Tickets now available for events including two-day newsmakers Forum, debate watch party, film screenings
Contacts:
Sydney Simon
The Atlantic
(202)266-7338 | ssimon@theatlantic.com
Douglas Farrar
The Aspen Institute
(202) 736-3848 | douglas.farrar@aspeninstitute.org
Washington, D.C. (August 12, 2016)—The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute are significantly expanding the annual marquee Washington Ideas Forum into a week of citywide events. Washington Ideas Week will be held Monday, September 26 through Thursday, September 29 in locations across the nation’s capital.
The expansion builds on the tremendous success of the annual Washington Ideas Forum, which has drawn many thousands of attendees from across the country since the inaugural gathering in 2009. With the city as its campus, the week will bring newsmakers to venues including the Harman Center for the Arts, the Hamilton Live, Newseum, and Sixth & I. All Washington Ideas events are open to media, credentials are available upon request.
The centerpiece of the week is the two-day Forum (Wednesday, September 28 & Thursday, September 29) at the Harman Center. The Forum will feature the country’s most fascinating people—leaders in politics and policy, business, science, technology, and the arts—to grapple with the most consequential ideas of the year and issues that the country’s next leaders will surely face. Surrounding events across the week include an evening event at Sixth and I, a debate night watch party, a conversation at the French Embassy, film screenings, roundtables, and other timely topical conversations.
“In this year of tremendous consequence for the United States and the world, we are excited to expand our Washington Ideas program across the city and the week,” said Bob Cohn, president of The Atlantic. “By extending to new venues and more topics, we’re creating what promises to be a week of riveting conversation and unmatched experience.”
“Washington is a city built on ideas, and expanding the forum is the perfect way to bring the magic of the Aspen Ideas Festival to the nation’s capital,” said Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “We’re delighted to be partnering with our friends at The Atlantic again for this event.”
Programming elements across Washington Ideas Week include:
- September 26, The Hamilton Live
Debate Watch Party:The Atlantic’s Politics & Policy team will host a lively watch party of the first presidential debate—preceded by a conversation with national correspondent James Fallows, about the twists and turns of this most unlikely presidential contest. - September 26, Newseum
Healthy Cities, Healthy Towns: An Atlantic Forum: Public health experts and municipal leaders from across the country will discuss strategies for building healthier communities. This event is underwritten by the Aetna Foundation. - September 27, Sixth & I
An Evening with Ta-Nehisi Coates:The Atlantic’s national correspondent and best-selling author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, reflects on American culture, race, and politics. - September 28-29, Harman Center for the Arts
The Forum: The main event of Washington Ideas Week, the Forum will convene the year’s most pivotal newsmakers as we grapple with the issues and challenges the next president and Congress will face. Over a day and a half, the audience will experience dynamic programming, dedicated networking time, breakout lunches, and a lively cocktail reception. - Food for Thought Lunch Sessions: Forum attendees will be invited to join off-site networking lunches at restaurants including Rosa Mexicano and Hill Country BBQ. Each lunch will also include topical programming.
- September 28, Newseum
Documentary Screening of “Inside Charlie Hebdo”: The Newseum and The Atlantic present a screening of the documentary, which provides an inside look at the French satirical magazine that became the target of violent extremism. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. - More programming and speakers to be announced: Additional events across the week will include film screenings, and evening networking opportunities, topical roundtable breakfasts and dinners. Further details will be released in the coming weeks.
Events and interviews will be led by The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alex Wagner, James Fallows, Jeffrey Goldberg, Ron Brownstein, Scott Stossel, and many others, along with journalists from other news organizations.
Washington Ideas Week is a partnership between The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute. In its seven years, the Forum has hosted an influential list of global leaders and visionaries, including Vice Presidents Joe Biden, Al Gore, and Dick Cheney; Secretaries of State John Kerry, Madeleine Albright, and Henry Kissinger; Attorneys General Loretta Lynch and Eric Holder; Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; business leaders including Eric Schmidt of Google, Uber’s Travis Kalanick, Whole Foods’ Walter Robb, and Etsy’s Chad Dickerson; and Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Cory Booker, Joe Manchin, John McCain, Susan Collins and Amy Klobuchar.
Members of the media wishing to request a complimentary credential for Washington Ideas Week events should be in touch directly with The Atlantic’s Sydney Simon (ssimon@theatlantic.com; 202-266-7338). Tickets for the public are available for purchase here.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are Presenting Level underwriters of the Washington Ideas Forum. American Federation of Teachers is a Supporting Level underwriter and Allstate is a Contributing Level underwriter.
About The Atlantic:
Founded in 1857 and today one of the fastest growing media platforms in the industry, The Atlantic has throughout its history championed the power of big ideas and continues to shape global debate across print, digital, events, and video platforms. With its award-winning digital presence TheAtlantic.com and CityLab.com on cities around the world, The Atlantic is a multimedia forum on the most critical issues of our times—from politics, business, urban affairs, and the economy, to technology, arts, and culture. The Atlantic is the 2016 National Magazine of the Year. Bob Cohn is President of The Atlantic.
About the Aspen Institute:
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners.