2012 Guide to the NATO and G8 Summits

Updated: Sunday, May 20, 2012

Chicago will become the focus of the global politics May 20-21 when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) holds its summit at McCormick Place.

The G8 summit, while no longer in Chicago, dealt with many global issues that impacted Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods.

The Red Line Project previewed both the NATO and G8 summits, the protests, how global issues impact the city and how Chicago will handle security and other issues surrounding the NATO events. 
 

Photo via Creative CommonsHundreds of Chicago Police officers will be working downtown during the NATO summit, leaving an alderman and business owners wondering who's protecting the rest of the city. Related: 
G8 icon via iStockPhoto

Both summits will have movers and shakers setting the agenda on global issues. Experts share who are the eight to watch. (Photo via iStockPhoto). 

Related stories:

 

Christos Liakouras Photo by Nadvia Davis

The European Union and Greece's economic woes are expected to be on the G8 summit's agenda. The Red Line Project's Monica Kucera reports from Athens, while Kristen Nemoto and Nadvia Davis report onChicago's Greektown business owners. Related:

Photo: Christos Liakouras, owner of The Parthenon restaurant in Greektown, talks about Greece's economic issues. (Photo by Nadvia Davis).
Protestor Photo by Bartosz BrzezinskiThousands of protesters are descending on Chicago in May to protest the NATO summit and other causes. Who are they? (Photo by Bartosz Brzezinski) Related: 
May Day Parade Photo by Paul Tadalan

The Red Line Project partnered with The GATE newspaper to explore some of Chicago's key immigration issues, how they impact the city and if anything can be accomplished at the G8 summit. 

Photo: Immigration and unions were key issues for the May Day Occupy protests. (Photo by Paul Tadalan) 

J.D. Bindenagel Photo by Sean McDonough

DePaul University Vice President J.D. Bindenagel, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany, shares his insight into the NATO summit. Related:

Photo: Bindenagel sees Afghanistan, Syria and Iran playing key roles in NATO talks.  (Photo by Sean McDonough)

Ken Melvoin-Berg Photo by Cheryl Waity

While some Chicago businesses are hopeful for more customers during the NATO summit, others are either closing or preparing for possible security issues. Related:

Right: Ken Melvoin-Berg of Weird Chicago Tours is shutting down his business the weekend of the summit. (Photo by Cheryl Waity)

Photo via NATO.intThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization dates back to the late 1940s in Brussels.

Read this interactive timeline to see how the global security organization has evolved over the past several decades. 

 (Photo by courtesy NATO.int via Creative Commons)

Tamar Jacoby Photo by Mike ReilleyWhat are the G8 and NATO summits? What issues do they address? And why do the global issues discussed at each summit have a profound impact on those in Chicago? This primer on the G8 and NATO explains some of the key topics and why they matter.

Photo: Tamar Jacoby of ImmigrationWorks USA talks about the impact of immigration in Chicago. (Photo by Mike Reilley)
Lori Healey Photo by AnnCatherine BradyWith the NATO summit only weeks away, Lori Healey, the executive director of the Chicago NATO Host Committee, declared the city "open for business" and announced several events the city was planning, many involving the city's youth.

Photo: Healey spoke to a packed room at the Niagara Foundation. (Photo by AnnCatherine Brady)
Darya Johnson Photo by Josclynn Brandon
Hundreds of dignitaries, media, security and thousands of protestors will descend on McCormick Place in May for the NATO summit. Just to the south of McCormick, in the Bronzeville neighborhood, there are mixed opinions on what the summit will mean. Photo: Darya Johnson thinks the extra traffic from the summit might be a blessing for her salon. (Photo by Josclynn Brandon)
NATO panel photo by Lisa KlierA panel of experts on the summit -- including DePaul Vice President J.D. Bindenagel -- shared the history of NATO and some of the positives and negatives it will bring to the city in May. Photo: Panelists prepare for the discussion. (Photo by Lisa Klier)
Don Zoufal PhotoHomeland Security expert Don Zoufal (left) says Chicago will have its hands full with anarchist groups, traffic congestion, protestors and logistics during the NATO summit. A security consultant who helped with planning for the 1996 Democratic National Convention, Zoufal also said First Amendment protections for protestors present challenges for logistics and resource allocation.
Google Maps ScreengrabSome buildings and areas of downtown Chicago are planning to shut down because of the NATO summit, May 20-21. Other organizations, businesses and schools have moved or rescheduled events. Check this interactive map for updates. 

Related: DePaul closing Loop campus the weekend of NATO

Bob Wachowski Photo by Brianna KellyChicago will have more than 50 global dignitaries and as many as 170 motorcades in town for the NATO summit May 20-21.

But security preparations for Chicago's downtown area, including DePaul's Loop campus, awaited instruction from the Secret Service and FBI until late April. 
Photo: DePaul Director of Public Safety Bob Wachowski (Photo by Brianna Kelly)

G8 LogoNearly two months before the G8 and NATO summits, journalists from all over the United States gathered at DePaul University's College of Communication and discussed how to cover the global summits: Storify: Reporting institute social media coverage | G8/NATO news coverage links | Storify: Social media coverage of G8 and NATO summits

DePaul Loop Photo
The nation's largest Catholic university will close its downtown South Loop campus May 18-21, the weekend of the NATO summit (May 20-21).

The administration cited traffic congestion and safety issues as reasons for shutting down the campus.

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