Addressing transnational challenges such as global public health security requires cooperative action between countries and between sectors. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that vulnerability is now universal, especially in times of limited resources and increasing risks, due to our globally connected world. SARS, cholera, avian influenza, the resurgence of dengue, and antimicrobial resistance among bacteria are just a few of these challenges. Populations continue to grow, interactions with our animal brethren become more frequent and familiar, climate change alters the dynamics of disease transmission, and information flows more freely—making for a complex situation that resists easy solutions. This symposium examines global public health from several perspectives, describing how the global village may attempt to address these challenges. Perspectives include that of an academic working in a developing country, a global health journalist, and a policymaker from a government agency tasked with developing an agenda and funding a research portfolio. The symposium will discuss similarities and differences between perspectives and the complexity of finding solutions for these challenges.