global Midwest Initiative (GMI) on October 6, 2008, at the first annual Globalization and the Midwest Conference. The GMI will build on Richard Longworth's book and will draw on the success of The Chicago Council's Global Chicago Center, which has helped set the agenda for Chicago as it transforms itself from industrial powerhouse to global city. The GMI will convene thought leaders to analyze the key problems and develop solutions; stimulate regional discussion among policymakers, business and civic leaders, and experts; and put forward recommendations for how to best position the Midwest region in the era of globalization.

Main Activities:

  • Annual Conference: Hosting an annual Globalization and the Midwest conference that helps build consensus among regional leaders on how best to position the Midwest for success in the era of globalization. The first conference was held in Chicago on October 6, 2008. Conference Agenda and Participant List.
  • Monograph Series: Developing and publishing a major monograph series -- the Heartland Papers -- that will delve deeply into the challenges and opportunities of globalization for the Midwest and produce original content that helps further the discussion.
  • Seminars: Organizing a series of Global Midwest Seminars tailored to serve the needs of local policymakers and influencers. These will take place across the Midwest.
  • Website: To facilitate information-sharing and network-building around the topics being addressed by the GMI.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs has invited leading regional organizations to serve as Strategic Partners in the Initiative. Strategic Partners sit on the Steering Committee and help identify key topics requiring attention as well as provide the visionary framework for the Initiative. The Chicago Council relies on Affiliate Partners to collaborate on the various areas of their expertise and to leverage their networks to highlight GMI activities. An Advisory Council will be formed to provide research, data, background documents, and historical insights for the various activities and website. The GMI is funded by leading corporations, foundations, and individuals that are strongly committed to the economic growth and success of the region as it competes in the global era.