Title: The Future of Democracy Symposium

A half-day event, this symposium was in partnership with the School of Foreign Service as a part of the Lloyd George Centennial Lectures. Secretary Hillary Clinton’s keynote was moderated by Bill Burns, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and U.S. deputy secretary of state. Her third visit to campus since her 2016 loss, she spoke across topics on American alliances abroad, the state of NATO and other partnerships, trends in global democracy, and the “influence contest” against China. Starting out the symposium, Joel Hellman, Dean of the School of Foreign Service, celebrated the centennial of that school and said, “One hundred years ago, the SFS was created to convene dialogues on America’s role in the world.”

Starting at 1:00 p.m., the first panel looked at “The Essential Diplomat” and the role these figures play in international relations yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thereafter, the conversation turned to “Values in US Foreign Policy” in consideration of what changes and what stays the same between administrations. Secretary Clinton finished the afternoon with her keynote address.

Summing up, Clinton said, “At some point, as another nation, you think, ‘Can we trust them?’ It’s not just administration to administration, it’s the United States of America, it’s our government. It’s about giving our word, it’s about following through.” Emphasizing the potential strength and energy of young generations around the world, the former Secretary felt positive about the path of American and global democracy.

Watch the keynote and panel discussions below!