DAYTON — The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is underway, putting Dayton in the global spotlight.
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About 300 people from 32 NATO countries are in town for the session.
This means tight security.
“All those measures are designed to keep people safe, that’s a major issue for us,” Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims said during the NATO kick-off presser.
Mims supported Congressman Mike Turner’s efforts to bring the NATO meetings here.
One of the reasons is that this is the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war in the Balkans.
The delegates will work for similar peace now.
“How do we end war and take that and look at Ukraine and other areas of conflict, and what our areas of responsibilities are, and what the United States can do,” Turner said.
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The NATO delegates say the work and the diplomacy needed to keep peace are balanced against those who want chaos and hate law and order.
It’s one of the reasons gatherings like this require huge security.
Fences, barricades, ground law enforcement of the ground, and law enforcement.
“I do think that everything needs to be cordoned off. Delegate safety is the most important thing,” Jesse Ralston said.
The number of roads closed down for safety is making it a challenge for anyone who works or lives downtown.
“It might be a little bit of inconveniences to Daytonians, but it’s temporary. This is an awesome thing that’s happening here,” Ralston said.
The NATO delegates will not just stay inside the downtown NATO village; they will get a taste of Dayton and its attractions.
They are also already beginning their discussion panels.
The biggest discussion is the Ukrainian-Russian war.
“The Russians pose an imminent risk to NATO security,” Raimond Kaljulaid, Estonian Delegation Head, said.
Several other panelists agreed.
“If we lose in Ukraine, it will have the same historic consequences as if we had lost and been in during the Cold War,” Fred Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council, said.
A woman near the security zone told News Center 7 she has family in Russia and Ukraine.
She hopes that Dayton can again play a huge role in making our world safer.
“It’s like a small city, but it’s very kind of prominent because aviation was born here, and this, I think, they make good choices,” Natalia Todd said.
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