Future of Diplomacy Project

Africa is a continent of vast opportunity and promise while at the same time faces some of the most difficult challenges of our time from poverty to terrorism and everything in between. It is resource rich but has some of the poorest countries in the world. Join Professor Nicholas Burns and Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the US State Department, for a discussion on how Africa's future will impact all of us and why it must be a priority for US policymakers.

Lunch will be served.

The is part one of a two-part seminar led by Dr. Robert Danin. The study groups will look at Israeli and Palestinian conflicting perspectives today with respect to this wide array of issues and dynamics. It will examine the Israeli and Palestinian respective realities: first domestically, then bilaterally, and finally in the broader regional context. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP using the RSVP link.

A stronger US foreign policy begins by convincing the American public it’s worth it. Join Professor Nicholas Burns and Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) for a Future of Diplomacy seminar discussion on the intersection between domestic and foreign policy.

Lunch will be served.

Professor Nicholas Burns will moderate a discussion with Jason Rezaian who was arrested by Iranian police, accused of spying for America when he was the Washington Post's Tehran bureau chief. Rezaian will speak about his eighteen-month imprisonment and the  tense diplomatic situation it caused as chronicled in his new book Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison.

Open to Harvard ID holders only. Coffee and light breakfast will be served.

Ms. Dina Powell will join Professor Nicholas Burns, Faculty Chair of the Belfer Center's Future of Diplomacy Project where Ms. Powell is a non-resident Senior Fellow, in a public seminar to discuss current challenges and opportunities in global national security. Refreshments will be served.

The Empty Throne is an inside portrait of the greatest lurch in US foreign policy since the decision to retreat back into Fortress America after World War I. The whipsawing of US policy has upended all that America's postwar leadership created-strong security alliances, free and open markets, an unquestioned commitment to democracy and human rights. Impulsive, theatrical, ill-informed, backward-looking, bullying, and reckless are the qualities that the American president brings to the table, when he shows up at all. The world has had to absorb the spectacle of an America unmaking the world it made, and the consequences will be with us for years to come.

Ambassador Clifford Sobel, former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil from 2006-2009, will discuss the recent elections in Brazil with Professor Nicholas Burns.

RSVP required. Open to Harvard faculty, fellows, staff, and students. Coffee and cookies will be served.

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Jr., will speak about his experience from inside the State Department in the first year of President Trump's presidency and about current American foreign policy

This event is open to the public. Coffee and cookies will be served.

Democrats are not just debating Trump on foreign policy, they are debating each other on big questions - the size and posture of the US military, the role of human rights and democracy, the terms and purposes of future trade agreements, the shape of competition with China and Russia, and the fundamental issue of whether the US should continue to seek a global leadership role. How will this debate play out as we head toward 2020?

Professor Nicholas Burns will moderate the discussion. 

Led by the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, this study group will focus on the role of the United Nations and global citizenship in resolving today's most challenging issues. The study group will also discuss how we can pursue sustainable development in corners of the globe by engaging collaboratively with the field, communities, and diverse expertise. Snacks and coffee / tea will be provided.

Since there is limited capacity, please note that spots will be based on your application. Please use the link above to RSVP.