On October 15th, 2022, the CDA had its first event in Locust Valley.  High-school students from several schools on the North Shore of Long Island attended the event.  It opened with a presentation by Alistair Wright and Charlie Englander, the founders of the Civil Discourse Affiliation (CDA) and the Co-Presidents of the Friends Academy Civil Discourse Club. They discussed the flaws in the mainstream American debate, the importance of civil discourse, and all their experience with it.  Next, the participants engaged in a mock discussion about what their favorite season was, in order to practice the tools and strategies that are quintessential to civil discourse with a low-key topic.  All students participated, and the consensus of the group shifted from winter to autumn throughout the conversation.  Afterwards, there was a 45-minute lunch break, which allowed students to mingle and introduce themselves to new faces.  Finally, the group gathered, and had an hour-long discussion about whether a college education is a human right and the extent religion belongs in politics.  The Meet-And-Greet took place from 10:30 to 1:30, and is the first of many events hosted by the Civil Discourse Affiliation.

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