Centennial Speaker Series

Nine Questions for the World

This series, which commemorates CFR's centennial, will feature some of today's biggest thinkers including Margaret MacMillan, Anne Applebaum, Nicholas Stern, Minouche Shafik, Nicholas Eberstadt, Michelle McMurry-Heath, Elizabeth Perry, and Fei-Fei Li.

CFR President Richard Haass will lead conversations on the future of democracy, globalization, climate change, and other issues that will define the century.The series also aired as a podcast called Nine Questions for the World.

 
Presider
Richard N. Haass
President, Council on Foreign Relations; Author, The World: A Brief Introduction

Past Events

Centennial Speaker Series Session 1: What Are the Lessons of History for Our Era?
Margaret MacMillan
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 2: Can Democracy Survive?
Anne E. Applebaum
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 3: Will Climate Change Us Before We Change It?
Nicholas Stern
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 4: Balancing the Role of Government and Markets
Minouche Shafik
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 5: Comparative Demographic Trends & Their Implications
Nicholas Eberstadt
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 6: What Are the Potential Benefits and Risks of Biotechnology?
Michelle T. McMurry-Heath
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 7: Will the 21st Century be China's?
Elizabeth J. Perry
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 8: Will Technology Save Us or Threaten Us?
Fei-Fei Li
Richard Haass
Play
Centennial Speaker Series Session 9: The Future of World Order
Richard Haass
Fareed Zakaria
Play

Budget, Debt, and Deficits

The U.S. National Debt Dilemma
After years of steadily increasing debt, federal spending has skyrocketed, taking U.S. debt to levels not seen since World War II.   

Backgrounder by James McBride, Noah Berman and Anshu Siripurapu December 4, 2023 Renewing America

Sub-Saharan Africa

AGOA: The U.S.-Africa Trade Program
U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa has plateaued in recent years, prompting analysts to question the effectiveness of a preferential trade program for the region.

Backgrounder by Claire Klobucista and Mariel Ferragamo December 4, 2023

Palestinian Territories

What Is Hamas?
The Palestinian militant group has struggled to govern Gaza and remains committed to violently resisting Israel. Its surprise attack against Israel in 2023 threatens a wider conflagration in the Middle East.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson October 31, 2023

Top Stories on CFR

Netherlands

What Do the Dutch Elections Mean for Europe?
Far-right candidate Geert Wilders emerged as the biggest political force in Dutch politics in November’s general elections. What does his win mean for the Netherlands and Europe?

In Brief by Matthias Matthijs December 1, 2023

Myanmar

The Myanmar Army Could Actually Collapse—But Are the United States and Other Powers Ready for Such a Scenario?
Myanmar's military has recently suffered a string of defeats—but the U.S. government seems unprepared to face the country's potential state collapse.

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick November 30, 2023 Asia Unbound

Ukraine

Russia Must Be Held Accountable for Alleged Criminal Aggression in Ukraine: Two Paths to Justice
The authors, including a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, UN Undersecretary-General for Legal Affairs, Founding Chief Prosecutor of the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the inaugural U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues, urge the imperative of prosecuting alleged Russian crimes of aggression in Ukraine, and present two practical options for doing so.

Article by David J. Scheffer, Irwin Cotler, Hans Corell and David Crane November 28, 2023 International Institutions and Global Governance Program