Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Aspen Ministers Forum Session XX – November 2016
Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.
Technology and 21st Century Reality: Revisiting the Social Contract
The AMF held Session XX in Silicon Valley, California in November 2016 to discuss how technology can provide opportunities to rebuild and strengthen the social contract, in particular solutions through technology to address humanitarian crises. Dr. Francis Fukuyama opened the discussion with an in-depth look into the current global social contract and political climate, and explored what historical factors have led to a loss of faith in the system and political institutions. The group heard from Silicon Valley experts who are working on creating the technology that can help repair trust between governments and its people, and the potential pitfalls that can result from it. Participants discussed the future of work in the new economy, open data between the public and private sector, and the rise of artificial intelligence. To continue the dialogue from Session XIX in Oslo, discussions highlighted the impact of technology on the refugee and migrant crisis, ranging from blockchain technology and universal ID to online education and a human-centered approach for refugee assistance. The group plans to continue the conversation around the social contract and opportunities to leverage technology for the refugee and migrant crisis.
A few of the ministers released a statement in December 2016 about the situation in Aleppo in Der Tagesspiegel and in The Times. They also spoke to Bloomberg, which published a piece on the future of work that drew heavily on insights gleaned from AMF discussions.
In October 2023, AMF convened in Copenhagen for its 27th session. Participants from around the world explored a variety of interconnected themes impacting the international system including emerging technologies, global power shifts, and transnational challenges.
In December 2022, the Aspen Ministers Forum convened in Prague, Czech Republic for their 26th session. The ministers focused on the themes from Secretary Albright’s final article in Foreign Affairs titled “The Coming Democratic Revival.”
In November 2019, the Aspen Ministers Forum (AMF) convened for its 25th session in Vienna, Austria. Chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, the AMF assembled former foreign ministers, top diplomats, journalists, experts and thought leaders from around the world to build on the themes discussed at the group’s 24th session at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri.
This session of the Aspen Ministers Forum will focus on reimagining current domestic and international institutions to face today’s pressing challenges, from climate change to globalization and the reemergence of extreme nationalism.
This session of the Aspen Ministers Forum in Marrakesh, Morocco focused on the immense transformation, challenges, and progress occurring across the African continent.
This gathering of the Aspen Ministers Forum in Versailles, France focused on the rise of extreme nationalism, the dangers it presents, and what actions can be taken to push it back.
This convening of the AMF centered around the theme of “A Repositioned Europe and its Role in the World.” The conference focused on Europe’s internal trajectory as well as Europe’s external relations and how Europe can help lead an effort to reinvigorate international institutions and a rules-based international order.
Continuing the group’s sustained focus on international institutions and multilateralism, fifteen former foreign ministers convened at the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in Tarrytown, New York
Highlights of this forum included a speech by former President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül, on the challenges facing the international community in the Middle East, and timely remarks by former Prime Minister of Greece, George A. Papandreou on the Greece-EU crisis.
