The goal of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh has been to promote a better understanding of international affairs. Since 2010 Steve Sokol has been president of the organization. Before he leaves the Steel City to take on a new role as President-Elect of the American Council on Germany, he joins us for an exit interview.
Sokol says that engaging the younger generation in global affairs is not always easy, but not doing so would leave the city at a great disadvantage:
"It's a much bigger argument to be making constantly...that what happens around the world matters to us. I firmly believe that in this increasingly multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual world of the 21st century, even if one doesn't go out into the world, the world is coming to us." -Steven Sokol
Also on today's program, NafariVanaski writes her final column for the Tribune-Review, and Pittsburgh's oldest commercial building is in danger of being beyond repair.
Southbound But Not Down (starts at 23:57)
For over 12 years Nafari Vanaski has been a columnist for the Tribune Review. She’s offered her take on domestic violence in the NFL, child rearing and others travails of modern life. Before Ms. Vanaski heads south we’ve invited her back to Essential Pittsburgh for another in our series of exit interviews.
Saving the Old Stone Tavern (starts at 41:01)
Dating back to 1782, the last year of the Revolutionary War, the Old Stone Tavern is Pittsburgh’s oldest commercial building. However, like so many old structures, it’s in need of repair and the threat of destruction looms. We’ll discover what’s being done to preserve this piece of Pittsburgh history from Rich Forster and John McNulty who sit on the board of the Friends of the Old Stone Tavern Trust.
More Essential Pittsburgh segments can be found here.
