News Release
May 2000

Area leaders to confer at Moravian College on national security

(Bethlehem, PA) –Moravian College is hosting a unique one-day conference on Tuesday, May 2, that will have real bearing on the formulation of America’s national security policy in the 21st Century. The conference is being held by the Institute for Defense Analyses, (IDA), a non-profit organization that provides direct guidance to the Secretary of Defense. The conference is part of a two-year IDA project that has focused on a nation-wide reconsideration of the future of American security, in an effort to identify and address the fundamental security issues facing the United States in the new Century.

Eighteen of the Lehigh Valley’s most influential business and community leaders will participate in the program to discuss perspectives unique to the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas. IDA has held the conference in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Silicon Valley. The IDA believes that a conference with business and community leaders in the Lehigh Valley – a region driven by remarkable recovery and growth – will offer a vital "real world" perspective for its national security project.

"The conference is an attempt to look at the transition of the US national security concept and structure from the Industrial Age to the Information Age," said Edward Pechous, IDA researcher and project manager. "In this evolution, national security becomes a much broader concept than just military. Yet the military component, which is still important, is being used more and for other than major war fighting missions."

The project started two years ago as a research effort to look into those factors – social, economic, political, informational, technological, etc. – that will impact the direction of national security and more particularly the future force structure of the United States. "Last October, we held a conference – similar to this one – with a small select group of national security experts. The group suggested that seminars be conducted around the country," Pechous said.

"Dr. Rokke, the president of Moravian College, a national security expert, was a key contributor to the discussions in our initial conference and was instrumental in bringing the IDA to the Lehigh Valley." Pechous explained. "This is the last of the initial conference series and it is very appropriate for this conference to be held in Bethlehem. Our focus is how the national security structures should transition from the industrial age to the information age," said Pechous, "This community is an excellent example of how a large industrial age community has made the transition to the information age. We hope to gather some insights and apply them to the national security and encourage a further national debate."

"It’s no longer secure just to prevent tanks and planes from penetrating our boundaries," said Moravian College president, Ervin J. Rokke. "National power is now less a function of missiles and planes and more off a function of knowledge. Our challenge is how to adapt with that change. We are pleased that IDA has selected Moravian College and the Lehigh Valley to provide a valuable perspective to the dialogue on national security, " Rokke said.

Moravian College is a private, coeducational, selective liberal arts college located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to 1742, it is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college. Visit Moravian College’s web site at www.moravian.edu.