Feature Story Archive 2004 - Aspen Institute

Feature Story Archive 2004

Harvard's Joe Nye Turns from Political Scientist to Novelist in Latest Book Effort
At a recent installment of the Aspen Book Series, Joseph S. Nye Jr., Distinguished Service Professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and co-chair of the Aspen Strategy Group, read passages from his new novel The Power Game: A Washington Novel (PublicAffairs). In his first fictional work, Nye explores the challenges of trying to maintain a moral compass while consumed by the high stakes of policymaking. Read more
Literary Icon Tom Wolfe Shares Provocative Views on College Life at Aspen DC Book Breakfast
As part of the monthly Aspen Book Series, the Aspen Institute hosted a breakfast book talk with author Tom Wolfe at its Washington, DC headquarters. Wolfe discussed his latest novel, I am Charlotte Simmons, regaling guests with entertaining and alarming reportage from the front lines of the American college experience-the terrain covered in the new book. Dressed in his dapper trademark white suit and two-tone shoes, Wolfe then signed books for members of the audience, which included French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, former Motion Picture Association president Jack Valenti, Charlie Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development, and writer Dan Pink, author of the forthcoming A Whole New Mind. For more pictures, click here.
American Historian Joe Ellis Holds Forth on Life of George Washington Before Packed Aspen Book Crowd
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joseph J. Ellis, Professor of History at Mt. Holyoke College, discussed his recent biography, His Excellency: George Washington (Knopf, Nov. 2004), at a recent Aspen Book Series program. Ellis, also the author of the best-selling American Sphynx and Founding Brothers, has attempted to humanize Washington, exposing his heart and soul and effectively going beneath the marble and granite to the man.

Ellis said admiringly of the man: The greatest achievement of Washingtons career was his ability to surrender power rather than pursue it." Guests at the event included James Rees, executive director of Historic Mount Vernon; author Sally Bedell Smith; Philip Merrill, chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the US; and Aspen Institute trustees Albert Small and Jack Valenti.
Awards Dinner Honors Top Leaders
On November 4, the Aspen Institute held its Annual Awards Dinner at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Attended by more than 300 guests, the event honored Ambassador Felix Rohatyn (pictured at right) and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell (pictured at left) with, respectively, the Corporate Leadership Award and the Henry Crown Leadership award. For more pictures, click here.
Roundtable Assesses Next Steps for US Policy On Iran
As part of the Aspen Roundtable Series, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler, some 30 current and former policymakers and experts gathered at the Institute's Washington, DC, headquarters to discuss the next steps the US ought to consider in dealing with the nuclear threat posed by Iran. Former national security advisor Brent Scowcroft opened the conversation, followed by Mitchell Reiss, the State Department's director of Policy Planning. The dialogue that ensued covered the threats from other nuclear and potentially nuclear states, the role of the EU and the UN, and the impact efforts toward Iran could have on the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Middle East as a whole. Participating in the dialogue were the Washington Post's Robin Wright; Harvard Professor Graham Allison; Charles Curtis of the Nuclear Threat Initiative; Turkish Ambassador to the US O. Faruk Logoglu; Wendy Sherman of the Albright Group; and former US Representative and Aspen Institute Trustee Vin Weber.
Strobe Talbott Describes Diplomatic Efforts to Engage India
Brookings Institution President and former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott was the featured author at a recent Aspen Book Series program that was co-sponsored by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Talbott discussed his latest book Engaging India: Diplomacy, Democracy, and the Bomb (Brookings Institution Press), which details his legendary talks with India's external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, encompassing 14 meetings in seven cities on three continents, to defuse the extreme worldwide political tension surrounding the nuclear tests conducted by India in May 1998. Talbott captivated a full house as he described the "day the desert shook" and the potential disastrous consequences of an accelerated nuclear arms race in South Asia, to include Iran. Guests included N. Srinivasan, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry; former US Senator Harris Wofford; and former Ambassador to India William Clark. C-SPAN will be broadcasting Mr. Talbott's talk in the coming weeks; check your local listings.
Institute Roundtable Focuses on Likely Outcomes of Election 2004
As part of the Aspen Roundtable Series, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler, the Institute hosted a lively pre-election luncheon discussion featuring political prognosticator and commentator Charlie Cook (pictured at top), Center for American Progress founder and president John Podesta (pictured at middle), and Republican strategist Tucker Eskew (pictured at bottom). Conversation began with factors affecting the standing of each Presidential candidate with just a few days few days remaining, the unpredictability of the election, the strengths and weaknesses of each campaign's strategy, and the implications of a huge voter turnout.

The discussion covered the impact of the recently reported missing Iraqi explosives, each candidate's faith, Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist's illness, the perception of the US abroad, and other issues on the electorate. Participating in the discussion were Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America; Newsweek's Washington bureau chief Dan Klaidman; Egyptian Ambassador to the US Nabil Fahmy; and Charles Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development.
Eric Alterman Discusses When Presidents Lie
The first installment in the fall 2004 Aspen Book Series featured author and columnist Eric Alterman and his latest book, When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences (Viking, Sept. 2004), which examines substantial untruths told by presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and Ronald Reagan, and analyzes their implications. After his own comments, Alterman was joined at the podium by special guest Ben Bradlee - the venerable editor who weathered the Watergate scandal at the helm of The Washington Post - then took questions from the audience and signed copies of his book.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Talks with Walter Isaacson at Aspen Public Forum and NY Times Columnist Tom Friedman Holds Forth on State of World Affairs
The Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the US, spoke about breaking into a career in the law as a young woman; lamented over the uncivil discourse of American politics today; and shared her views on the controversy over affording rights to Afghani prisoners in Guantanamo Bay during a special public conversation with Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson. Read the transcript; listen to the conversation.

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Tom Friedman joined Walter Isaacson for a discussion on the US role in the world and other global topics. Listen to part one of the conversation. Listen to part two of the conversation (mp3 format, Download RealPlayer).
Einstein Celebrated at Convocation in Aspen
The Aspen Institute recently hosted Einstein: A Celebration, an interdisciplinary investigation of Albert Einsteins broad impact on science, society, culture, and more, on the occasion of the upcoming 100th anniversary of his Theory of Relativity. With more than 30 speakers and panelists, who ranged from distinguished scholars and scientists to best-selling authors and top science journalists, the public convocation drew some 350 people from around the US. For highlights from Einstein, click here.
Potential Nuclear Threat from Iran and North Korea Highlighted at Roundtable
French Ambassador to the US Jean-David Levitte, German Ambassador to the US Wolfgang Ischinger, and Korean Ambassador to the US Sung-Joo Han (pictured at right) were the featured guests at the Fall '04 Aspen Roundtable Series lunch held at the Institute's Washington, DC, headquarters office. The diplomats led a discussion of a host of pressing issues, including how the US and its allies are handling the potential threat from the growing nuclear capabilities of both Iran and North Korea, as well as the viability of economic sanctions as an effective foreign policy tool, and the imperative to improve a strained US-European relationship.

Participants in the discussion included former US Trade Representative Carla Hills, Lawrence Korb of the Center for American Progress, and former US ambassador to NATO David M. Abshire, currently president and CEO of the Center for the Study of the Presidency. This series, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, features prominent thought leaders to assess through open dialogue the role of the United States in global affairs.
Walter Isaacson to Offer Historical Guide to Time's Man of the Year at Aspen Reception
The Aspen Institute and Ken and Carol Adelman present a collection of all the original Time "Man of the Year" covers since 1927. Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, Time's managing editor from 1996-2001, will tell the inside story on these famous and infamous people who made the Time annual covers. Please join us for a reception on Thursday, September 30, 2004, 4:30-7:00 PM, at the Aspen home of Ken and Carol Adelman. Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. $100 per person suggested donation will benefit the Aspen Institute Community Programs. RSVP: 970/544-7929.
"Gonzo" Journalist Hunter S. Thompson Signs Copies of New Book and Holds Forth on US Politics at Institute Gathering
Author and cultural icon Hunter S. Thompson thrilled fans and observers alike at a recent book signing event at the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus. Thompson signed copies of his new book, Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine, and the Downward Spiral of Dumbness, Modern History from the Sports Desk, and dispensed political advice as well in preparation for the upcoming Presidential election. Thompson is best known for his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and his "gonzo" reporting style.
Dinesh DSouza Optimistic About Spread of Democracy
Author Dinesh DSouza closed the Summer Speaker Series addressing the topic, Islam vs. the West: A Clash of Civilizations. Setting the stage with deeply rooted historical differences between Islam and Christianity, he cited examples from each tradition of what he sees as a vast political, cultural, and economic divide. DSouza drew material from his latest book, "What Is So Great About America," and noted that despite this "clash," he is optimistic about the prospects for spreading democracy in cultures that have never known it.
Expert Foreign Policy Panel Discusses 9/11 Commission Report, Reforms to the Intelligence Gathering Process, and Civil Liberties at Special Institute Program
The Aspen Institute recently hosted a panel discussion on the state of US foreign policy featuring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer (pictured at right with Institute president and CEO Walter Isaacson), former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Professor Joe Nye of Harvard's Kennedy School, former Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA), Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria, 9/11 Commission executive director Philip Zelikow, and former director of Central Intelligence Bob Gates. Read more.
An Interfaith Dialogue on Extremism in All Faiths
As part of its Summer Speaker Series, the Aspen Institute held a panel discussion on the role of religious extremism in the modern world. The panel comprised Rabbi Brad Hirschfeld, vice president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (right); The Reverend Peter Gomes, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard University; Dr. Elaine Pagels, professor of Religion at Princeton University and best-selling author of The Gnostic Gospels; and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, founder and CEO of the American Sufi Muslim Association Society. Read more.
Oceanographer Sylvia Earle Discusses Oceans at Risk at Institute Lecture
Marine biologist and National Geographic explorer Dr. Sylvia A. Earle spoke as part of the Institute's weekly Summer Speaker Series, which is free and open to the public. She discussed the numerous serious threats facing the world's oceans, especially short-sighted and inefficient fishing practices, and why they in turn threaten human life. Concluding, she stressed steps that must be taken immediately to save these precious ecosystems, such as protecting oceanic areas like we protect national parks, and initiating major reforms of commercial fishing gear.
Amb. Dennis Ross: Increased US Influence Needed in the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Ambassador Dennis Ross, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and longtime Middle East peace negotiator under Secretaries of State James Baker, Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright, was the featured speaker at a special Aspen Institute event that attracted an overflow crowd of friends and supporters of the Institute along with members of the Aspen community. The diplomat, pictured above with former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), held forth on the current stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and signed copies of his just-released book, The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2004). Read more.
Brookings Institution Joins Institute's EGI to Examine US Policy on Global Poverty
In collaboration with the Poverty & Global Economy Initiative at the Brookings Institution and the Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI), the Institute convened the panel discussion, "America's Role in the Fight Against Global Poverty" featuring former Vice President Al Gore; Open Society Institute founder and chairman George Soros; Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General and CEO of CIVICUS: The World Alliance for Citizen Participation; and EGI director and former Irish President Mary Robinson (pictured from left to right). These panelists were at the Institute, along with several other experts, to attend a two-day roundtable sponsored by Richard C. Blum, chairman and president of Blum Capital Partners. The panel was opened by Mr. Blum and Brookings President Strobe Talbott and moderated by Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson.
2004 Fortune/Aspen Institute Brainstorm Conference: Leaders Gather to Look AheadThe Fortune magazine/Aspen Institute Brainstorm conference took place at the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus in mid-July, filling the campus with an international roster of global leaders and decision-makers. Highlights of the action-packed three days included a dialogue between First Lady hopeful Teresa Heinz Kerry (right) and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, appearances by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and FBI director Robert Mueller (left), and an interview of Ted Turner by Charlie Rose which was broadcast on PBS Friday evening, July 23. For more pictures of the event, click here. Read Fortune Magazine's July 21st article on the Brainstorm Conference. Read Fortune Magazine's July 21st article on the Brainstorm Conference and a special PDF of additional Fortune articles, including "How to Kick the Oil Habit" and "The Aspen Seven" (Copyright 2004 Time Inc. Reprinted with Permission. All rights reserved.)
China Hands Richard Baum and Orville Schell Examine China's Emergence as "The Next Superpower" at Recent Summer Speaker Series Event at Institute's Aspen Meadows Campus
Orville Schell (left), Professor and Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley, and Professor Richard Baum (right), director of the Center for Chinese Studies at UCLA, treated an overflow crowd to a fascinating debate on the sustainability of the economic miracle in China.
Although both are supportive of the countrys growth, they adopted a point-counterpoint format to tease out the complexity of the China situation for an audience that perhaps lacked their combined decades of experience as China scholars and watchers. And complex it is. As China surges ahead economically, seeing unrivalled growth in indicators such as numbers of personal automobiles, mobile phones and Internet connections, not all is rosy. Government restrictions continue to stifle free and open debate, whether on economics or politics. Media is tightly controlled. And the effects of growth are far from benign--either on the hundreds of millions left behind or on the environment. That said, China is seeing a surge in local elections and is taking a uniquely entrepreneurial, public-private approach to local economic development. Is the miracle sustainable? Both Schell and Baum admitted that neither has a perfect record on predicting the future. And theyve both seen so-called miracles come crashing down, whether in Japan or even in California in recent years. But the prospects for the future are intriguing. And the tremendous impact of China around the globe in the near-term is undeniable.
An Evening of Observations from Two Chroniclers of our Times--Authors Joel Achenbach and Michael Lewis
On Monday, July 19, in a special public event, author Michael Lewis (left) and Washington Post columnist Joel Achenbach (right) appeared at the Institute's Paepcke Building. The two traded comic barbs and insights on writing and their most recent books, Lewis's Moneyball: the Art of Winning an Unfair Game (W.W. Norton & Company, 2003), a look at baseball from the angle of the business model behind the Oakland A's, and Achenbach's recently released The Grand Idea: George Washington's Potomac and the Race to the West (Simon & Schuster), an unusual take on the most revered but perhaps least understood Founding Father.
Africa Leadership Initiative East Africa Fellows Convene in Uganda
The Africa Leadership Initiative continues in 2004 with the third in the series of four seminars for the 76 Fellows across the continent. In mid-June, the East Africa class of Fellows convened in Mweya, Uganda for a seminar entitled "Leading in an Era of Globalization," moderated by Wofford College President Ben Dunlap and Aspen executive vice president Peter Reiling.
Former US Senator Gary Hart Calls for US Grand Strategy
Former US Senator Gary Hart (D-CO) argued the pressing need for a "grand strategy" for US national security policies as he spoke to an overflowing auditorium July 13. Afterwards, he also signed copies of his new book, "The Fourth Power: A Grand Strategy for the United States in the 21st Century." The Summer Speaker Series features a lecture each Tuesday evening (unless otherwise noted) through August 19. The series is generously sponsored by Gerald M. Levin, and is free and open to the public. Next in the series, on July 20, Martin Marty, Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Modern Christianity, University of Chicago Divinity School, and author of the multi-volume work, "Modern American Religion," will speak on The Blessings and Curse of Religion in Cultures in Upheaval.
Presidential Historian Robert Dallek Shares Insights on Kennedy Presidency
Acclaimed presidential scholar and biographer Robert Dallek and UCLA political scientist Joel Aberbach spoke to a packed auditorium on July 6th about the Kennedy presidency and other topics in Oval Office history in the second installment of the Institute's Summer Speaker Series. The Summer Speaker Series will feature a lecture each Tuesday evening (unless otherwise noted) through August 19. The series is generously sponsored by Gerald M. Levin, and is free and open to the public. Next in the series, on July 13, Gary Hart, former US Senator (D-CO), will speak on "Security in the Twenty-First Century."
An Evening of Words and Music
New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman joined Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson onstage on July 3rd at the Benedict Music Tent in Aspen to discuss US policy in Iraq, how the US is perceived around the world, and other global topics. Preceding their conversation was a performance by musicians from the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Defense Expert Philip Coyle Kicks Off Aspen Institute Summer Speaker Series
The Aspen Institute Summer Speaker Series began the 2004 season with a lecture by Philip E. Coyle (left), former assistant secretary of Defense and noted authority on national security issues, entitled Car Bombs, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Mini-Nukes, and Terrorism - Where is America Going on Homeland Security and National Defense? The Summer Speaker Series will feature a lecture each Tuesday evening (unless otherwise noted) through August 19. The series is generously sponsored by Gerald M. Levin, and is free and open to the public. Next in the series, on July 6, Presidential scholar and award-winning biographer Robert Dallek will lecture on the American Presidency.
UN Official Shashi Tharoor Holds Forth on Life of Nehru at Aspen Book Series Event
Shashi Tharoor, UN undersecretary-general for Communications and Public Information, recently served as the Institute's final Spring 2004 Aspen Book Series featured guest. Tharoor discussed his most recent book, the biography Nehru: The Invention of India (Arcade Books, 2003) before an audience of 100+ friends and supporters of the Institute who were mindful of the recent political changes occurring in present-day India. The topic is of particular interest to the Institute, given the launch of a partner Aspen Institute in New Delhi earlier in the year. Tharoor discussed Nehru's Brahmin upbringing, his devotion to democracy, his leadership in the Third World nonalignment movement, and his steadfast secularism. After his lecture, Tharoor fielded questions from the audience and signed copies of the book. Among the evening's guests were Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US Devinda Subasinghe; Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger Ferguson, Jr.; former US Ambassador to Croatia Peter W. Galbraith (son of John Kenneth Galbraith, President Kennedy's ambassador to India); and Kiran Pasricha, senior director of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
A Debate on Shakespeare's Henry Plays: Resolved: That the Invasion of France was Justified
The Aspen Institute joined the National Council for The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. recently to offer an unusual special presentation: a debate on Shakespeares Henry V plays, centered on whether King Henry V was justified in invading France, and relating the ancient foreign policy questions to todays top international conundrum: the war in Iraq.

Moderated by Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, the debate included defense expert Kenneth L. Adelman, New York Times columnist David Brooks, Forbes FYI editor Christopher Buckley, journalist and author Christopher Hitchens, commentator Arianna Huffington, Time magazine columnist Margaret Carlson, Davidson College Shakespearean scholar Cynthia Lewis and MSNBCs Hardball host Chris Matthews. The judge of the proceedings was the award-winning English actor Dame Judi Dench. Over the course of the spirited and good-humored exchange, the panelists highlighted parallels between Henry Vs circumstances and those of President George W. Bush, and Shakespearean actors, including Harry Hamlin, read key passages from the plays at several intervals. More Photos
Aspen Roundtable Assesses Transatlantic Relations
The Spring 2004 Aspen Roundtable Series concluded with a lunchtime discussion featuring German Ambassador to the US Wolfgang Ischinger (left) and British Ambassador to the US Sir David G. Manning (right). The statesmen spoke on the challenges facing the transatlantic relationship, especially as it relates to policy on Iraq and the War on Terrorism.

Answering questions from the assembled scholars, policymakers, and journalists, Ambassador Ischinger argued for increased inclusion of the EU and other states in US decision making as it affects world affairs, while Ambassador Manning addressed Prime Minister Tony Blairs positions and political prospects as they relate to Britain's support for Bush Administration foreign policies. Participants included former US Ambassador to Germany Richard Burt; Austrian Ambassador to the US Eva Nowotny; Kori Schake of the National Security Council; Bill Maynes, President of the Eurasia Foundation; Judy Woodruff of CNN; former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Frank Loy; and Henry L. Stimson Center President Ellen Laipson.
Leadership Initiative Launches in Central America
The Aspen Institute, in partnership with INCAE (Central America's leading business school), FUNDEMAS (Business for Social Responsibility/El Salvador) and TechnoServe (a US-based international development organization) held a 3-day Executive Seminar for 21 senior business, government, and civil society leaders from across Central America in San Jose, Costa Rica, May 23-27. If all goes as planned, this group will become the nominating committee and early sponsors for the first class of "Central America Leadership Fellows" in early 2005. Modeled after the Africa Leadership Initiative, the Central America program will convene successive classes of 24 young business, government, and civil society leaders for a series of seminars designed to encourage them to play a greater role in tackling the foremost social challenges facing their countries.

Former President of Costa Rica and 1987 Nobel Laureate Oscar Arias opened the seminar with moving remarks titled, "Thinking About the Good Society," which encouraged participants to "cultivate a vision of the world that will motivate us to act in our varied capacities in favor of progress."
EGI's Mary Robinson visits South Africa
Mary Robinson and Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI) staff are traveling in South Africa (26 April to 4 May 2004) as South Africa marks the 10th anniversary of that countrys first democratic elections. South Africans are preparing for celebrations and also taking stock of the country's achievements and experiences since 1994. EGI is working with the University of Pretoria Centers for the Study of HIV/AIDS and Human Rights to use this occasion to look from a South African perspective at EGIs priority issues of work, trade and development, health and migration.
Visitors to EGIs website can accompany Mary Robinson virtually as she "blogs" web journal entries from South Africa on her impressions of visits with civil society organizations, government representatives and other groups about the lessons of the past decade and how South Africans are working to address todays challenges at home and on the world stage. An excerpt from the blog: "27 April - Attending the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki today brought back vivid memories of 10 years ago, when, as President of Ireland, I had been invited to attend the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela - an emotional and unforgettable ceremony which symbolized the new South Africa." Visit http://eginitiative.org/satriplog04.htm to follow along.
Zbigniew Brzezinski Challenges Current Emphasis of Bush Foreign Policy; Signs Newly Released Book on US Role in the World at Aspen Roundtable
As part of its monthly Aspen Roundtable Series, the Institute hosted a lunch featuring Zbigniew Brzezinski, counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, on Thursday, April 22 at its Washington, DC headquarters. Discussion focused on the use of American power as put forth in Dr. Brezezinskis new book, The Choice: Global Domination or Global Leadership (Basic Books, 2004). Brzezinski warned of the ramifications of an excessively unilateral approach to foreign policymaking, especially as it relates to the Middle East. Dr. Brezezinski challenged the Bush administrations policies in Iraq, warning that what may have been a legitimate, if limited, liberation of Iraqi citizens is quickly becoming a conventional military occupation, and that President Bush's "War on Terrorism may well prove self-fulfilling. Guests included author and journalist Sally Quinn; Robert Kimmitt, Executive Vice President with Time Warner and a former US ambassador to Germany; ABC's This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos; and H.E. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States. The Aspen Roundtable Series is generously sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
Aspen Institute Celebrates Life and Legacy of Paul H. Nitze
The Aspen Institute devoted a day and evening to celebrate the life and legacy of the statesman Paul H. Nitze on April 15, whose name will grace a new scholarship fund for students and scholars of foreign policy on the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus (the Paul H. Nitze Fellowship Fund). Nitze was integral to American foreign policy for some 50 years, and he is also a member of the Institutes founding family. The day featured two lively panel discussions held at the US Chamber of Commerce: Nitzes Impact on the Cold War: From NSC-68 to the Committee on the Present Danger and Reykjavik and Who Owns Nitze's Legacy: Neo-Conservatism and Realism. Panelists included: former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, Harvard's Kennedy School dean Joseph S. Nye, Jr., former US ambassador to the UN Jeane J. Kirkpatrick and Yale historian John Lewis Gaddis. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz (above)paid tribute to Nitze in a lunchtime keynote address, comparing the world situation during the Cold War to the challenges of the war on Terrorism.
The day was capped off with a dinner in Nitzes honor at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, featuring tributes by Nitze biographer Strobe Talbott (top left), US Ambassador to the UN John D. Negroponte (center left), and Dr. Henry Kissinger (bottom left). Guests included Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, former FBI and CIA director William Webster,arms negotiator and diplomat Max Kampelman, and former Texas Governor Ann Richards. Read the dinner remarks.
Egyptian and Moroccan Ambassadors offer Candid Views on Reforms in Middle East and use of US Power
H.E. Nabil Fahmy, Ambassador of Egypt to the US and H.E. Aziz Mekouar, Ambassador of Morocco to the US were the featured guests at a recent Aspen Roundtable Series lunch held at the Institute's Washington, DC, headquarters office. Ambassadors Fahmy and Mekouar spoke candidly about the history and future of democratization of the Middle East, reform across the region, the perception of the US throughout both the Arab and Muslim world, and the collective world problem of terrorism. This series, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, features prominent thought leaders to assess through open dialogue the role of the United States in global affairs. Among the 30+ participants were Brent Scowcroft, president of the Scowcroft Group; Taher Helmy, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt; and Harold Saunders, director of International Affairs at the Kettering Foundation.
Harvard's Joe Nye Makes Case for US to Employ Tools of Soft Power; Signs Copies of New Book at Aspen Book Series Event
Joseph S. Nye, Jr., dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and author of Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (PublicAffairs, 2004), spoke to an attentive crowd at a book signing and reception at the Institutes Washington, DC offices. Professor Nye, co-chair of the Institute's Aspen Strategy Group (ASG), expressed concern that the United States is not pursuing the war of ideas effectively, focusing almost exclusively on hard power-military and economic coercion-at the expense of soft power efforts, which are based on the power of attraction. He argued that in order to be a smart power in a world that is shrinking due to globalization and technology advancements, the US needs to do a better job of effectively communicating its values and ideas, an approach that Nye believes helped facilitate the failure of Soviet communism. After his speech, Professor Nye signed books and fielded questions from the audience.
Aspen Institute India Opens in Delhi
New Delhi, India, Feb. 3, 2004In collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Aspen Institute launched the newest member of its international network of partners, Aspen Institute India. The new organization will be an international non-profit dedicated to in-depth discussion of global issues, development of leadership based on values, and a high-level exchange of opinions and information. Its mission will be to internationalize Indias business, political, and cultural leadership and become the premiere Indian forum for convening and developing leaders.
Tarun Das, director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry, a trustee of the Aspen Institute and a longtime proponent of the establishment of Aspen Institute India, co-signed an official Memorandum of Understanding with Isaacson. Several members of the Institute's Aspen Strategy Group (ASG), which was meeting in Delhi at the time, attended. The delegation, visiting India as part of ASG's US-India Dialogue program, included leading US foreign policy experts Gen. Brent Scowcroft, Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger and Strobe Talbott.

Other Aspen Institute international partners include Aspen Institute Berlin, Institut Aspen France (Lyon), Aspen Institute Italia (Rome) and Aspen Institute Japan (Tokyo).
Aspen Institute Names Peter A. Reiling Executive Vice President for International and Policy Programs
Feb. 20, 2004The Aspen Institute today announced the appointment of Peter A. Reiling as Executive Vice President for International and Policy Programs, effective April 12, 2004. Reiling will work from the Institutes Washington, DC headquarters. He will report directly to Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson. In his new role, Reiling will provide leadership and oversight of the Institutes 15 policy programs, work closely with the Board of Trustees Program Strategy Committee on new programs, and coordinate and expand the Institutes international activities. Read more...
Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, Jr. Discusses Condition of the African American in 21st Century; Signs Copies of New Book-- America Behind the Color Line
The Aspen Institute recently hosted a reception and book signing for Institute Trustee and noted African-American studies scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. of Harvard University. The event celebrated Professor Gates new book, America Behind the Color Line: Dialogues with African Americans (Warner Books, 2004), the companion book to the recent PBS documentary of the same name. Before signing books for the assembled crowd, Gates spoke with wit and poignancy about the pressing issues that face black America, the problem of complacency, and the need for courageous leadership, calling for a new civil rights movement within the African American community. Among the guests were former Transportation Secretary William T. Coleman, Jr., currently senior partner at O'Melveny & Meyers; Gwen Ifill, moderator of Washington Week on PBS; and Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution.
Institute's Initiative on Financial Security Holds Roundtable on Personal Savings in America
The Initiative on Financial Security recently convened the breakfast roundtable: Personal Savings in America: The Role of Government Incentives co-chaired by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) (pictured at left), Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), and Rep. Robert Portman (R-OH) (pictured at right). Roundtable participants included James K. Glassman of the American Enterprise Institute, Michael Johnston of the Capital Group Companies, Inc. and Gene Sperling of the Center for American Progress. Various issues related to how personal savings are encouraged and rewarded in America were examined, including savings vehicles such as IRAs, the Bush Administration's proposed Lifetime Savings Accounts, and Britain's Child Trust Funds.
Senator Richard Lugar Warns of Continued Dangers of Proliferation of WMD at Aspen Roundtable Lunch
The Hon. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (pictured at left), served as the featured guest at a recent Aspen Roundtable Series lunch held at the Institute's Washington, DC headquarters office. Senator Lugar held forth on his experience in overseeing the administration of the far-reaching Nunn-Lugar program to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union, and shared his insights on the current weapons capabilities of Pakistan, North Korea and Iran. This series, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, features prominent thought leaders to assess through an open dialogue the role of the United States in global affairs. Among the participants were Wolfgang Ischinger, German Ambassador to the US; Charles B. Curtis, President and COO, Nuclear Threat Initiative; and Tom Korologos, former Senior Counselor to L. Paul Bremer, Office of Coalition Provisional Authority, US Department of Defense.
Institute Celebrates New Book by Noted Physicist Brian Greene
The Aspen Institute hosted a book signing for Columbia University physicist Brian Greene (left) in honor of his new book, The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality (Knopf, 2004). Among the friends and Institute supporters gathered were Smithsonian magazine Editor-in-Chief Carey Winfrey, University of Maryland physicist Jim Gates, and host of ABC News' This Week George Stephanopoulos.
Balancing Economic Growth and Healthy Environment Examined at Recent EEE Dialogue
Leaders from business, government, and civil society considered how to balance economic growth and a healthy environment in a recent dialogue organized by the Institutes Program on Energy, the Environment, and the Economy. Chaired by former EPA Administrator and Governor Christine Todd Whitman and former Undersecretary of State Frank Loy (both pictured above), the Forum was sponsored by the Henry and Jessica Catto Foundation. Discussion papers examined environmental and economic tradeoffs from the perspectives of a corporate CEO, a journalist, an elected official, an investment firm CEO, and an economist. Among the participants were Attorney General Christine Gregoire of Washington, Cinergy Corp. CEO James Rogers, Calvert Group CEO Barbara Krumsiek, National Wildlife Federation President Emeritus Mark Van Putten, Resources for the Future President Paul Portney, former BP-America CEO Steven Percy, American Forest and Paper Assoiation CEO Henson Moore, and Aspen Institute Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Mayer.
Global Civil Society 2003 Yearbook Launched
The UCLA Center for Civil Society, the London School of Economics (LSE) Centre for the Study of Global Governance, and the LSE Foundation and Centennial Fund launched the Global Civil Society 2003 yearbook at a reception at the Institutes Washington, DC headquarters on Feb. 11, 2004. Speakers at the event included Alan Abramson, director of the Aspen Institute Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program (NSPP) and the books editors Professor Mary Kaldor, director of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance and Helmut Anheier, director of the Center for Civil Society. The 2003 yearbook has been described as the standard work on global civil society and regressive globalism, being indispensable to both activists and social scientists with chapters on topics including the rise of regressive globalization, social forums and the anti-war movement, the global transformation of the social sciences, the global movement to end violence against women, and religious and nationalist militant groups, among others.
Madeleine Albright Assesses US Role in World at Aspen Roundtable Lunch
Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, a principal in the firm The Albright Group and an Aspen Institute trustee, held forth on a variety of global policy issues before 30+ participants gathered at the Institute's monthly Aspen Roundtable Series held at its Washington headquarters. These lunches, sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, feature prominent thought leaders to assess through an open dialogue the role of the United States in global affairs. Secretary Albright responded to questions on a host of issues, including President Bush's State of the Union address, the Middle East peace process, dangers posed by North Korea, and the credibility of the intelligence community. She also shared anecdotes from her time as Secretary of State recounted in her memoir, Madam Secretary (Miramax Books). Among the participants weare US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the Washington Post's Ben Bradlee, Ugandan Ambassador to the US Edith Ssempala, and Jane Holl Lute, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Mission Support for Peacekeeping Operations.
Walter Isaacson Shares Insights with Aspen High School Students
Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, discussed the value of civil dialogue and compromise based on principles before an audience of some 70 Aspen [CO] High School history students, teachers and administrators. The talk was held on Thursday, January 15, 2004 and sponsored by the Aspen Education Foundation.
Attend the Socrates Society Seminar (February 13-16)
Targeting emerging leaders in the US and abroad, the Socrates Society offers substantive opportunities to engage in dialogue on some of the most pressing issues in society today. The Socrates Society winter seminar programs will be held February 13 - 16, 2004 in Aspen, Colorado. Participants may choose one of three seminar programs: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terror; Islam's Civil War of Ideas; War, Peace, and International Relations. Learn more about the seminar.
Albright Challenges Bush Unilateralist Approach on Iraq; Signs Copies of Memoir
Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State and current Aspen Institute trustee, served as the featured guest speaker at a December 22 program held on the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus co-sponsored by the Institute and the Aspen Writers Foundation. Secretary Albright shared her views on the Bush administration's policy on Iraq and its strategies for combatting terrorism. She then signed copies of her recently released memoir, Madam Secretary: A Memoir.