The purpose of the summits is the address global issues affecting our lives and Thursday night the U.S. representative for NATO gave a preview of the NATO summit agenda.
Ambassador Ivo Daalder spoke about the priority at the summit, Afghanistan, and how best to transition power to the Afghan government after recent tumultuous disruptions in reaction to Korans being burned.
"In an era of globalization, what happens in faraway places can have an immediate impact on us here at home," Daadler said.
"By the end of 2014 we want Afghanistan to be able to provide for its our security. We're coming to Chicago to see whether that strategy is working how well we're doing and determine the next phase of transition."
In an increasing globally-connected society, Ambassador Daalder says there is great necessity for NATO countries to continue working together at peaceful resolution of a myriad of potentially dangerous issues.
"In the world that we live, making sure that the rest of the world is moving in the right direction is the best way to insure that we too can get on with focusing on our lives and enhancing our prosperity and making sure we are more secure," he said.
Marshall Bouton is the president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and says that putting Chicago on a world stage will create opportunity for Chicagoans.
"Our future lies in being a global city and being one of those 20 cities in the world that will be the command and control centers of the global economy," he said. "Literally the standard of living for Chicagoans into the future will depend on the extent to which we are a global city."