Create a chart identifying the challenges facing 21 st Century Europe. Discuss the role of the United Nations.

Challenges in the 21 st Century IssueDatePeopleDetailsSignificance Population Immigration Human Rights al-Qaeda Attack War in Iraq Directions: Choose one of the following issues/events from your reading that you think is the most significant to the world today and in the future, complete the chart for that issue/event, and develop an argument supporting your choice. Be prepared to defend your choice with facts!

most significant Which issue do you think is most significant to the world today and in the future? Explain why? FRONT OF ROOM GO to your corners… Population Immigration Human Rights Al-Qaeda Attack War in Iraq

Challenges in the 21 st Century IssueDatePeopleDetailsSig. Population 2000 Birthrates decrease into a “baby bust”. By 2000 birthrate was 1.6 in Europe, 2.1. in U.S. Italy had lowest. Undermine social welfare system. Changing gender roles may have changed this. By 2002, birthrates had stabilized.

Challenges in the 21 st Century The Growth of Immigration Influx of refugees and illegal immigrants from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe raised new questions about European identity. Rising unemployment in Europe prompted governments there to halt immigration from North Africa and Turkey. In the 1990s, European governments accepted thousands of refugees from Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia,… Illegal immigration grew to be perhaps 500,000 annually. Russian organized crime responsible for “People Smuggling”. Immigration became a source of political conflict opposed due to job competition undermined cultural, ethnic, national unity French President Chirac passed laws in 2004 banning wearing of religious clothing/objects in French public schools.

Challenges in the 21 st Century Promoting Human Rights By 1990s European intellectuals viewed human rights as a new historic mission. Goal of regulating human rights would mean curbs on the sovereign rights of nations. Led to military interventions to stop civil wars and prevent tyrannical rulers from slaughtering their own citizenry. Europeans condemned the use of the death penalty in the U.S., Saudi Arabia and China. European socialist parties won elections throughout the European Union in 2001.

Challenges in the 21 st Century The Al-Qaeda Attack of 9/11/01 Following the attack, the U.S. led a military campaign to destroy the al-Qaeda network and the Taliban. Civil war and terrorism have been linked. As early as the 1920s, many nationalist movement used terrorism as a strategy to achieve goals. In the Vietnam War era, a wave of terrorism supported by the far-left supporters of communism led to “revolutionary terror” aimed at crippling the West. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was another wave of terrorism supported by Islamic Fundamentalists.

Challenges in the 21 st Century War in Iraq Western unity dissolved in the face of U.S. efforts to build support for a war against Iraq. American fears of renewed terrorism fueled support for war. The United States invaded Iraq in March, 2003 and quickly overwhelmed the Iraqi army. Confident assumption of a peaceful pro-American Iraq was an error in judgment as resistance continued. June, 2004 the U.S. and Britain proclaimed a fully sovereign Iraqi government.