What is NATO? Why is it in Dayton? Everything to know about the parliamentary assembly
Over 1,000 diplomats, staff, journalists, and guests from dozens of countries are expected to attend the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings from May 22 to 26.
According to the Ohio Statehouse News Bureau, this is the first time NATO has come to the US since 2003, "coming at a precarious time for US-international relations."
But what is NATO, and why is it in Dayton? Here's everything to know.
The assembly was created in 1955 to link the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with the parliaments of NATO's 32 member nations.
NATO's Parliamentary Assembly is held twice annually, per the Dayton Daily News. Sessions occur in the spring and the fall, bringing NATO members and partner legislators together for a series of debates and reports.
The news site adds that this week, the alliance will discuss key issues and policy recommendations on its defense and security agenda, including discussions related to the war in Ukraine.
This will be the first time the U.S. has hosted the assembly since Orlando did in 2003.
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Republican Congressman Mike Turner has been working for more than three years to bring the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton to align with the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.
Turner, 65, was mayor of Dayton in 1995 when the Dayton Peace Accords were reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, bringing an end to the Bosnian War. He's been in Congress for 23 years, including 16 years as an appointee to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
According to the event's website, the NATO sessions and plenary will be held at various venues in the NATO village in downtown Dayton, including the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, and CareSource headquarters. Traffic will be restricted, and pedestrian access will be limited.
The city of Dayton and its partners are preparing for potential protests.
On the first night of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Montreal in November 2024, protests turned violent with people throwing objects at police, lighting vehicles on fire, and breaking windows, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.
The state has allocated $3 million for security expenses, including anti-scaling fencing and concrete barriers, drones, and radios.
The event's website states that only credentialed individuals are allowed to access the NATO Village and assembly sessions.
Roughly 300 parliament members from the 32 NATO countries will be in Dayton for the spring session. Their families and staff, U.S. officials, and guest speakers have also been invited to join. The total number of attendees is predicted to be around 1,000.
State Representative Desiree Tims (D-Dayton) announced in March that $4.3 million has been allocated for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, including $2.8 million in reimbursement costs to the city of Dayton for policing, fire, public works, and equipment expenses.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What is NATO? Why is it in Dayton? Everything to know
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