For nations that seek to advance their values and interests in the world, crafting foreign policy initiatives to address challenges is among the most difficult—and most vital—decisions government leaders must make. This includes joining forces with reluctant allies, dealing with intransigent adversaries, and concluding complicated economic agreements. It also means providing assistance and development to countries that need it and addressing global issues such as climate change, pandemics, and human rights abuses.

Foreign policy is influenced by a country’s historical background, cultural values, economic interests, and security concerns. Diplomacy and foreign policy often overlap in terms of their usage and application, with many scholars arguing that all official acts by a nation outside its borders fall under the broad umbrella of foreign policy.

Today’s world requires the United States to remain engaged in international affairs, as a way of advancing its own national interests and maintaining a stable and prosperous global order. This includes tackling humanitarian crises that are exacerbated by climate change; famine, conflict, and instability in countries like Syria, Yemen, and Sudan; autocrats seeking to expand their influence and power around the globe; and rising powers challenging American hegemony.

Millennials must hear, however, that engagement in these areas is not just good for America’s own economic interests; it’s good for national security, too. Without a robust commitment to international cooperation, it is easy for foreign actors to fill the power vacuum that could result in localized if not global wars.