The Global Issues Forum (GIF) is a student organization dedicated to improving the understanding of global affairs on the Princeton campus through a series of activities, often cosponsored with other groups. The Forum is relatively new, but has quickly emerged as one of the most active student groups on campus. The Global Issues Forum organizes a myriad of activities each year. The Forum has no political bias, and is position-neutral. Our events include lectures by guest speakers, panel discussions, biweekly dinner discussions, a film series and other activities.

History

In the Fall of 2001, and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, there was much political discussion that emerged on campus. It was the semester when the Princeton Peace Network and the Princeton Committee Against Terrorism were created. As such, several students sought to form a group that would be more dynamic, and explore in more depth the issues facing the world in general, from a neutral perspective. Originally the brainchild of Taufiq Rahim (’04), several students participated in initial meetings, that led to recognition by the USG but not any substantive activities. After GIF’s first event in April 2002 in conjunction with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month that included a film screening on South Asian nuclear politics, the organization remained dormant until September 2002. The group’s founding members were Veronika Musilova (’04), Justin Palmen (’04), Dan Rakove (’05), and Taufiq Rahim (’04).
The group hosted a series of prominent events in its first full year, including high-profile lectures by Andrew Natsios, Administrator of US AID, and Ilyas Akhmadov, Foreign Minister of the Chechen rebel Government.