‘The world’s biggest, boldest ideas.’
The (virtual) Aspen Ideas Festival June 27-July 1, 2021
I heard about the Aspen Ideas Festival for years before I got anywhere near Aspen. There was a mystique about ‘The Ideas Festival’, which ‘luminaries’ attended and who else was invited. If it is new to you, here is some background.
Aspen Institute’s Mission
“The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world.”
Founded by business leader Walter Paepcke, The Aspen Institute has aspired to bring together thought leaders from around the world and inspire them to think beyond the day-to-day challenges – in a setting of natural beauty. Attendees, intellectuals, artists, scientists, and leaders from business and governments around the world come to open their minds, learn from each other and re-charge. It strives to be non-partisan.
The theme of this year’s Ideas Festival is ‘American Futures’.
“Built around the theme “American Futures,” our sessions will focus on the future of democracy, identity, education, the search for meaning, our own mental health, and more. We invite you to join us at the Festival, a showcase of the world’s biggest, boldest ideas.”
This year, for the first time, anybody will be able to attend ‘the Festival’ virtually, for free. The program includes inspiring people on the front lines of our society, working to build a better future for everyone.
Some 2021 Ideas Festival Thought Leaders
Among the sessions I hope to attend are several on happiness, citizenship and the future of education -and one with Walter Isaacson speaking about CRISPR technology. I am also interested in the future of healthcare, Congress, capitalism and the economy. While I will miss the backdrop of the Rockies and hiking in the mountain air, it is a luxury to explore these ideas from home.
There will be talks given each evening beginning at 5:00 MT and then breakout sessions with more free form discussion. We can all ‘attend’ virtually. I look forward to seeing these world leaders exploring solutions to the society’s challenges.
Aspen Institute, American Futures.
From the Aspen Institute…
“It’s been a year. A year of lockdown, of racial strife, of argument and disinformation and insurrection. Not a year we want to go through again. But it’s also been a year in which old ideas were tested and new ways of thinking were championed. At Aspen Ideas, we’ll highlight new ideas and explore possibility. Built around the theme “American Futures,” our sessions will focus on the future of democracy, identity, education, the search for meaning, our own mental health, and more. We invite you to join us at the Festival, a showcase of the world’s biggest, boldest ideas.”
I have been in touch with the festival organizer to ask if video recordings will be available and they will be! Here is her answer:
“Please rest assured that recordings of all sessions will be made available after the event on aspenideas.org and the Aspen Institute’s YouTube channel.
Recordings of the sessions will be available shortly after the livestream of the event on AspenIdeas.org and the Aspen Institute’s YouTube channel.
Our digital plenary and breakout sessions will be live-streamed from our event page (Splash), as well as on the Aspen Institute’s YouTube channel.”
Images from: The Aspen Institute
Feeling in the mood for more inspiration?
ASE article on on-line courses.
