This annual event surveys the past year’s lessons in conflict prevention, promotes discussion and coordination among those involved, and introduces the idea of preventive action to key U.S. constituencies, represented in part by the Council membership. The keynote speaker for this year’s conference was George Soros. The day-long event addressed four topics: (1) assistance to civil society as a tool of conflict prevention; (2) curbing the proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons; (3) the failure of early warning in Kosovo; and (4) financial crises and the escalation of conflict. The conference was held at the Council’s New York office on December 11, 1998.