On February 25, 1988 the initial coordinating committee met at the Cooper Foundation offices in Lincoln, Nebraska. The president of the Foundation, E.N. "Jack" Thompson, had conceived of a forum on international issues as a way to increase Nebraskans' understanding of the people and cultures of other countries and the challenges that face them, and us. Our board of trustees agreed and pledged to provide major funding. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln shared that commitment and agreed to co-sponsor the Forum, providing major logistical and management support, as well as financial support. In 1990, the Foundation and the University honored Jack's leadership by re-naming the Forum. What had been known as the "Cooper Foundation-UNL Forum on World Issues" would become the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues.

Since then, the Forum has provided Nebraskans four to five lectures each year featuring experts on Russia, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and indigenous peoples of North America and the world. Our speakers have addressed issues of human rights, national and global security, terrorism, the environment, infectious disease, war, the environment, democracy, religion, and many others.

The Forum has presented the Lewis E. Harris Lecture on Public Policy Since 2002. The Harris Lecture was endowed at the University by the SmithKline Corporation in honor of Lewis E. Harris, their former Chair and the founder of Harris Laboratories (now MDS Pharma Services). This annual lecture examines major public policy issues and provides a special opportunity for interaction between students and the business and academic communities in Nebraska.

In 2007 Chuck and Linda Wilson created the Charles and Linda Wilson Dialogue on Domestic Issues with the belief that people should hear more than one side of an important issue. Therefore, each Wilson Dialog features a moderated debate between two experts with differing points-of-view. The Nebraska Humanities Council hosts facilitated simulcasts of each Forum with the following institutions: Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Wayne State College, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. For more information about locations and times contact the Nebraska Humanities Council at (402) 474-2131.

St. Paul United Methodist Church hosts discussions of each Forum the following week. The video of the lecture is shown at 6:30 p.m. followed by the facilitated discussion at 7:30 p.m. These events will are held in the church’s Dining Room, 1144 M Street in Lincoln. Contact St. Paul United Methodist Church for more information at (402) 477-6951.

The E.N. Thompson International Scholars Learning Community at UNL annually serves about 20 students who have been chosen based on their interest in global issues. The goal of this academic learning community is to provide first-year students with the opportunity to explore world issues, engage in service-learning that augments classroom experience, and to participate in E.N. Thompson Forum events, including an opportunity to meet with each speaker for a discussion prior to the lecture.

Another UNL initiative is the Nebraska Colloquium, which promotes a campus-wide dialogue using the Thompson Forum as an organizing theme. The Nebraska Colloquium engages the entire University of Nebraska-Lincoln community in thoughtful discussion of issues of overriding importance. In essence, the Colloquium is a series of lectures in which a variety of speakers from a multitude of backgrounds speak on a common subject.

The Forum has partnered with many University departments and other organizations to present lectures, including the Norman and Bernice Harris Center for Judaic Studies at UNL, the Nebraska Humanities Council, the Knights of Aksarben Foundation, the Lincoln/Lancaster County United Way and others. University departments supporting the Forum include the Office of the Chancellor, the Lied Center for Performing Arts, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Student Involvement, KRNU Radio, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications and the University of Nebraska Foundation. Broadcast House in Lincoln has supported the Forum for many years with public service announcements. These partners are essential to the success of the Forum and we greatly appreciate their support.