By: Jordan Frantz

Nato (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a 32 member country alliance. It includes countries from all over the world including the United States. 

According to the article “North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” “NATO Allies are sovereign states that come together through NATO to discuss political and security issues and make collective decisions by consensus.”

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly holds two meetings every year. Dayton will host the spring meeting May 22-26, 2025. 

According to the Dayton Daily News, “Dayton will become a ‘Nato Village’ security zone.” Sections of Riverscape MetroPark and sections of the downtown Great Miami River Trail will be closed from May 21 to the 27. 

“They are taking a massive chunk of Dayton and blocking off many streets,” social studies teacher Stephanie Tomlin said. “It will be hard for people not to know about it.” 

“I would say it’s important for people in Dayton to be aware of this event,” Social Studies teacher Bob Parks said. “The NATO relationship is the largest military alliance in the world. The entire purpose of it was so that we don’t repeat World War I and World War II, so the strength of that alliance is an important thing.” 

In the last meeting in Montreal, Canada, that took place in November of 2024, there were many outbursts. 

According to the Dayton Daily News, “Storefront and convention center windows were smashed, cars were set on fire and small explosive devices were hurled at police officers.” 

“I think Dayton can expect some of the things that happened in Montreal, Canada,” social studies teacher Aaron Fromm said. “The security is probably going to be higher. I think Canada was caught off guard, but I think that what they are doing with cordoning off the area is important. You are still going to see protestors on both sides of the issues.” 

“I think you have an event where there is international attention and people take that as an opportunity to protest,” Mr.Parks said. “They want that audience regardless if it’s pro NATO or anti NATO or any additional causes that they want the audience to hear. That invites protest.” 

Dayton is home to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but it is also home to the Dayton Peace Accords. “There’s a lot of historical significance as to why it’s in Dayton,” Ms.Tomlin said. 

“The Dayton Peace Accords are a part of why Dayton was selected,” Mr. Parks said. “I think that helps some people understand why it’s in Dayton.” 

“It is the 30th anniversary of the accords this year,” Mr. Fromm said. 

The Dayton Peace Accords is the peace agreement that was signed here in November 21, 1995. 

According to the article “Dayton Peace Agreement,” it says, “These accords put an end to the 3 1⁄2-year-long Bosnian War, one of the armed conflicts in the former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.” 

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Dayton, Ohio, will be a memorable moment for the citizens of the area. 

“That’s awesome that NATO is having their Parliamentary Assembly in Dayton, Ohio,” senior Jacob Messerschmidt said. “I had no idea.” 

Mr. Parks, Ms. Tomlin, and Mr. Fromm have all mentioned the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to their social studies classes in hopes to inform them about the event. “I have told my classes about the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,” Mr. Fromm said. “We are actually talking about NATO right now in our lesson.”