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
Search

Agenda & Speaker Lineup Announced for First Aspen Security Forum to Take Place in Washington, D.C.

Global leaders, U.S. government officials, business executives, distinguished journalists, and more will gather to address critical questions about national security and foreign policy.

October 29, 2021

Speakers include Mark Milley, Condoleezza Rice, Ben Sasse, Ng Eng Hen, Alejandro Mayorkas, and Kathleen Sebelius Washington, DC, October 29, 2021 –

– The Aspen Strategy Group today released the agenda and speaker lineup for the in-person 2021 Aspen Security Forum, which is produced in partnership with NBC News. The Forum will take place for the first time ever in Washington, D.C., from November 3-4 at the InterContinental – Wharf. Global leaders, U.S. government officials, business executives, distinguished journalists, and more will gather to address critical questions about national security and foreign policy. The agenda is available now at: https://www.aspensecurityforum.org/2021-in-person-asf.

Topics to be addressed at this year’s forum include, global supply chain challenges, U.S.-China relations, climate change and national security, the future of special operations forces, global economic recovery and vaccination efforts, the Transatlantic alliance, homeland security, democracy – at home and abroad –, and much more.

Public programming from the Forum will take place November 3-4. Among the speakers participating each day:

Wednesday, November 3rd 

  • Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Paul Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, and Director, National Security Agency
  • Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State
  • Ng Eng Hen, Minister of Defense of Singapore
  • Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for SEforALL and Co-Chair, UN-Energy
  • Raj Shah, President, Rockefeller Foundation
  • Arnoldas Pranckevičius, Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania
  • Gayle Smith, Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security, Department of State
  • Jack Reed, U.S. Senator from Rhode Island   
  • Kathleen Sebelius, former Secretary of Health and Human Service
  • Emily Haber, Ambassador of Germany to the U.S.
  • Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of France to the U.S.
  • Brendan Boyle, Representative for Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District

Thursday, November 4th 

  • Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security
  • David Berger, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Richard Clarke, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy
  • Ben Sasse, Senator from Nebraska
  • Elissa Slotkin, Representative for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District
  • Michael McCaul, Representative for Texas’ 10th Congressional District
  • Karen Pierce, Ambassador of the UK to the U.S.
  • Arthur Brooks, Professor of Practice, Harvard Kennedy School
  • Mike Froman, former U.S. Trade Representative
  • Mike Brown, Director, DIU
  • Dan Porterfield, President and CEO, Aspen Institute

Anchors and correspondents from NBC News, the exclusive media partner of the 2021 Aspen Security Forum, will participate in marquee one-on-one and panel conversations. Participating journalists include Lester Holt, Anchor and Managing Editor, NBC Nightly News; and Courtney Kube, Correspondent, NBC News.

The Aspen Security Forum has in previous years taken place each summer in Aspen, Colorado. This event, which is being held with robust COVID-19 safety protocols in place, marks the first in-person Forum since 2019, with the event convening virtually over the summers of 2020 and 2021. The 2022 Forum will move back to Aspen on July 19 – 22.

Sessions will be streamed live at http://aspensecurityforum.org/. Join the conversation on social media at #AspenSecurity. Follow the Security Forum on Twitter @AspenSecurity.

The Forum is generously supported by Mastercard, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft, MITRE, Raytheon Technologies, The Rockefeller Foundation, American Airlines, Capgemini, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Intel, PhRMA, Rebellion Defense, and WhatsApp.