Presented as part of the McCloskey Speaker Series
Featuring Dr. Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens,” in conversation with Wendell L. Willkie II, adjunct professor of law at New York University and adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. In a democracy facing growing polarization and global uncertainty, how should citizens engage to uphold democratic values at home and shape foreign policy abroad? Drawing insights from his latest book, Dr. Haass will outline the essential responsibilities and habits citizens must cultivate to strengthen democracy and maintain America’s international leadership. He will explore connections between domestic civic engagement and the effectiveness of foreign policy, touching on themes such as informed participation, civil discourse, civic literacy, and the broader implications of citizenship for global stability and cooperation.
Paepcke Auditorium, doors at 5:30 pm

Aspen Society members-only reception with speakers from 5:00 – 5:45 pm. Please contact aspensociety@aspeninstitute.org to inquire about membership.

While attendance at the event is free and open to everyone, registration is required, and capacity is established on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here.

Parking
Parking is very limited. Please carpool, walk, bike, or ride RFTA.

You can purchase his latest book “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” here. Books will also be available for purchase at the event. Book signing to follow.

There is no question that the United States faces dangerous threats from without; the greatest peril to the country, however, comes from within. In “The Bill of Obligations,” best-selling author Richard Haass argues that, to solve our climate of division and safeguard our democracy, the very idea of citizenship must be revised and expanded.

“An indispensable guide to good citizenship in an era of division and rancor.” —Anne Applebaum

Dr. Richard Haass is a veteran diplomat and respected scholar of international relations, is senior counselor with Centerview Partners. He is also president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations after having served as CFR’s president for twenty years. From January 2001 to June 2003, Dr. Haass was director of policy planning for the Department of State and a principal advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell. From 1989 to 1993, he was special assistant to President George H.W. Bush and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. Previously, he served in the Departments of State (1981–1985) and Defense (1979–1980), and was a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate. A Rhodes Scholar, Dr. Haass holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and master’s and doctorate of philosophy degrees from Oxford University. He has also received numerous honorary degrees and was a member of the faculty of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and Hamilton College. Dr. Haass is the author or editor of fourteen books on American foreign policy, one book on management, and one on American democracy. He is as well the author of a weekly newsletter, Home & Away, published on Substack.

Wendell L. Willkie II is currently adjunct professor of law at New York University, as well as an adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, following more than twenty years as the general counsel and a member of the executive leadership of a major, multinational manufacturing company. Willkie previously held several senior law and management positions in the US Government. Under President Reagan, he was Associate Counsel to the President, and later was General Counsel and Chief of Staff of the US Department of Education. Under President George H. W. Bush, he was General Counsel and also served as Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Commerce. Willkie is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Law Institute. He has served on the Legal Advisory Committee of the New York Stock Exchange and the Emerging Markets Advisory Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the boards of the China Institute, the Council of the Americas, and Greenwich Academy. He has also served on the President’s Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations. A graduate of Harvard College and Oxford University (which he attended as a Rhodes scholar) and the University of Chicago Law School, Willkie began his professional career as a litigator in a prominent New York City law firm.

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