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.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    The Middle East, Cold War, and Emerging Technologies: The Contributions of Henry Kissinger
    This symposium explores the trajectory of three critical foreign policy domains that Henry Kissinger, a longtime member of the Council on Foreign Relations, engaged with throughout his career in and out of government, and the lessons learned for U.S. foreign policy today.

    Virtual Event with Graham Allison, Robert Danin, Michael S. Doran, Carolyn Eisenberg, Niall Ferguson, Winston Lord, Suzanne Maloney, Samm Sacks, Jeremi Suri, Lisa Anderson, Timothy Naftali and Joan Rohlfing March 19, 2024 Lessons From History

  • Brazil

    Brazil and the World
    Brazil plays a pivotal role on the global stage as a top ten economy, a leading democracy, and the dominant steward of the Amazon. A founding member of the BRICS, the country holds the 2024 G20 presidency and will host the United Nations climate summit in 2025. Experts from CFR and elsewhere examined Brazil’s current political, economic, and social opportunities and challenges, its evolving role in the world, and the decisive role it could play in combatting climate change. This event was made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation.

    Virtual Event with Matias Spektor, Natalie Unterstell, Patricia Campos Mello, Otaviano Canuto, Monica de Bolle, Monica de Bolle, Luisa Palacios, Bruna Santos, Oliver Stuenkel, Brian Winter, Ricardo Zuniga, Somini Sengupta, Kellie Meiman Hock and Arthur M. Rubin March 6, 2024 Latin America Studies Program

  • Economics

    Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics
    The 2023 Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics will discuss international economic leadership. This symposium is presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies and is made possible through the generous support of Council board member Stephen C. Freidheim.

    Virtual Event with Caroline Atkinson, Kristalina Georgieva, Adam Posen, Robert B. Zoellick, Michael Froman and Jerry Seib December 6, 2023 Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium

  • Health

    Global Health Security and Diplomacy in the Twenty-First Century
    The Global Health Security and Diplomacy in the Twenty-First Century symposium is cohosted by the Council on Foreign Relations and the recently launched Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State.  This event convenes a globally representative set of influential policymakers, practitioners, and thought leaders to discuss the global need for better cooperation, coordination, and communication in tackling health security threats, which also threaten national security. Speakers include U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy John Nkengasong, former Chief Medical Advisor to the President Anthony Fauci, Director of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mandy K. Cohen, and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. Speakers making welcoming remarks include U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (pre-recorded video message to participants), U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.   This event is part of Thomas J. Bollyky's Global Health, Economics, and Development Roundtable Series. Please click here to view the full symposium agenda.

    Virtual Event with Ayoade Alakija, Anne-Claire Amprou, Jarbas Barbosa, Priya Basu, Jainey K. Bavishi, Nidhi Bouri, Winnie Byanyima, Emi Chutaro, Guéladio Cissé, Mandy K. Cohen, Victor J. Dzau, Anthony S. Fauci, Senait Fisseha, Tom Frieden, Paul Friedrichs, Peter Hotez, Yanzhong Huang, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Jean Kaseya, Oanh Khuat, Rachel King, Jimmy Kolker, Lester Martinez-Lopez, John Nkengasong, Benedict Okey Oramah, Loyce Pace, Peter Piot, John-Arne Røttingen, Reeta Roy, Amadou Sall, Peter Sands, Olive Shisana, Joy St. John, Marisol Touraine, David Walton, David Whineray, Stephanie Williams, Edem Adzogenu, Thomas J. Bollyky, Hillary H. Carter, Susan Dentzer, John Monahan and Leana S. Wen November 13, 2023

  • Israel

    The October 1973 Yom Kippur War: Fifty Years Later
    Fifty years ago, on Yom Kippur, October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched surprise attacks on Israel. The resulting conflict sparked an Arab oil embargo, a superpower confrontation, a global recession, and an Arab-Israeli peace process. Its repercussions are still felt today. This joint symposium between CFR and the Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) will bring together American, Israeli, and Arab experts to discuss the war’s lasting impacts on the Middle East and U.S. regional interests. Speakers include Ehud Barak, Henry Kissinger, Nabil Fahmy, Tom Friedman, Dorit Beinisch, and Richard Haass, among many others. 

    Virtual Event with Ehud Barak, Dorit Beinisch, Nabil Fahmy, Thomas L. Friedman, Richard Haass, Tamir Hayman, Henry A. Kissinger, William B. Quandt, Itamar Rabinovich, Khalil Shikaki, Manuel Trajtenberg, Martin S. Indyk, Elise Labott, Andrea Mitchell, Carla Anne Robbins and Gideon Rose October 5, 2023 Middle East Program

  • Economics

    Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium: Economic Decision-Making During Times of Uncertainty
    Inflation, the possibility of a recession, concerns in the banking industry, and implications of geopolitical conflicts, among other factors, contribute to a growing sense of economic insecurity. The 2023 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium discusses economic decision-making and how individuals, corporations, and governments weigh risks during times of economic instability. A full symposium agenda is available here. KEYNOTE SPEAKER Robert E. Rubin, Author, The Yellow Pad: Making Better Decisions in an Uncertain World; Chairman Emeritus, Council on Foreign Relations; Former U.S. Treasury Secretary (1995–99) The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, generates critical thinking about the consequences of herd mentality behavior in global economics. This 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 Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan, Michaela Pagel, Robert E. Rubin, Jason Schloetzer, Bianna Golodryga and Ali Velshi June 6, 2023 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

  • United States

    2023 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs
    The 2023 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs is a collaborative effort by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Global Access Pipeline, and the International Career Advancement Program. This year’s conference is made possible by the generous support of the Ford Foundation. For information about the conference in previous years, please click here.  Click here to download the conference program. All participants must be over the age of 18.  For more information on the additional mentoring and networking opportunities at this year's conference and to sign up, please click here.  The goal of this conference is to increase access to and preparedness for foreign policy careers for groups that have been historically underrepresented in the field, including but not limited to people of color as well as those who work to support and advance those groups.  PLEASE NOTE: CFR requires all in-person participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please submit proof of vaccination to [email protected] ahead of the conference. 

    Virtual Event with Sundaa A. Bridgett-Jones, Esther Brimmer, Charles A. Carithers, Denise E. Der, Patricia Lee Dorff, Tammy Duckworth, Merve C. Hickok, Evanna Hu, Alex T. Johnson, Sameer Lalwani, Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Alexandria J. Maloney, Swathi Massar, Ebenezer Obadare, Leela Ramnath, Neil Shenai, Francis X. Suarez, Mischa Thompson, Tatiana Torres, Liz Wangu, Jeff Wong, Juan C. Zarate, Bunmi Akinnusotu, Faheen Allibhoy, Leila Fadel, Razi Hashmi, Aditi Kumar, Meghan E. Mercier, Navarro Moore, Federico C. Sequeda, Amber M. Whittington, Justin Worland and Zaid A. Zaid May 10, 2023 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs

  • Public Health Threats and Pandemics

    Global Health Symposium: The Foreign Policy of Collective Action: Lessons for the Future of Global Health
    This symposium will take stock of the lessons of COVID-19 for the foreign policy of collective action and explore how those lessons should be applied to future global health challenges.

    Virtual Event with Alice C. Hill, John Kirton, Ramanan Laxminarayan, John Nkengasong, Loyce Pace, Wolfgang Philipp, Juan Pablo Uribe, Thomas Wright, Maria Freire and Ilona Kickbusch April 12, 2023

  • China

    Advancing Cyber Diplomacy
    This symposium will convene senior government officials and experts from academia and the private sector to address the U.S. Department of State’s newly created Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, the goals of American cyber diplomacy, and how major public and private international stakeholders can advance global cyber cooperation amidst threats from authoritarian states like Russia and China. The John B. Hurford Memorial Lecture was inaugurated in 2002 in memory of CFR member John B. Hurford, and features individuals who represent critical new thinking in international affairs and foreign policy. Click here to download the full agenda for the symposium. Please register for all sessions you plan to attend.

    Virtual Event with Nathaniel Fick, Selena Larson, Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Juliette Wilcox, Niloofar Razi Howe and Amna Nawaz March 14, 2023 John B. Hurford Memorial Lecture

  • Asia

    The Future of India
    India has emerged as a major global power capable of shaping events beyond South Asia. Experts from CFR and elsewhere examined the future of India and how the country’s economic trends, domestic politics, and foreign relations have affected its rise and viability as a critical international actor.  Click here to download the full agenda for the symposium.  This event is made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation. Members may invite a guest to this symposium. ZOOM LOG-IN INFORMATION: Session One: “India’s Economic Rise—Continued Ascent or Turbulence Ahead?” 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. (EST) Zoom Meeting ID: 822 3976 8558 Zoom Password: 2023hauser Numerical Passcode (for dial-in ONLY): 3109191337 Session Two: “India’s Democracy—Resilient or Endangered?”  1:45 p.m.–2:45 p.m. (EST) Zoom Meeting ID: 872 9900 5680 Zoom Password: 2023hauser Numerical Passcode (for dial-in ONLY): 6358635415 Session Three: “Indian Foreign Policy in an Era of Geopolitical Competition” 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (EST) Zoom Meeting ID: 854 0627 4482 Zoom Password: 2023hauser Numerical Passcode (for dial-in ONLY): 9603236685

    Virtual Event with Alyssa Ayres, Robert D. Blackwill, Pravin Krishna, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Lisa Mitchell, Aseema Sinha, Arvind Subramanian, Ashley J. Tellis, Ashutosh Varshney, Ravi Agrawal, Bobby Ghosh and Seema Mody March 2, 2023 Asia Program

  • United States

    Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium
    The 2022 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium discusses the current state of inflation in the United States through the lens of behavioral economics, including how public perceptions might contribute to rising inflation rates. The full agenda is available here. The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, generates critical thinking about the consequences of herd mentality behavior in global economics. This 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 earlier this year, the symposium continues in his honor and memory.

    Virtual Event with Carola Binder, Carola Binder, Willem H. Buiter, Willem H. Buiter, Meir Statman, Meir Statman, Michael Weber, Michael Weber, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Gillian Tett and Gillian Tett June 14, 2022 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium

  • Diplomacy and International Institutions

    2022 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs
    The 2022 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs was a collaborative effort by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Global Access Pipeline, and the International Career Advancement Program.

    Virtual Event with Amaka Anku, Amaka Anku, Roger W. Ferguson Jr., Roger W. Ferguson Jr., Alex T. Johnson, Ryan Kaminski, Ivan Kanapathy, Seema Mody, Art Motta, Ana Janaina Nelson, Minh-Thu Pham, Ashley J. Quarcoo, Nayeema T. Raza, Maryum F. Saifee, Jamila White, Ché Bolden, Ché Bolden, Suzanne Kianpour, Arshad A. Mohammed, Alexandra Starr and Zaid A. Zaid May 25, 2022 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs

  • Public Health Threats and Pandemics

    Strengthening Public Health Systems: From Global to Local
    If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world anything about public health, it is humility: the United States has as much to learn about public health practices from its foreign counterparts as they have to learn from the United States. This symposium explores ways in which global public health systems can be strengthened, discusses lessons learned from public health officials, and provides a path forward for practitioners and the public during the pandemic and beyond. The full agenda is available here.  The Global Health Symposium is made possible through the generous support of Bloomberg Philanthropies.  

    Virtual Event with Natasha F. Bilimoria, Sara H. Cody, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Vernon Lee, Jeffrey Levi, Donna Levin, Anne Schuchat, Agnes Soucat, Susan Dentzer and John Monahan May 11, 2022

  • Russia

    The Geopolitics of Cybersecurity
    This symposium convenes senior government officials and experts from think tanks, academia, and the private sector to address the interaction of cyber conflict and foreign policy goals, examining the current state of Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and North Korean cyber operations, as well as how the United States is responding and its own vulnerability to cyberattacks as a symptom of a broken geopolitical order. Click here to download the full agenda for the symposium.

    Virtual Event with Emily Harding, Emily Harding, John Hultquist, John Hultquist, Chris Inglis, Chris Inglis, Max Smeets, Max Smeets, David E. Sanger, David E. Sanger, Camille A. Stewart and Camille A. Stewart April 20, 2022 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program

  • China

    Hauser Symposium: China’s Domestic Evolution
    CFR scholars and experts from think tanks and academia examined China’s domestic transformation and how the country’s demographic trends, COVID policies, and economic prowess have affected its rise and sustainability as a global power.  This event was made possible by the generous support of the Hauser Foundation.

    Virtual Event with Yuen Yuen Ang, Yuen Yuen Ang, Yen-hsin Alice Cheng, Yen-hsin Alice Cheng, Wang Feng, Wang Feng, Yanzhong Huang, Yanzhong Huang, Ian Johnson, Ian Johnson, Daniel Mattingly, Daniel Mattingly, Carl Minzner, Carl Minzner, Scott Rozelle, Scott Rozelle, Yun Sun, Yun Sun, Nicholas Eberstadt, Nicholas Eberstadt, Rana Foroohar, Rana Foroohar, W. Ian Lipkin and W. Ian Lipkin March 23, 2022 Asia Program

  • Wars and Conflict

    U.S.-Russia Relations—What's at Stake?

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    Panelists discuss the geopolitical implications of the crisis in Ukraine, its consequences for the region, and how it will affect the trajectory of the U.S.-Russia relationship.  

    Virtual Event with Emma M. Ashford, Alex T. Johnson, Chris Miller and David Salvo February 28, 2022

  • Economics

    Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics
    The 2022 Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium on Global Economics discusses building an inclusive U.S. economy and reforming capitalism to address inequality. The full agenda is available here. This symposium is presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies and is made possible through the generous support of Council Board member Stephen C. Freidheim.

    Virtual Event with Megan E. Greene, Steven Pearlstein, Thomas Philippon, Cecilia Elena Rouse, Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss and Sebastian Mallaby January 12, 2022 Stephen C. Freidheim Symposium

  • U.S. Foreign Policy

    CFR Fellows' Book Launch Series With Martin Indyk

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    Martin Indyk discusses his new book, Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy. A perceptive and provocative history of Henry Kissinger’s diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East that illuminates the unique challenges and barriers Kissinger and his successors have faced in their attempts to broker peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors and how Kissinger overcame them to lay the foundations for an American-led Middle Eastern order.  The CFR Fellows’ Book Launch series highlights new books by CFR fellows.

    Virtual Event with Martin S. Indyk, Martin S. Indyk, Richard Haass and Richard Haass October 19, 2021 CFR Fellows' Book Launch

  • Labor and Employment

    Ending Human Trafficking in the 21st Century Symposium
    The Ending Human Trafficking in the Twenty-First Century Symposium reflects on efforts to combat human trafficking over the past two decades and explores new tools to accelerate progress at home and abroad. The full agenda is available here.  This symposium is cosponsored with the Women and Foreign Policy Program.

    Virtual Event with Anita Ramasastry, Guy Ryder, Brent Wilton, Rana Foroohar and Nicholas D. Kristof June 28, 2021

  • Public Health Threats and Pandemics

    Global Health Symposium: Lessons From Abroad on American Health
    The 2021 Global Health Symposium on Lessons From Abroad on American Health will discuss how practices from other countries can be applied to current critical health crises in the United States and provide a framework for analysis to help strengthen health systems and guide public health investment strategies. The full agenda is available here. The Global Health Symposium, in partnership with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is made possible through the generous support of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

    Virtual Event with Angus S. Deaton, Emily Gurley, Joneigh Khaldun, Tolbert Nyenswah, Vikram Patel, Sema K Sgaier, Joshua Sharfstein, Susan Dentzer and Sheri L. Fink June 9, 2021 Global Health Program

  • United States

    Conference on Diversity in International Affairs 2021
    The Conference on Diversity in International Affairs brings together college and graduate students and young professionals from diverse backgrounds for plenaries on foreign policy topics, seminars on professional development, and opportunities to interact virtually with senior foreign policy professionals. The 2021 conference featured a keynote session with President of the Ford Foundation Darren Walker. The 2021 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs is a collaborative effort by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Global Access Pipeline, and the International Career Advancement Program. For information about the conference in previous years, please click here

    Virtual Event with Karen Attiah, Dominique Carter, Kanchan Chandra, Hagar Hajjar Chemali, Heather Conley, Nayyera Haq, Andrew Kim, Rashida Petersen, Latoya Peterson, Keith B. Richburg, Kehinde A. Togun, Emerita Torres, Macani Toungara, Arturo A. Valenzuela, Darren Walker, Jessica P. Ashooh, Catherine Eng, David R. Martinez, Kal Penn, Reena Ninan and Farah Pandith May 26, 2021 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs

  • Public Health Threats and Pandemics

    Renewing America Series: Reskilling and the Future of Work Post-Pandemic

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    Panelists discuss the changing nature of America’s workforce and the urgency to reskill workers exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including issues around automation, labor markets, and the future of remote work. CFR’s Renewing America initiative shines a spotlight on the domestic underpinnings of U.S. competitiveness to find ways to raise living standards at home and bolster American international influence. Check out the CFR Independent Task Force Report, The Work Ahead: Machines, Skills, and U.S. Leadership in the Twenty-First Century.

    Virtual Event with James Manyika, Penny Pritzker and Vivian Salama April 28, 2021 Renewing America

  • Russia

    The Cybersecurity Threat From Russia

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    While much of the public’s attention over the last year has been on Russian information operations and threats to election integrity, actors tied to Russian intelligence were conducting an espionage campaign with significant impact on U.S. national security. This symposium discusses how the United States, along with its allies, may more effectively respond to Russian cyber operations. The virtual symposium consists of a keynote session followed by a salon discussion on cybersecurity. During the salon discussion, a facilitator will help steer a conversation on how U.S. cyber strategy should change to respond to the threat of cyberattacks from Russia.  

    Virtual Event with Anne Neuberger and Amy B. Zegart April 7, 2021 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program

  • Economics

    Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium
    The 2021 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium discusses how behavioral economics can help explain decision-making during a pandemic. The full agenda is available here. The Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium, presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, is made possible through the generous support of Robert B. Menschel.

    Virtual Event with Ravi Dhar, Wendy Edelberg, Fiona Greig, Richard H. Thaler, Terry L. Babcock-Lumish and Eduardo Porter March 15, 2021 Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium