Symposia

Symposia are multi-session events, typically two to three sessions, that take an in-depth look at a topic, and bring leading experts together to examine causes and consequences of, and policy responses to foreign policy challenges.

  • United States

    Hauser Symposium: America at 250
    This symposium explores the development of the U.S.-led international order from the post–World War II era to the present, examining the foundations of American global engagement, the trajectory of the post-Cold War period, and the policy shifts of the Trump era. Together, the panels analyze how these distinct phases have shaped U.S. foreign policy, international institutions, and patterns of global cooperation and competition. Click here to view the full agenda. This Hauser Symposium is made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation. This symposium is also part of CFR’s America at 250 Series. To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America’s role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead. Please register for all the sessions you wish to attend. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Members may bring a guest to this event.

    Virtual Event with Robert W. Kagan, Charles A. Kupchan, Rebecca Lissner, Rana Mitter, Lien-Hang T. Nguyen, Benn Steil, Jeremi Suri, Leslie Vinjamuri, Stephen M. Walt, Linda Robinson, Gideon Rose and Amy Davidson Sorkin March 16, 2026

  • United States

    Council Special Report: Leapfrogging China’s Critical Minerals Dominance—How Innovation Can Secure U.S. Supply Chains

    Play
    The launch of the new Council Special Report, Leapfrogging China’s Critical Minerals Dominance: How Innovation Can Secure U.S. Supply Chains, will feature a fireside chat with Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson, followed by a panel discussion with report contributors. Speakers will discuss the need for a U.S. critical minerals strategy that accelerates innovation and develops emerging technologies to leapfrog China's dominance of global supply chains. Please register for all the sessions you wish to attend. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. This meeting is presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies.

    Virtual Event with Audrey Robertson, Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Mahnaz Khan, Nathan Ratledge, Sarah Sewall, Heidi Crebo-Rediker and Stephen Paul Rodriguez March 9, 2026 Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

  • Ukraine

    2026 Securing Ukraine's Future Symposium
    As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the international context is changing rapidly, including the prospects for a negotiated settlement. Much is at stake, and it is essential that the challenges ahead be fully appreciated. Panelists will explore three critical issues for securing Ukraine's future: achieving a just and durable peace, ensuring its long-term security, and helping it rebuild and recover from the ravages of war. This event is part of the Council’s Special Initiative on Securing Ukraine’s Future which provides timely, informed analysis and practical policy recommendations for U.S. policymakers and the American public. Click here to view the full agenda. Please register for all the sessions you wish to attend. For those attending virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Members may bring a guest to this symposium. This event is part of the Wachenheim Center for Peace and Security which is made possible by the generous support of the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim Foundation.

    Virtual Event with Laurent Bili, Kristjan Prikk, Jeanne Shaheen, Jesper Møller Sørensen, Olga Stefanishyna, Martin Thümmel, Thom Tillis, Jonathan Karl, Mary Louise Kelly and Greg Myre February 25, 2026

  • United States

    Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium: Lessons From 1929
    **Please note that this symposium will take place FULLY VIRTUALLY due to inclement weather.** This symposium will feature a fireside chat with Andrew Ross Sorkin on the lessons from the 1929 Wall Street crash, followed by a panel discussion on the present-day risk of a bubble, and how policy makers should respond. Copies of 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History will be available for purchase during the symposium. The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies,was established in 2014 and was made possible through a generous endowment gift from Robert B. Menschel while a senior director at Goldman Sachs. Since Menschel’s death in 2022, the symposium continues in his honor and memory. This symposium is also part of CFR’s America at 250 Series. To mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence, CFR is dedicating a year-long series of articles, videos, podcasts, events, and special projects that will reflect on two and a half centuries of U.S. foreign policy. Featuring bipartisan voices and expert contributors, the series explores the evolution of America’s role in the world and the strategic challenges that lie ahead. Please register for all the sessions you wish to attend. Log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question-and-answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Members may bring a guest to this event.

    Virtual Event with Jared Bernstein, Peter R. Fisher, Carmen M. Reinhart, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Catherine Rampell and Gillian Tett February 23, 2026 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

  •  

    2025 Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs
    You are invited to attend the upcoming Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs, hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, on Thursday, June 5, and Friday, June 6, 2025. This long-running conference is a key pillar of CFR's mission to cultivate the next generation of diverse U.S. foreign policy experts and practitioners. A full agenda can be found here. This hybrid conference, will be held in person at CFR’s Headquarters in New York (58 East 68th Street) with select sessions also available virtually via Zoom. The conference will bring together college and graduate students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds for plenaries on foreign policy topics, seminars on professional development, and networking receptions. For information about the conference in previous years, please click here. Registration for the conference is by invitation only. To attend this conference, please register for all sessions you wish to attend, either in person or virtually.

    Virtual Event with Eli Aheto, Dana L. Banks, Sewell Chan, Michael G. Cox, Alexis C. Crews, Cailin A. Crockett, Kat Duffy, Helene D. Gayle, Naima Green-Riley, Linda Greer, Jennifer Hillman, Ed Husain, Katherine Corley Kenna, Saritha Komatireddy, Elise Labott, Lizzi C. Lee, Amber J. McIntyre, Chris Morales, Sabeeha (Sabs) K. Quereshi, Cynthia Soohoo, Katherine Y. Tan, Jyoti Thottam, Felicia Appenteng, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Asha C. Castleberry-Hernandez, Thao Nguyen Kelly, Catherine Powell, Nayeema T. Raza, Nishant Roy, Gabrielle Sierra, Dhruv P. Singh, Millie Tran, Liz Wangu and Nancy Yao June 5, 2025

  • United States

    Climate Realism Initiative Launch
    The United States' historical approach to climate change is failing. American clean technology industries lag dangerously behind their international competitors, threatening U.S. geopolitical and economic influence, and climate change is on track to exceed internationally agreed targets, endangering U.S. national security. CFR’s new Climate Realism Initiative, led by Senior Fellow Varun Sivaram, will chart a fundamentally new course for U.S. climate and energy policy—one that is both realistic in its assessment of the world's climate trajectory fueled by rising emissions outside U.S. borders and realist in its expectation that the United States and other countries will work to advance their own interests in the emerging energy transition. The launch event will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine how the United States can prepare for the geopolitical and security consequences of accelerating climate change, build globally competitive and innovative American clean technology industries, and pursue novel approaches—from coordinating strategic trade actions to exploring geoengineering—to prevent the most catastrophic potential climate impacts from endangering U.S. interests. Click here to view the full agenda. If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during question-and-answer portions will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this event will be posted on the CFR website. The Climate Realism Initiative Launch is made possible by the generous support of the ClimateWorks Foundation. Members may bring a guest to this event.

    Virtual Event with Neil Chatterjee, Joshua Freed, Sherri Goodman, Alice C. Hill, Maureen Hinman, David Keith, David W. Livingston, Ernest J. Moniz, Rachel Pritzker, David G. Victor, David Wallace-Wells, David M. Hart, Mary Louise Kelly, Varun Sivaram and Varun Sivaram April 7, 2025

  • Defense and Security

    Hauser Symposium: The Axis of Autocracies
    In recent years, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have deepened their cooperation, raising concerns about an emerging “Axis of Autocracies” challenging U.S. global leadership. From military support and weapons transfers to economic backing, these alliances are reshaping the geopolitical landscape. This symposium will examine the extent of their collaboration, its global implications, and how the United States should respond to the threats it poses to U.S. national security. Click here to view the full agenda. This Hauser Symposium is made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation. If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this hybrid event will be posted on the CFR website.

    Virtual Event with Christopher S. Chivvis, Heather Conley, Ivo H. Daalder, Jennifer E. Kavanagh, Tanvi Madan, Ebenezer Obadare, James M. Lindsay, Suzanne Nossel and Laura Trevelyan March 27, 2025

  • United States

    American Views on Economic Leadership
    In April 2024, CFR launched RealEcon: Reimagining American Economic Leadership Initiative with the goal of rebuilding a durable consensus on the U.S. role in the international economy. As a first step, the RealEcon team toured the country to ask Americans their views on trade, investment, foreign aid, China, and other economic issues. They visited nine states and spoke with over 400 people, including local elected officials, business leaders, farmers, workers, students, and journalists. This event will feature a fireside chat with former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and a panel discussion with senior experts and interlocutors of key themes and policy takeaways from the tour. The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium was established in 2014 and was made possible through a generous endowment gift from Robert B. Menschel while a senior director at Goldman Sachs. Since Menschel’s death in 2022, the symposium continues in his honor and memory.

    Virtual Event with Donald Evans, Karla Morales, Catherine A. Novelli, Chris Sununu, Greg Ip and Heather E. Long March 25, 2025 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

  • Ukraine

    Securing Ukraine's Future

    Play
    As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, the international context is changing rapidly, including the prospects for a negotiated settlement. Much is at stake, and it is essential that the challenges ahead be fully appreciated. Panelists will explore three critical issues for securing Ukraine's future: achieving a just and durable peace, ensuring its long-term security, and helping it rebuild and recover from the ravages of war. This event is part of the Council’s Special Initiative on Securing Ukraine’s Future which provides timely, informed analysis and practical policy recommendations for U.S. policymakers and the American public. Click here to download the full agenda. This event is part of the Wachenheim Program on Peace and Security which is made possible by the generous support of the Ed and Sue Wachenheim Foundation.

    Virtual Event with Philip M. Breedlove, Fiona Hill, Natalie A. Jaresko, Keith Kellogg, Pavlo Klimkin, Alina Polyakova, Vladyslav Rashkovan, Margaret Brennan, Heidi Crebo-Rediker and Liana Fix March 6, 2025

  • United States

    CFR Task Force Report: Securing Space—A Plan for U.S. Action
    In its new report, Securing Space: A Plan for U.S. Action, the CFR Task Force on Space Management Policy analyzes the challenges in low Earth orbit, where the acceleration in human space activity is most evident, and proposes recommendations for a U.S.-led international strategy to govern this increasingly congested and contested space. If you wish to attend virtually, log-in information and instructions on how to participate during the question and answer portion will be provided the evening before the event to those who register. Please note the audio, video, and transcript of this hybrid event will be posted on the CFR website. Members may bring a guest to this event.  

    Virtual Event with Nina M. Armagno, Charles F. Bolden Jr., Esther Brimmer, Jane Harman, Ezinne E. Uzo-Okoro, Stephen J. Hadley and Nick Schifrin February 11, 2025

  • United States

    The Leadership and Legacy of President Jimmy Carter
    Join us for two sessions examining President Jimmy Carter's legacy, including his contributions to peace in the Middle East, his efforts to advance global human rights, and the lasting impact of his presidency on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs.  

    Virtual Event with Michael J. Abramowitz, Jonathan H. Alter, Stuart E. Eizenstat, William B. Quandt, Daniel J. Sargent, Ray Takeyh, Mara Liasson and Judy Woodruff January 10, 2025

  • Russia

    The China-Russia Relationship and Its Global Implications

    Podcast
    The relationship between Russia and the People’s Republic of China continues to dominate headlines, news stories, and conversations in the American foreign policy community. Analysts continue to discuss the quality and depth of the relationship, how it’s perceived around the world, and what, if anything, the United States can do about it. The CFR China Strategy Initiative is pleased to invite members to the inaugural meeting of its China 360 program: a two-part event on China-Russia Relations. Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine, in a keynote session, discuss their new Council Special Report, No Limits? The China-Russia Relationship and U.S. Foreign Policy. Following their insights, CFR experts discuss the view and implications of Beijing and Moscow’s relationship for the rest of the world.

    Virtual Event with Elliott Abrams, Robert D. Blackwill, Liana Fix, Richard H. Fontaine Jr., Michelle Gavin, Shannon K. O'Neil, Rush Doshi and Bay Fang January 8, 2025