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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T153000
DTSTAMP:20260914T131931Z
CREATED:20260914T131931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T131931Z
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SUMMARY:Built Environment — Urban Design\, Heat Mitigation & Infrastructure
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the second panel of our Climate Leadership and Health conference.\n\n\nJoin us for a conversation on developing sustainable\, climate-resilient spaces and infrastructure to lower emissions while protecting physiological and mental well-being. \nThis panel includes: \n· Professor Dorit Aviv\, Assistant Professor of Architecture & Director of the Thermal Architecture Lab\, Weitzman School of Design\, University of Pennsylvania \n· Professor Hari Shankar\, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine (Pulmonary\, Allergy and Critical Care)\, Perelman School of Medicine\, University of Pennsylvania \n· Professor Andrea Restrepo-Mieth\, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Policy\, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy\, Rutgers University \n· Professor William (Bill) Braham\, Professor of Architecture & Director of the Center for Environmental Building and Design (CEBD)\, Weitzman School of Design\, University of Pennsylvania \n· Moderated by: H.E. Mauricio Rodas\, Visiting Fellow at Perry World House\, University of Pennsylvania & Former Mayor of Quito\, Ecuador
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/built-environment-urban-design-heat-mitigation-infrastructure/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ecb7e393aa3e75cb34786e0377396a54.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T103000
DTSTAMP:20260914T131926Z
CREATED:20260914T131926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T131926Z
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SUMMARY:Bridging Global Diplomacy and Planetary Health
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the keynote of our Climate Leadership and Health Conference with H.E. Aminath Shauna.\n\n\nJoin us for the keynote of our Climate Leadership and Health Conference and hear from H.E. Aminath Shauna\, Former Maldives’ Minister of Environment\, Climate Change\, And Technology. \nAminath Shauna is a Maldivian policymaker and sustainability leader working at the nexus of climate action\, democracy\, and sustainable development. She served as the Maldives’ Minister of Environment\, Climate Change and Technology from 2021–2023 and played a leading role in international climate diplomacy and advocacy for small island developing states.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/bridging-global-diplomacy-and-planetary-health/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260915T130000
DTSTAMP:20260910T020441Z
CREATED:20260910T020441Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T020441Z
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SUMMARY:“A Republic\, If You Can Keep It”:  the Constitution\, & Civic Participation
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a conversation about Benjamin Franklin\, the Founders\, the drafting of the Constitution\, and Philadelphia's central role.\n\n\nJoin historian Stacy Schiff and constitutional scholar Akhil Amar for an afternoon of storytelling and conversation about Benjamin Franklin\, the Founders\, the drafting of the Constitution\, and Philadelphia’s central role in it all. \nPart of Penn’s America 250 speaker series\, this special event falls on National Voter Registration Day\, coincides with Constitution Week\, and will remind us all of the enduring power of civic participation. President Jameson will offer opening remarks and Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Ezekiel Emanuel will moderate. Copies of Schiff’s and Amar’s latest books will be available to event attendees. \nAfter the discussion\, join Perry World House outside off Locust Walk for a Penn America 250 and National Voter Registration Day celebration featuring special performances and ice cream. Click here to learn more about National Voter Registration Day at Penn! \nOpening Remarks: \nJ. Larry Jameson\, President of the University of Pennsylvania and Trustees University Professor \nSpeakers: \nStacy Schiff is a historian and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. She is known for her critically acclaimed biographies of major historical figures\, including Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov)\, winner of the Pulitzer Prize; Saint-Exupéry\, a Pulitzer Prize finalist; Cleopatra: A Life\, winner of the National Book Award and a #1 bestseller\, A Great Improvisation: Franklin\, France\, and the Birth of America\, winner of the George Washington Book Prize; The Witches: Salem\, 1692\, and The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams. \nAkhil Reed Amar is Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University\, where he teaches constitutional law in both Yale College and Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale\, he clerked for Judge (later Justice) Stephen Breyer\, and by some accounts has become America’s second most-cited legal scholar still under age 70. The first volume of his ambitious trilogy on American constitutional history from the Founding to the present\, The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation\, 1760-1840\, came out in May 2021. The second volume\, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution\, 1840-1920\, was published in September 2025. \nModerator: \nEzekiel J. Emanuel\, MD\, PhD\, is Vice Provost for Global Initiatives and the Diane v.S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds appointments in the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy in the Perelman School of Medicine and the Department of Health Care Management in the Wharton School. He also created and teaches the online course “Benjamin Franklin and His World.”
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/a-republic-if-you-can-keep-it-the-constitution-civic-participation/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T130000
DTSTAMP:20260907T172423Z
CREATED:20260907T172423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T172423Z
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SUMMARY:Building Hope in Gaza
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a discussion with Dr. David Hasan on what support might look like for children facing the humanitarian situation in Gaza.\n\n\nSince October 7\,  2023\, UNICEF reports that over 20\,000 children in Gaza have been killed and at least 40\,000 injured. With estimates that almost all schools in Gaza have sustained damage or been destroyed\, over 600\,000 children remained out of school as of early 2026. Some 800\,000 children have been displaced from their homes\, and in the first six months of this year\, UNICEF treated just under 20\,000 children for acute malnutrition. Child protection indicators\, like those around child labor and psychosocial distress\, are worsening amid these conditions. \nWhat might support look like for children facing this devastating humanitarian situation? \nIn 2024\, Palestinian American neurosurgeon David Hasan took it upon himself to try to answer this question after traveling to Gaza on one of the first international medical missions in the territory. He responded by founding the nonprofit Gaza Children’s Village (GCV). Its flagship program\, the Academy of Hope\, provides education\, meals\, healthcare\, and emotional support to thousands of orphaned and displaced children. GCV\, in coordination with international partners\, the Board of Peace\, and with approval from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT)\, is also setting up a mobile hospital to address the critical lack of pediatric care. GCV also runs a women’s center\, an “educational city\,” and is working to deliver fresh food aid. \nJoin Perry World House for a discussion with Dr. David Hasan\, moderated by journalist Deborah Amos\, who has reported from war zones for decades\, to learn more about this initiative\, what it has taken to build it amid ongoing strife\, and what he believes needs to happen next. \nGuest Speaker \nDr. David Hasan is a Professor of Neurosurgery\, Neurology\, and Biomedical Engineering at Duke University\, where he has built an international reputation as a cerebrovascular scientist-surgeon\, having treated more than 2\,500 brain aneurysms and authored over 270 peer-reviewed publications. He was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2024. Since founding the Gaza Children’s Village\, he has led its growth into a multi-site operation supported by figures like José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen and donors from both Palestinian and Israeli communities\, and he now oversees its expansion into pediatric medical care alongside education and psychosocial support. \nDeborah Amos is a Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence at Princeton University. A longtime international correspondent\, Amos spent much of her award-winning career at National Public Radio. Her reporting on the Middle East and on refugees regularly aired in the U.S. on NPR’s Morning Edition\, Weekend Edition\, and All Things Considered. She recently covered the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crises\, the economy in the Middle East\, and the Arab youth surge. Previously she reported for ABC’s Nightline and PBS’s Frontline. Amos is the author of two books: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power\, Exile\, and Upheaval in the Middle East\, and Lines in the Sand: Desert Storm and the Remaking of the Arab World. She has won several major journalism honors\, including a Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation\, a George Foster Peabody Award\, an Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award\, and an Emmy.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/building-hope-in-gaza/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/9a2e4a6861ffaca62c13430e0e35aa4b-1.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260407T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260407T190000
DTSTAMP:20260329T222156Z
CREATED:20260329T221930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260329T222156Z
UID:10030577-1775583000-1775588400@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Enduring Hostility: A Book Talk on the Making of America's Iran Policy
DESCRIPTION:A book talk with Dalia Dassa Kaye\n\n\nNearly fifty years after the Iranian Revolution and creation of the Islamic Republic\, tensions remain high between the United States and Iran\, culminating in a U.S.- and Israeli-led war in Iran. Dalia Dassa Kaye’s timely new book\, Enduring Hostilities\, examines the roots of hostilities between the two countries and how U.S. policy over the past four decades has been shaped not only by differing ideologies between the two countries\, but also by U.S. political perceptions at various points in time. Join Penn’s Middle East Center and Perry World House for an in-depth\, thoughtful discussion on the U.S.-Iran relationship\, the current state of the conflict between the two countries\, and what lessons should be gleaned from nearly four decades of enduring hostilities. \nPanelist\nDr. Dalia Dassa Kaye is a senior fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations and director of its Initiative on Regional Security Architectures. A life member of the Council on Foreign Relations\, Dalia is an internationally recognized expert on geopolitics and Middle East policy. During her fifteen years at the RAND Corporation\, Dalia served as a senior political scientist and the director of the Center of Middle East Public Policy.  \nShe has received numerous awards and held previous positions at an array of research and public policy institutions\, including as a Fulbright Schuman visiting scholar at Lund University\, a fellow at the Wilson Center\, an advisor at the Foreign Ministry of The Netherlands\, an assistant professor of political science and international affairs at the George Washington University\, a research fellow at the Brookings Institution\, and a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill.  \nShe is a frequent public speaker and contributor to leading media outlets\, including BBC\, CNN\, NPR\, PBS\, and Foreign Affairs. She is the author of dozens of articles and policy reports\, as well as three books\, including most recently Enduring Hostility: The Making of America’s Iran Policy (Stanford University Press\, 2026).  \nDalia holds her BA\, MA\, and PhD in political science from the University of California\, Berkeley. \nModerator\nMarie Harf comes to Penn with two decades of varied experience in the U.S. federal government\, higher education\, media\, and politics. Previously she worked as senior advisor for strategic communications to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and deputy spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State\, as the foreign policy director on Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign\, and as a Middle East analyst and spokesperson at the Central Intelligence Agency. She has also held senior roles at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and for Congressman Seth Moulton’s political organization. Since 2017\, Harf has been an on-air commentator for Fox News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Indiana University with concentrations in Jewish Studies and Russian and Eastern European Studies\, and a master’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/enduring-hostility-a-book-talk-on-the-making-of-americas-iran-policy/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/f8f7771ed29311b6699eddb5bcb3431b.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T130000
DTSTAMP:20260314T213441Z
CREATED:20260314T213144Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260314T213441Z
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SUMMARY:Social Justice as Public Health
DESCRIPTION:A conversation with UNAID Executive Director Winnie Byanyima\n\n\nThe global fight against HIV/AIDS changed the world\, not just by saving lives\, but by advancing human rights. It taught us that we can’t meet public health goals without protecting marginalized and vulnerable people. In the case of HIV/AIDS\, this meant reaching LGBTQ+ people\, sex workers\, and those least able to access treatment and therapeutics. \nThe results were historic and arguably one of the greatest public health achievements in modern history. Hard-won gains built out a human rights infrastructure that served well into the future. It has not only guided many rights-based sexual and reproductive health initiatives today\, but also informed efforts to stop Mpox\, Ebola\, and COVID\, among other health threats. \nDespite these successes\, recent shifts in the global financial and geopolitical landscapes are putting health and human rights gains at-risk. In this special event at Perry World House\, Winnie Byanyima will unpack what needs to happen next to assure that countries have what they need to protect both human rights and healthcare. Drawing on her experience at the helm of UNAIDS\, she will discuss how to leverage social justice for public health – and improve on the progress we’ve made. \nPanelist \nWinnie Byanyima is the Executive Director of UNAIDS and an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. A passionate and longstanding champion for social justice and a global leader on inequality\, Ms Byanyima leads the United Nations’ efforts to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030. Ms Byanyima believes that health care is a human right\, and she is the co-founder and co-chair of the People’s Medicines Alliance\, advocating for equitable access to medical technologies that help to prevent and respond to current and future pandemics. \nBefore joining UNAIDS\, Ms Byanyima served as the Executive Director of Oxfam International. Previously\, Ms Byanyima was elected for three terms in the parliament of her country\, Uganda\, where she led the first parliamentary women’s caucus\, championing ground-breaking gender equality provisions in the county’s 1995 post-conflict constitution. \nMs Byanyima led the establishment of the African Union Commission’s Directorate of Gender and Development and served as Director of Gender and Development at the United Nations Development Programme. She founded the Forum for Women in Democracy\, a Ugandan nongovernmental organization\, and has been deeply involved in building global coalitions on social and economic justice. \nMs Byanyima has co-chaired the World Economic Forum and served on Prime Minister Trudeau’s Gender Advisory Council during Canada’s G7 Presidency. She has also served on the Global Commission on Climate Adaptation\, the International Labour Organization’s Global Commission on the Future of Work and the World Bank’s Advisory Council on Gender and Development. In 2025 Ms Byanyima served on President Ramaphosa’s G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality. \nShe holds a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Cranfield University and a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Manchester. Ms Byanyima is the recipient of numerous global and national awards\, including the 2023 Hall of Femme Award bestowed by IWFSA (International Women’s Forum South Africa). She has been awarded 4 honorary doctorates from the universities of Manchester (UK)\, Mount Saint Vincent’s (Canada)\, Cranfield (UK)\, and Free State (South Africa).
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/social-justice-as-public-health/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260304T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260304T180000
DTSTAMP:20260223T203410Z
CREATED:20260223T203057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T203410Z
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SUMMARY:The Rise of the Kleptocrats? Corruption in an Age of Disruption
DESCRIPTION:A conversation on the current state of global anti-corruption efforts.\n\n\nThroughout the world\, corruption props up dictators\, energizes criminal organizations\, diverts resources from economic development\, and corrodes public trust. Corruption contributes to leaving millions around the world insecure and impoverished. In today’s globalized world\, corruption crosses borders: billions of dollars flow illicitly through the international financial system\, bribes pass between countries\, and authoritarian regimes—from Russia to China to Iran—weaponize corruption to achieve their objectives. \nUS administrations for decades have paid attention to fighting the problem of global corruption. For example\, in 2021\, the Biden administration called fighting corruption a “Core United States National Security Interest” and developed a strategy to implement it. The second Trump administration has effectively dismantled many of the programs designed to fight corruption\, kleptocracy\, and bribery abroad. \nWhat is the current state of global anti-corruption efforts? How does today’s corruption affect global democracy? Do efforts to combat corruption—like sanctions—help\, or do they exacerbate problems? What steps should government and civil society take to push back on corrupt actors without the U.S. in the lead? \nPanelists \nPhilip Nichols is the Joseph Kolodny Professor of Social Responsibility in Business and a Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania. His research and teaching generally deals with emerging economies\, but for the last thirty years he has specifically studied corruption\, and has worked with polities and organizations around the world to understand corruption and to develop strategies for its control. Professor Nichols has served as the President of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business\, as Co-Chair of the American Society of International Law’s Anti-Corruption Group and its Economic Law Interest Group\, and as Co-Chair of UNCEFACT/LG\, a United Nations experts committee on electronic commerce. \nCasey Michel is the director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation. He has written multiple books on international corruption and foreign influence\, including American Kleptocracy and Foreign Agents. His third book\, United States of Oligarchy\, will be published by St. Martin’s Press in August 2026. His writing regularly appears in The New York Times\, Wall Street Journal\, Financial Times\, Foreign Affairs\, and many more outlets. He is currently sanctioned by the Russian regime for his work.. \nDani Schulkin is the Director of Democracy Initiatives at the law-and-policy journal Just Security\, based at NYU School of Law. She co-leads “When Guardrails Erode\,” an anti-corruption series and accompanying Anti-Corruption Tracker cataloging the systematic weakening of U.S. oversight and accountability mechanisms designed to police corruption.Schulkin previously served as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice and as Senior Advisor to the Homeland Security Advisor at the White House National Security Council during the Biden Administration. Her previous roles include the White House Office of the Staff Secretary\, Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS)\, the New York Attorney General’s Bureau of Internet and Technology\, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. \nModerator \nRichard Nephew returned from a public service leave of absence to the Center on Global Energy Policy and Faculty of the School of International and Public Affairs on 1 July 2024. \nDuring his most recent leave\, he was the inaugural U.S. Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption at the Department of State (2022-2024). He was also elected as the President of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption. During his government career\, he has also served as the Deputy Special Envoy for Iran (2021)\, Principal Deputy Coordinator for Sanctions Policy at the Department of State (2013-2015)\, and Director for Iran at the National Security Council (2011-2013)\, among other senior civil service staff roles from 2003-2011. \nWhile a senior research scholar at SIPA since 2015\, Nephew has written dozens of reports and articles for various publications focused on geopolitics and their intersection with energy markets\, economic statecraft\, nuclear topics\, and sanctions. He is also the author of The Art of Sanctions: A View from the Field\, published by Columbia University Press in 2018. \nIn addition to his primary appointment at CGEP\, he is an adjunct fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and operates his own consulting LLC\, “Go Beyond Compliance.” In the latter capacity\, he acts as a nonproliferation consultant to Commonwealth Fusion Systems. \nNephew holds a Masters in Security Policy Studies and a Bachelors in International Affairs\, both from The George Washington University. He is married with three children.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/the-rise-of-the-kleptocrats-corruption-in-an-age-of-disruption/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/d588f7f44ad858b0c4ece257ca801266.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260302T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260302T130000
DTSTAMP:20260223T202929Z
CREATED:20260223T202845Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T202929Z
UID:10029142-1772452800-1772456400@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:A World Between Hope and Despair
DESCRIPTION:A conversation with Margot Wallström\, Sweden’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs\n\n\nJoin Perry World House for a conversation with Sweden’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Perry World House Distinguished Visiting Fellow\, Margot Wallström\, on the state and future of democracy. \nDrawing on her decades-long career in global affairs\, Wallström will reflect on the mounting pressures facing democratic governance across the European continent—and their implications worldwide. She will examine how issues such as immigration\, new security threats\, and the rising cost of living are shaping voter behavior and political priorities. The conversation will also explore\, among other stressors\, the growing influence of mis- and disinformation in undermining public trust and democratic institutions. \nWallstrom will discuss how democracies are responding to these pressures as well as the impact of their responses on the future democratic governance worldwide. \nSpeaker \nMargot Wallström is a Swedish politician from the Social Democratic Party with a long career at national\, European\, and international levels. She served as Sweden’s minister of foreign affairs between 2014 and 2019. \nMargot Wallström was appointed the first United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict from 2010 to 2012. She worked as vice president of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy from 2004 to 2010 and European Commissioner for the Environment from 1999 to 2004. \nFrom 1988\, she held several cabinet posts\, first as deputy minister of civil affairs\, minister of culture\, and also minister of social affairs\, an assignment she left after the 1998 election. \nShe was the CEO of a regional TV network in Värmland\, Sweden\, from 1993 to 1994. Before taking up her appointment as EU commissioner\, she was the executive vice president of Worldview Global Media in Colombo\, Sri Lanka. \nMrs. Wallström has been awarded several honorary doctorates and international recognition and awards. \nModerator \nAs Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives\, Amy Gadsden works with Penn’s schools and centers to develop and implement strategies to increase Penn’s global engagement both on campus and overseas. She oversees Penn Global’s reporting offices\, including International Student and Scholar Services\, Penn Abroad\, Global Support Services\, Global Initiatives\, Perry World House\, and Penn Washington. She also oversees Penn Global’s research funds\, including the China Research and Engagement Fund\, India Research and Engagement Fund\, Holman Africa Research and Engagement Fund\, and the Global Research and Engagement Fund. \nIn 2016\, Dr. Gadsden was named executive director of Penn China Initiatives to coordinate and develop University strategy and activity in China. In this role\, she works closely with the Penn Wharton China Center. \nPrior to joining the Provost’s Office\, Dr. Gadsden spent five years (2009-2014) as Associate Dean for International and Strategic Initiatives at Penn Law\, where she built a comprehensive program aimed at expanding the Law School’s global curriculum\, professional development opportunities\, and reputation and managed cross-disciplinary programs. She established or expanded all of Penn Law’s signature international programs\, including the Global Research Seminar\, the Bok Visiting Professors Program\, and the Penn Law International Internship and Summer Human Rights Fellows Programs. She also played a key role in building Penn Law’s cross disciplinary programs\, pioneering new initiatives in law and technology and law and health. \nAs an adjunct law faculty member\, Dr. Gadsden taught seminars in international human rights and rule of law. Currently\, she teaches an undergraduate course on the history of US-China relations. \nBefore coming to Penn\, Dr. Gadsden spent more than a decade working in the foreign policy field with a focus on China. She served as a Country Director for the International Republican Institute and as a Special Advisor for China at the United States Department of State. Early in her career\, she published several articles on democracy and human rights in China\, documenting changes in legal and civil society reform. Dr. Gadsden was one of the first American scholars to observe and write about grassroots elections in the PRC in the mid-1990s. \nDr. Gadsden has also consulted for the Pew Charitable Trusts\, the United Nations Development Programme\, and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. \nShe holds a B.A. from Yale College and a Ph.D. in Chinese legal history from the University of Pennsylvania and serves on the board of the William Penn Charter School\, the nation’s oldest Quaker school.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/a-world-between-hope-and-despair/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/43ebf2a52bbde10e98fa989e4764bb7d.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T130000
DTSTAMP:20260209T153836Z
CREATED:20260209T153719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T153836Z
UID:10028890-1771502400-1771506000@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Book Talk | North: The Future of Post-Climate America
DESCRIPTION:Join us to discuss Jesse M. Keenan’s new book North: The Future of Post-Climate America\n\n\nClimate change is already fundamentally reshaping where and how we live. Join Perry World House for a conversation with Jesse M. Keenan on his new book\, North: The Future of Post-Climate America (Oxford University Press). \nNorth offers a critical reframing of adaptation science and the role that people\, markets\, and public institutions play in shaping human mobility and the capacity of American communities to adapt. With fast-moving markets and slow-moving governments\, everyday people are caught in the crosshairs. While some will seek to preserve the status quo\, others will relocate from places that are increasingly uninhabitable\, too risky\, or too expensive for permanent settlement. As the era of Sun Belt migration comes to an end and climate impacts accelerate\, everything from local relocations to transcontinental climate migrations are already well underway. \nAt the same time\, new geographies of opportunity are receiving zones for those who are seeking a more sustainable and less precarious way of life. North is not just a collection of scientific observations and projections about America’s future in the face of climate change. It is also a projection of optimism about America’s capacity for decarbonization\, environmental stewardship\, and population mobility. \nThe discussion will explore how shifting climates are altering the physical and demographic landscape of the United States\, creating a new era of migration\, market adaptation\, and transformed electoral politics. \nSpeaker\nJesse M. Keenan is the Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning\, Director of the Center on Climate Change and Urbanism\, and Director of the Climate Change Science and Practice Minor Program at Tulane University. Keenan’s research focuses on the intersection of climate change mitigation and adaptation in the built environment\, including aspects of design\, engineering\, regulation\, planning and financing. Keenan has previously advised on matters concerning the built environment for agencies of the U.S. government\, governors\, mayors\, Fortune 500 companies\, technology ventures\, community enterprises and international NGOs. Keenan formerly served as the Director and Area Head for Real Estate and Built Environment on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Design; Fellow of Science\, Technology and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government; and as the Research Director of the Center for Urban Real Estate on the faculty of the Graduate School of Architecture\, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University\, as well as visiting appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and Oxford University.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/book-talk-north-the-future-of-post-climate-america/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/8853bfe823e67645066c381371352dbd.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T171500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T184500
DTSTAMP:20260126T161404Z
CREATED:20260126T161402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T161404Z
UID:10028621-1770311700-1770317100@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:The Genocide Accusation Against Israel: A Scholarly Exchange
DESCRIPTION:In this discussion\, two leading experts on the study of genocide will consider the accusations of genocide against Israel.\n\n\nOmer Bartov will explain when and why he concluded that Israel was perpetrating genocide in Gaza\, examine the deeper causes of events in Gaza and the West Bank\, ponder the question of Israel’s appearance of impunity\, and consider the possible long-term effects of events since October 7. \nNorman J.W. Goda will discuss genocide accusations against Israel from historical\, political\, and legal perspectives. He will argue that the accusations as they relate to the war in Gaza should be examined from a more empirical perspective than has often been the case. \nThe Concept of Genocide \nA series exploring an idea used to convey the magnitude of the Holocaust that has now become newly charged and profoundly contentious. \nAlthough its legal definition differs somewhat from its role in popular discourse\, the word “genocide” as used today is understood as the “crime of all crimes\,” the gravest assault against human life and identity. For many years\, the word was closely associated with the Holocaust\, the Nazi campaign to exterminate the Jews. Many now accuse the state of Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians. \nDespite its pervasiveness in public discourse\, the concept of genocide is relatively new. It did not enter international law until 1948. Moreover\, scholars are divided regarding its legal definition and applications. This lecture series examines genocide as both a legal concept and a historical phenomenon. Over five lectures\, leading scholars will investigate: What is the concept of genocide? How did the Holocaust and state power define its postwar emergence? And how have recent debates amid Israel’s war in Gaza redefined scholars’ understanding of the limits and advantages of the genocide concept? Please join us for an important and pressing discussion. \nSpeakers \nOmer Bartov is an Israeli-American scholar and Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University. He has written widely on war crimes\, interethnic relations\, and genocide. Recent books\, published in multiple languages\, include Anatomy of a Genocide: The Life and Death of a Town Called Buczacz (2018)\, which won the National Jewish Book Award\, and Genocide\, the Holocaust and Israel-Palestine: First-Person History in Times of Crisis (2023)\, named Choice 2024 Outstanding Academic Title. Bartov’s essays and commentaries have been widely featured in national and international magazines and media outlets. His new book\, Israel: What Went Wrong? will be published in April 2026 by FSG in the U.S. and Penguin/Random Books in the U.K. \n \nNorman J. W. Goda is the Norman and Irma Braman Professor of Holocaust Studies at the University of Florida. He specializes in the Holocaust\, Holocaust memory\, and Holocaust justice. His books include Tales from Spandau: Nazi Criminals and the Cold War (2007); The Holocaust: Europe\, the World\, and the Jews (2022); Rethinking Holocaust Justice: Essays Across Disciplines (2018) and Outside Looking In: The World Universalizes the Holocaust(2026). \n \nThis event is cosponsored by Perry World House. The Katz Center gratefully acknowledges the support of the Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/the-genocide-accusation-against-israel-a-scholarly-exchange/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/f28af19bd420b06c658ab1eb1a2bf136.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T130000
DTSTAMP:20260122T143849Z
CREATED:20260122T143849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T143849Z
UID:10028558-1769515200-1769518800@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Ahead of the Disaster: Turning Prediction into Protection and Prevention
DESCRIPTION:.\n\n\nSatellites\, supercomputers\, and data are available today to predict climate disasters better than ever before. Yet across the globe\, extreme heat\, floods\, and storms continue to catch communities off guard\, often hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. If these disasters can be seen coming\, why is there still a struggle to stop the damage? \nThe problem is not just the physics of the atmosphere—it is the last mile of policy and human response. For an early warning system to be effective and help save lives\, a scientific forecast must be transformed into a political decision\, a clear message\, and a localized\, concrete plan of action. \nJoin Perry World House\, the Penn Center for Science\, Sustainability\, and the Media\, and Center for East Asian Studies\, for a discussion on how to bridge the gap between high-level climate modeling and practical disaster risk management. Experts will explore how to turn “big data” into “big action” to strengthen global resilience and protect communities. \nThe event will feature Mami Mizutori\, Perry World House Distinguished Fellow\, Japan Foundation Visiting Fellow at the Center for East Asian Studies\, Specially Appointed Professor at Tohoku University\, and former Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. It will be moderated by Dr. Michael Mann\, Presidential Distinguished Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Penn Center for Science\, Sustainability\, and the Media. \nSpeakers \nMami Mizutori was the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction from March 2018 until December 2023. Previously\, from 2011 she served as the Executive Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures at the University of East Anglia\, United Kingdom. Mami joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1983\, where she was responsible as the Director of the United Nations Policy Division\, the National Security Policy Division and the Status of US Forces Agreement Division\, and Director of the Japan Information and Culture Centre at the Japanese Embassy in London. She was also stationed at the Japanese embassies of Washington DC and Mexico City. She is currently a Specially Appointed Professor and Strategic Management Advisor at Tohoku University with a focus on disaster risk reduction and an Advisor to Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co.\, Ltd. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk\, Cambridge University\, UK and on the Board of the Association for Aid and Relief Japan\, a Japanese NPO focusing on refugees and internally displaced people globally and in Japan. \nDr. Michael Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania\, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. His research focuses on climate science and climate change. He was selected by Scientific American as one of the fifty leading visionaries in science and technology in 2002\, was awarded the Hans Oeschger Medal of the European Geophysical Union in 2012. He made Bloomberg News‘ list of fifty most influential people in 2013. He has received the Friend of the Planet Award from the National Center for Science Education\, the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication from Climate\, the Award for Public Engagement with Science from the AAAS\, the Climate Communication Prize from the American Geophysical Union and the Leo Szilard Award of the American Physical Society. He received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement 2019 and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020. He is a Fellow of the AGU\, AMS\, GSA\, AAAS and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is co-founder of RealClimate.org\, author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications\, numerous op-eds and commentaries\, and five books including Dire Predictions\, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars\, The Madhouse Effect\, The Tantrum that Saved the World\, and The New Climate War.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/ahead-of-the-disaster-turning-prediction-into-protection-and-prevention/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ec82afc760cefaf379e437e42e1304b2.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260120T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260120T160000
DTSTAMP:20260110T145649Z
CREATED:20260110T145649Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260110T145649Z
UID:10028279-1768921200-1768924800@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Reimagining the Future of Global Development
DESCRIPTION:.\n\n\nThe shuttering of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) this year marked the end of an era in global development\, threatening the livelihood of millions of vulnerable people. For decades\, development initiatives resourced by USAID\, as well as many other countries\, helped expand health care\, education\, and economic opportunity worldwide. Despite its flaws\, the system\, which leveraged multilateral institutions and civil society organizations\, worked to alleviate suffering\, reduce poverty\, and save lives. \nYet\, even before USAID’s closure\, this system for development was increasingly under strain and critique. Governments were shifting resources toward hard security as well as disaster response\, from pandemics\, to wars\, to climate catastrophes. At the same time\, multilateral institutions struggled to adapt to new economic and political realities that impacted on development approaches that could not always assure equitable partnership or long-term outcomes. \nWith important gains at risk and lives at stake\, today’s moment calls for a reimagining of the development paradigm. Join Perry World House for a conversation with His Excellency Lord Malloch-Brown\, former UN Deputy Secretary-General\, on what shape the future of development might take – and how the world might do better. \nSpeaker \nMark Malloch-Brown has had a long career in international affairs\, development\, business\, and communications. At the United Nations\, Mark Malloch-Brown led the global promotion of the UN Millennium Development Goals as head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). At the UNDP\, and previously as vice president of external affairs at the World Bank\, he led reform efforts to increase the impact of both organisations. He later served as Kofi Annan’s chief of staff\, and then as UN Deputy Secretary General\, before joining the British government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown\, as minister responsible for Africa and Asia from 2007 to 2009. Most recently\, he was president of the Open Society Foundations\, the world’s largest private funder of independent groups working for justice\, democratic governance\, and human rights. Mark Malloch-Brown is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics (LSE)\, he was knighted for his contributions to international affairs\, and is currently on leave from the British House of Lords. \nModerator \nAyse Kaya is professor of political science at Swarthmore College and adjunct professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School. Her research center on multilateral economic institutions\, particularly the World Bank\, the International Monetary Fund\, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank\, and global environmental governance. She is currently writing a book on global climate finance\, which also integrates her observations from several climate change summits (COPs). She is a former visiting fellow at Perry World House.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/reimagining-the-future-of-global-development/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/f589e78c576efcadfcbabcc06074b4d0.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T130000
DTSTAMP:20251226T140207Z
CREATED:20251226T140207Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251226T140207Z
UID:10027753-1768478400-1768482000@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:COP30 to COP31: Will Climate Cooperation Wane Before Emissions Peak?
DESCRIPTION:.\n\n\nTen years after the Paris Agreement demonstrated a profound collective will to address global emissions\, the world’s efforts to confront the accelerating climate crisis reached a pivotal moment at the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in the Amazon. Emissions continue to rise as multilateralism is met with more and more challenges. \nWhile COP30 participants acknowledged the Paris Agreement’s past successes\, the proceedings highlighted a difficult reality: the political will needed for momentous multilateral agreement remains elusive. Instead\, progress was characterized less by formal consensus and more by achievements outside the official process. These “outside track” successes included initiatives led by Brazil\, Colombia\, and the Netherlands to make progress on transitioning away from fossil fuels; the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF); new momentum on carbon pricing and markets; and various efforts related to non-CO2 gases. Parties did agree on a goal to triple adaptation finance\, but they did not MANAGE a robust response to countries’ climate action plans also known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). \nThe next Climate Conference (COP31) will be a partnership between Türkiye and Australia. A central question will be if there is a “new normal” or if the formal process can revive ambition and multilateralism. Is the WORLD pivoting permanently toward a model where the most significant climate action happens on the outside track? \nJoin Perry World House for this critical expert discussion with current and former climate negotiators. \nSpeakers \nSue Biniaz most recently served as the principal deputy special envoy for climate at the U.S. State Department\, where\, among other things\, she led the U.S. team on international climate negotiations. From 1989 to 2017\, she was the State Department’s lead climate lawyer and played a role in the development of all the major climate agreements\, including the Paris Agreement. As deputy legal advisor and in other positions\, she was responsible for legal issues related to U.S. treaty practice\, the environment\, oceans\, outer space\, the Western Hemisphere\, Europe\, Asia\, Somali piracy\, human rights\, law enforcement\, and private international law. She is a senior fellow and lecturer at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. \nAnne Rasmussen is a distinguished Samoan climate expert and a leading voice for vulnerable nations in international climate diplomacy. With over a decade of experience in high-level negotiations\, she currently serves as the Chief Negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). \nA graduate of the University of the South Pacific with a background in geography and postgraduate expertise in climate change\, Rasmussen began her diplomatic career at COP18 in 2012. Since then\, she has held pivotal roles in the UN climate process\, including leading negotiations on climate finance for the Green Climate Fund and serving as a Vice-President at COP27. \nDr Sally Box leads the International Climate Negotiations Division in the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change\, Energy\, the Environment and Water. She is Australia’s Head of Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and has led the Australian negotiations team at the four most recent UN Climate Conferences of the Parties. \nPrior to this role\, Sally served as the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Commissioner\, where she led the development and implementation of the Threatened Species Strategy and the environmental response to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires. \nSally has over 20 years’ experience working in the Australian Public Service in the fields of climate change and environment policy development\, program delivery\, regulation\, and communications. She has a PhD in Plant Sciences from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. \nSally was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2022 for her leadership of the environmental response to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires. \nSally lives in Canberra\, Australia\, with her husband\, four children and much-loved black labrador.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/cop30-to-cop31-will-climate-cooperation-wane-before-emissions-peak/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/dd88c255476e81b11c341c6c1c8eb56e.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260113T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260113T130000
DTSTAMP:20260109T173838Z
CREATED:20260109T173838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260109T173838Z
UID:10028251-1768305600-1768309200@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Virtual Event: Venezuela and U.S. Policy After Maduro
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an in-depth discussion of Venezuela and U.S. policy following strikes in Caracas and the capture of Nicolás Maduro.\n\n\nFollowing the U.S. strikes in Caracas and subsequent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro\, there are many questions that remain. What will governance in Venezuela look like in the short- and long-term\, and how will that affect Venezuelan citizens? How will these U.S. actions affect foreign policy\, particularly in the Western Hemisphere? How will access to Venezuelan oil affect global energy markets and prices? And what will be the long-term ramifications in the global arena to how the United States has moved forward in Venezuela? Join Perry World House for an in-depth\, virtual discussion of these topics and more. \n\n\n \nSPEAKERS\nCarolina Jiménez Sandoval is the president of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). She holds more 20 years of experience in research and advocacy for human rights in the Americas and throughout the world. As a leader in the field with extensive experience in the region and Washington\, she guides WOLA’s team to achieve strategic impact in social justice and human rights. \nPrior to WOLA\, she served as deputy research director for the Americas with Amnesty International in Mexico City. In her almost seven years there\, she led a team of researchers documenting human rights violations and designing advocacy strategies to guarantee respect for human rights. Her work included a wide variety of themes and countries\, from addressing grave crimes under international law in Venezuela and Nicaragua to promoting the rights of migrants and refugees in Central America\, Mexico\, and the United States. Prior to that\, she was program officer for the Open Society Foundations’ Latin America Program and International Migration Initiative where she led the creation of CAMMINA (the Central America and Mexico Migration Alliance)\, a donor collaborative funded by OSF\, AVINA and the Ford Foundation to support migrants’ rights organizations in the region. \nShe has a PhD in international studies from Waseda University\, Japan\, and did a postdoctoral program in human rights and ethics at the Central University of Venezuela. She holds a master’s degree in international law and Asian studies from Chuo University\, Japan\, and a master’s of philosophy in international relations from the University of Cambridge\, England. She graduated from the Universidad Central de Venezuela with a BA in international relations. She is a frequent contributor in English and Spanish to media outlets and publications across Latin America\, the United States\, and Europe\, including the Washington Post\, the New York Times\, PBS\, CNN\, BBC\, The Guardian\, El País\, Deutsche Welle\, and various academic journals\, among others. She is a national of Venezuela and Mexico. \n \nRobert M. Scher is the former head of international affairs for bp America. In this position\, he tracked and analyzed U.S. foreign policy as it affects bp’s businesses around the world. \nScher has close to twenty-five years of experience in senior global affairs and national security roles in the U.S. government\, most recently serving as the assistant secretary of defense for strategy\, plans\, and capabilities in the Pentagon from 2014 to 2017. In that role\, he directly advised the U.S. Secretary of Defense on a wide range of global defense\, security\, strategy\, and budgeting matters. Prior to becoming assistant secretary\, Scher held a series of progressively more senior roles at the U.S. Departments of Defense and State\, focused on defense strategy and Asian foreign policy. He also served in the private sector as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton on defense and foreign affairs issues. Scher received a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College\, and a master’s of international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. \n \nSamantha Vinograd leads Brunswick’s U.S. geopolitical practice. She has served under three U.S. administrations and in several key private sector roles. \nMost recently\, she served as the Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism\, Threat Prevention\, and Law Enforcement Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where she developed\, implemented and evaluated policies to identify and mitigate risks to the U.S. Prior to joining the Biden Administration\, Samantha led global public policy at Stripe and worked for Goldman Sachs where she focused on building public-private sector partnerships. Samantha began her career in Baghdad under President Bush working for the U.S. Department of the Treasury\, and she subsequently served on President Obama’s National Security Council as the Director for Iraq\, Director for International Economics and Energy and as the Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor. She is a CBS News contributor\, a Senior Advisor at the Biden Institute\, and a Trustee at Save the Children US. \nShe is fluent in French and studied advanced Arabic and Hebrew. She received her BA in Asian and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Pennsylvania and her MA in security studies from Georgetown University. \n \nMODERATOR\nMichael C. Horowitz is the director of Perry World House and Richard Perry professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also senior fellow in innovation and technology at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2022 to 2024\, Professor Horowitz served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for force development and emerging capabilities. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics\, and the co-author of Why Leaders Fight. He won the Karl Deutsch Award given by the International Studies Association for early career contributions to the fields of international relations and peace research. He has published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. His research interests include the intersection of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics with global politics\, military innovation\, the role of leaders in international politics\, and geopolitical forecasting methodology. Professor Horowitz worked for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow. He is a life member at the Council on Foreign Relations. Professor Horowitz received a PhD in Government from Harvard University and a BA in political science from Emory University.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/virtual-event-venezuela-and-u-s-policy-after-maduro/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251211T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251211T150000
DTSTAMP:20251206T035726Z
CREATED:20251206T035726Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251206T035726Z
UID:10025390-1765461600-1765465200@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Understanding U.S. Action in Venezuela
DESCRIPTION:.\n\n\nPlease join Perry World House for a timely conversation examining the U.S. government policy and actions toward Venezuela\, including strikes on Venezuelan boats and the people on board. \nOver the recent weeks\, Venezuela has surged back into global headlines amid escalating geopolitical tensions. The United States has conducted military strikes against Venezuelan boats in international waters\, raising questions about the legality of the Trump administration’s actions. Our panel will explore why the United States has chosen to act now\, what strategic objectives are shaping current policy\, and how these decisions are being interpreted across Latin America and beyond. As the situation on the ground continues to shift\, experts will assess potential endgames for U.S.–Venezuela relations\, and the international law implications. \n\n\n \nSPEAKERS\nSamantha Vinograd leads Brunswick’s U.S. geopolitical practice. She has served under three bipartisan Administrations and in several key private sector roles. \nMost recently\, she served as the Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism\, Threat Prevention\, and Law Enforcement Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where she developed\, implemented and evaluated policies to identify and mitigate risks to the U.S. Prior to joining the Biden Administration\, Samantha led global public policy at Stripe and worked for Goldman Sachs where she focused on building public-private sector partnerships. Samantha began her career in Baghdad under President Bush working for the U.S. Department of the Treasury\, and she subsequently served on President Obama’s National Security Council as the Director for Iraq\, Director for International Economics and Energy and as the Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor. She is a CBS News contributor\, a Senior Advisor at the Biden Institute\, and a Trustee at Save the Children US. \nShe is fluent in French and studied advanced Arabic and Hebrew. She received her BA in Asian and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Pennsylvania and her MA in security studies from Georgetown University. \nWilliam Burke-White is a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School. Burke-White\, an international lawyer and political scientist\, is a leading expert on US foreign policy\, multilateral institutions\, and international law. He researches and writes on the relationships between law and politics in international affairs and has particular expertise on the design and implementation of complex global governance solutions that involve multiple countries\, international institutions\, and multilateral legal regimes. He has significant regional expertise on Russia\, Eastern Europe\, and Latin America. His current research examines the role of sub-state actors in the international legal system and the impacts of changing global power dynamics on the norms and structures of international law. Professor Burke-White served as the Inaugural Director of Perry World House from 2014 to 2019. He holds both bachelor’s and law degrees from Harvard University\, and a doctorate in international relations from the University of Cambridge\, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. \n \nMODERATOR\nMichael C. Horowitz is Director of Perry World House and Richard Perry Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also Senior Fellow in Innovation and Technology at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2022 to 2024\, Professor Horowitz served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics\, and the co-author of Why Leaders Fight. He won the Karl Deutsch Award given by the International Studies Association for early career contributions to the fields of international relations and peace research. He has published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. His research interests include the intersection of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics with global politics\, military innovation\, the role of leaders in international politics\, and geopolitical forecasting methodology. Professor Horowitz worked for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow. He is a life member at the Council on Foreign Relations. Professor Horowitz received his Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University and his B.A. in political science from Emory University.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/understanding-u-s-action-in-venezuela/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/5359f74d919ccbdb62e6280019961004.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T160000
DTSTAMP:20251117T143840Z
CREATED:20251117T143840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T143840Z
UID:10024436-1763650800-1763654400@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Building a "Democratic Playbook"
DESCRIPTION:Join Perry World House for a special conversation on democratic resilience.\n\n\nPerry World House is pleased to host a special conversation on democratic resilience with Penn Global’s Middle East Distinguished Visiting Professor Dahlia Scheindlin and Perry World House Distinguished Visiting Fellows Zack Beauchamp and Carolina Jiménez Sandoval. \nAfter decades of democratic backsliding in dozens of countries around the world\, scholars\, journalists\, and activists are familiar with the “authoritarian playbook”: from Hungary to Brazil to Israel to Senegal\, aspiring authoritarians use similar tactics to try to transform democracies to autocracies. \nAt the same time\, there is far less understanding of what a “democratic playbook” looks like. How do resilient democracies\, including societies in war or conflict\, push back against authoritarian and populist movements? What institutional\, social\, and normative practices have been able to slow or even block democratic backsliding? What tactics and strategies on the part of opposition parties\, civil society have been effective? How do societies persevere when democratic rights are taken away? Please join us for this important and timely conversation. \nSpeakers \nZack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox\, where he covers challenges to democracy in the United States and abroad\, right-wing populism\, and the world of ideas. He has received funding awards from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to report on democratic decline in Israel and Hungary in the field\, and is the author of On The Right\, a newsletter on the American conservative movement. He has appeared on a wide range of television and radio networks\, including MSNBC\, CNN\, Fox News\, BBC\, CBC\, ABC (Australia)\, and Al Jazeera. \nCarolina Jiménez Sandoval is the President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). She holds over 20 years of experience in research and advocacy for human rights in the Americas and throughout the world. As a leader in the field with extensive experience in the region and Washington\, she guides WOLA’s team to achieve strategic impact in social justice and human rights. \nDahlia Scheindlin is a public opinion expert and international political and strategic consultant based in Tel Aviv. Over two decades\, she has advised on nine national campaigns in Israel and has worked on campaigns in fifteen other countries and regions. She is recognized for her contributions to discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the peace process; and issues of democracy\, human rights\, and social justice. She conducts public opinion research related to the Israeli Palestinian conflict\, including the Palestinian-Israeli Pulse survey\, an ongoing project. She is a regular columnist at Haaretz newspaper (English)\, focusing on the Israel-Palestinian conflict\, Israeli politics\, and foreign affairs; she is a founding member of +972 Magazine\, an independent online magazine jointly run by Palestinian and Israeli journalists\, and is a fellow at the Century Foundation. Her most recent book\, The Crooked Timber of Democracy: Promise Unfulfilled\, published in September 2023\, critically analyzes Israel’s path to democracy.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/building-a-democratic-playbook/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/c1e61c26ce1a4463c89c1950fe39c234.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T171500
DTSTAMP:20251008T172744Z
CREATED:20251008T172744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251008T172744Z
UID:10023055-1760630400-1760634900@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Security\, Prosperity\, and the Future of Climate
DESCRIPTION:Join Perry World House for this special event with German Vice Chancellor and PWH Distinguished Global Leader Robert Habeck.\n\n\nAs the climate crisis intensifies\, governments must navigate an increasingly difficult trade-off: how to advance ambitious climate and energy goals while safeguarding national security and economic prosperity. Globally\, the calculus behind these policy choices is shifting. Defense budgets are swelling. Economies are strained. Meanwhile global energy demand continues to rise\, and climate impacts are accelerating. Against this backdrop\, global climate policy must chart a new path or risk being sidelined\, despite rising urgency for action. At this event\, former German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck will reflect on these tensions\, drawing from his experience at the frontlines of the energy transition and the choices leaders must confront. \n\n\nSpeaker\n \nRobert Habeck has been Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection since December 8\, 2021. Member of the Bundestag since 2021 2018 – 2022 Party Chairman of Alliance 90/The Greens 2017 – 2018 Deputy Minister-President and Minister for Energy Transition\, Agriculture\, Environment\, Nature Conservation and Digitalization of the State of Schleswig-Holstein 2012 – 2017 Deputy Minister-President and Minister for Energy Transition\, Agriculture\, Environment and Rural Areas of the State of Schleswig-Holstein 2009 – 2012 Group Chairman in the State Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein 2008 – 2009 Group Chairman in the District Council of Schleswig-Flensburg 2004 – 2009 State Chairman of Alliance 90/The Greens in Schleswig-Holstein 2002 – 2004 District Chairman of Alliance 90/The Greens in Schleswig-Flensburg Member of Alliance 90/The Greens Worked as a freelance writer 2000 Doctorate from the University of Hamburg 1991 to 1996 Studied in Freiburg im Breisgau (German Studies\, Philosophy\, and Philology)\, Roskilde\, Denmark (Humanities)\, and Hamburg (Literature and Philosophy)\, receiving a Master’s degree Dr. Robert Habeck was born on September 2\, 1969\, in Lübeck. He is married and has four children. \nModerator\nSanya Carley is the Mark Alan Hughes Faculty Director of the Kleinman Center and Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy and City Planning at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design. She holds secondary appointments at the Wharton School and the School of Social Policy and Practice. She also co-directs the Energy Justice Lab and is a Resources for the Future (RFF) university fellow. Carley’s research focuses on energy justice and just transitions\, energy insecurity\, electricity and transportation markets\, and public perceptions of energy infrastructure and technologies. She recently released a book\, “Power Lines: The Human Costs of American Energy in Transition.” Carley is also an author of the Fifth National Climate Assessment report and a member of the Innovation Policy Forum for the National Academies. Prior to her appointment at Penn\, Carley was a Paul H. O’Neill Professor at Indiana University\, and held administrative positions there as a Chair\, Program Director of the top-ranked Master of Public Affairs program\, and as Associate Vice Provost of Faculty & Academic Affairs\, respectively. Carley received her Ph.D. in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\, her M.S. in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison\, and bachelor’s degrees in economics and sustainable development from Swarthmore College.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/security-prosperity-and-the-future-of-climate/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251015T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251015T163000
DTSTAMP:20251008T172456Z
CREATED:20251008T172456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251008T172456Z
UID:10023050-1760542200-1760545800@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Images that Influence Our Climate Future
DESCRIPTION:Join Perry World House for this special event with award-winning National Geographic photographer Jason Edwards.\n\n\nFor decades\, renowned National Geographic photographer Jason Edwards has documented both the breathtaking beauty of the natural world and the urgent threats it faces. His photography illustrates the unique power of still imagery to shape narratives\, inspire communities\, and even influence policy. In this special event\, Edwards will explain how visual storytelling from the frontlines of the climate crisis can spark action. He will also discuss the future of his craft given the rise and reach of artificial intelligence. \nBeyond the images themselves\, Edwards will share the adventures\, challenges\, and insights that lie behind the lens\, offering a rare glimpse into what it takes to capture the shot that just might change the world. \nJoin Perry World House for this special event\, to be moderated by Dr. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw\, Inaugural Faculty Director of Penn’s Arthur Ross Gallery. \n\n\nSpeaker\n \nNational Geographic’s Jason Edwards has been at the forefront of natural history photography for more than three decades. His image portfolio ranks among the largest of any photographer in the Society’s long history. Based in Melbourne Australia\, a passion for wildlife and the environment has been with him over his extensive career that began as a zookeeper at the Zoological Board of Victoria. Jason has since been recognized globally for his contributions to Science\, the Environment\, and the Arts. Jason is the author and photographer of ‘Icebergs to Iguanas’ a large format series of books illustrating his National Geographic imagery. He also authored and photographed science education books for the children’s education market\, and his imagery has appeared on everything from environmental campaigns to Hollywood blockbusters. As a leader and mentor\, Jason has worked with photographers of all levels\, instructing them in the art of storytelling and how to find and translate images. He has spent years providing rich and entertaining experiences; working in partnership with organizations and individuals; guiding participants both on private expeditions and as one of National Geographic’s most sought experts. For Jason Edward’s full bio and list of awards and recognition\, please click here. \nModerator\nGwendolyn DuBois Shaw is the James and Nan Wagner Farquhar Professor in the Department of the History of Art and the inaugural faculty director of the Arthur Ross Gallery at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on portraiture and issues of representation in the American context. She has previously served on the faculty of Harvard University and as the Director of Research\, Publications\, and Scholarly Programs at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. In addition to her books\, The Art of Remembering\, Essays on African American Art and History\, (Duke: 2024)\, Seeing the Unspeakable: The Art of Kara Walker (Duke: 2004) and First Ladies of the United States (Smithsonian: 2020)\, she has also curated numerous exhibitions\, including “Portraits of a People: Picturing African Americans in the Nineteenth Century” (2006)\, “Represent: 200 Years of African American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art” (2015)\, “I Dream a World: Selections from Brian Lanker’s Portraits of Remarkable Black Women\,” at the National Portrait Gallery (2021-23)\, and “After Modernism: Selections from the Neumann Family Collection\,” at the Arthur Ross Gallery (2025). For Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw’s full bio and list of awards and recognitions\, please click here.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/images-that-influence-our-climate-future/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250925T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250925T133000
DTSTAMP:20250922T143640Z
CREATED:20250922T143640Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T143640Z
UID:10022129-1758803400-1758807000@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Democracy\, Gender\, & Leadership: President Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia
DESCRIPTION:Join PWH for a conversation with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia\, the second woman to be elected President in Africa.\n\n\nPlease join Perry World House for a conversation with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia. President Nandi-Ndaitwah began her term in March 2025 as only the second woman ever elected president in Africa\, and the first in Namibia. Today\, under President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership\, two thirds of Namibia’s cabinet positions are held by women\, including offices in foreign affairs\, finance\, health\, and education. \nHer election comes at a time when democracy globally is under threat and policies supporting women’s empowerment are being rolled back on every continent\, including Africa. At the same time\, surveys show that support for democracy in Africa is strong: two-thirds of Africans say they prefer democracy to any other system of government. \nPresident Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced a commitment to democracy\, gender equality\, improved governance\, and economic growth. What can we learn from Namibia’s experience? What can it tell us about democracy and gender in the region and beyond? On a continent where the median age is 19\, the population is set to double to 2.5 billion by 2050\, and global share of GDP could triple in the next two decades\, the answers to these questions are of global importance. \n\n\nSPEAKER\n \nH.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was elected president of Namibia in December 2024. Her political career started in 1966 when she joined the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) at the age of 14. In 1974\, she left the country to join SWAPO in exile to fight for Namibia’s independence. She returned to Namibia in 1989 and following Independence in 1990\, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. She served as a Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare from 2000-2005 where she played a pivotal role in advocating for the protection of the rights of women and children both domestically and internationally. She has held other ministerial positions including Minister of Environment and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs. H.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is married to the former Chief of Defence Force of the Republic of Namibia\, Lieutenant-General (Rtd) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah with whom she shares three sons. \n \nMODERATOR\nJoseph Asunka has served as CEO of Afrobarometer since April 2021. He was previously program officer in the Global Development and Population program at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation\, where he managed a portfolio of grants that support efforts to increase transparency and accountability in fiscal governance and foster citizen participation to improve public services in developing countries. \nBefore joining Hewlett\, Joseph was a lecturer in political science at the University of California\, Los Angeles (UCLA)\, where he taught courses on African politics\, political economy of development\, research methods\, and data analysis. Prior to that\, he was program officer at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development\, a Core Partner of Afrobarometer. He served as data manager for Afrobarometer prior to his PhD studies at UCLA. \nJoseph’s research interests include distributive politics\, elections and electoral processes\, and migration. He has published in journals such as the British Journal of Political Science\, Research and Politics\, and Population Research and Policy Review. Born in Ghana\, Joseph holds a PhD in political science from UCLA.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/democracy-gender-leadership-president-nandi-ndaitwah-of-namibia/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250422T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250422T180000
DTSTAMP:20250418T171823Z
CREATED:20250418T171823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T171823Z
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SUMMARY:The Role of Business Leaders in Addressing Bias and Hate
DESCRIPTION:Join CEOs Stanley Bergman of Henry Schein Inc and Farooq Kathwari of Ethan Allen Interiors to discuss how the business leaders address bias.\n\n\nJewish and Muslim leaders have worked together for years advocating for issues of common concern. A primary focus has been combatting the rise in bias and hate crimes in our country. CEOs Stanley Bergman and Farooq Kathwari will share their experiences in leading these efforts. \n \nSpeakers\nSince 1989\, Stanley M. Bergman has been Chairman of the Board and CEO of Henry Schein\, Inc.\, a Fortune 500® company and the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental and medical practitioners\, with more than 25\,000 Team Schein Members worldwide and operations or affiliates in 33 countries and territories. Henry Schein is a member of the S&P 500® index. In 2024\, the Company’s sales reached $12.7 billion. Henry Schein has earned a top score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index since 2015. \nStanley is a former past President of the AJC (American Jewish Committee)\, Co-Founder of the AJC’s Africa Institute\, Co-Chair of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council and Chair of The Wits Fund\, Inc. \nMr. Bergman serves as a board member or advisor for numerous institutions including New York University College of Dentistry; the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine; Hebrew University; the University of the Witwatersrand Fund; The World Economic Forum’s Health Care Governors; the Business Council for International Understanding and the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Bergman is an honorary member of the American Dental Association and the Alpha Omega International Dental Society. Mr. Bergman is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; the CR Magazine Corporate Responsibility Lifetime Achievement Award; the 2017 CEO of the Year award by Chief Executive Magazine\, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) Dirk Van Dongen Lifetime Achievement Award; Honorary Doctorates from The University of the Witwatersrand\, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem\, Western University of Health Sciences\, Hofstra University\, A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health\, Case Western Reserve University\, and Farmingdale State College (SUNY); and Honorary Fellowships from King’s College London – Dental Institute and the International College of Dentists. \nStan and Dr. Marion Bergman\, and their family are active supporters of organizations fostering the arts\, higher education\, and cultural diversity\, as well as grassroots healthcare and sustainable entrepreneurial economic development initiatives in the United States\, Africa and other developing regions of the world. \nMr. Bergman is a graduate of The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and is a South African Chartered Accountant and a NYS Certified Public Accountant (CPA). \n \nFarooq Kathwari has been the chairman and CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. since 1988. He serves several nonprofit organizations\, including the Board of Overseers of the International Rescue Committee; the advisory board of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is chairman emeritus of Refugees International; an advisory member of the New York Stock Exchange; former chairman of the National Retail Federation; former chairman of the American Home Furnishings Alliance; a director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University; and a member of the International Advisory Council of the United States Institute of Peace. \nFounder of the Kashmir Study Group\, he served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2010 to 2014. He was also tapped to join the bipartisan\, congressionally mandated United States Institute of Peace Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States\, co-chaired by Governor Tom Kean and Representative Lee Hamilton\, who formerly led the 9/11 Commission. \nAmong his recognitions\, Mr. Kathwari is a recipient of the 2018 Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has been inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame. He has been recognized as an Outstanding American by Choice by the U.S. government. He has also received the Yale School of Management’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute Lifetime of Leadership Award; the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee; the National Retail Federation Gold Medal; and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. \nMr. Kathwari is the author of Trailblazer: from the Mountains of Kashmir to the Summit of Global Business and Beyond\, a memoir published in September 2019. He serves on the board of the Western Connecticut State University Foundation\, the advisory board of The Hebrew Home at Riverdale\, and has been recognized by Worth magazine as one of the 50 Best CEOs in the United States. \nFor more information\, visit farooqkathwari.com. \n \nModerator\nDeborah Amos is a Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence. \nA longtime international correspondent\, Amos spent much of her award-winning career at National Public Radio. Her reporting on the Middle East and refugees in the U.S. regularly featured on NPR’s Morning Edition\, Weekend Edition\, and All Things Considered. She recently covered the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crises\, the economy in the Middle East\, and the Arab youth surge. Previously she reported for ABC’s Nightline and PBS’s Frontline. \nAmos is the author of two books: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power\, Exile\, and Upheaval in the Middle East\, and Lines in the Sand: Desert Storm and the Remaking of the Arab World. She has won several major journalism honors\, including a Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation\, a George Foster Peabody Award\, an Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award\, and an Emmy.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/the-role-of-business-leaders-in-addressing-bias-and-hate/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T170000
DTSTAMP:20250407T175049Z
CREATED:20250407T175049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T175049Z
UID:10018177-1744819200-1744822800@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Human Rights and Migration: Solutions for A World on the Move
DESCRIPTION:Amy Pope\, Director General of the International Organization for Migration\, will discuss more efficient migration systems.\n\n\nToday the world is experiencing unprecedented levels of displacement\, driven by conflict\, economic instability and the impacts of climate change. These challenges have brought about a rising amount of irregular and often dangerous migration\, exacerbating the increasingly divisive political debate around migrants and migration. \nMigration\, however\, is a permanent reality and a key driver of growth and innovation. Join IOM Director General Amy Pope for a discussion about how safe\, orderly\, and more efficient migration systems help create well-managed borders\, reduce irregular migration and promote shared prosperity. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the world’s leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration\, committed to the principle that safe and orderly migration benefits migrants\, governments\, and society. \n \nSpeakers\nAmy Pope became Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on 1 October 2023\, bringing a wealth of experience in addressing complex migration issues and passion for changing the global narrative about people on the move. She is the first woman to hold the post in IOM’s 73-year history. Before joining IOM\, D.G. Pope served as the senior advisor on migration to U.S. President Joe Biden and served as the deputy homeland security advisor to President Barack Obama. While at the White House\, Ms. Pope developed and implemented comprehensive strategies to address migration in areas such as countering trafficking in persons\, resettling refugees\, and vulnerable people\, and preparing communities to respond and adapt to climate-related crises. Ms. Pope has also occupied positions at the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Senate and was a partner in the London-based law firm\, Schillings. She graduated magna cum laude from the Duke University School of Law with a JD and has a BA in political science (with honors) from Haverford College in Pennsylvania.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/human-rights-and-migration-solutions-for-a-world-on-the-move/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T130000
DTSTAMP:20250407T174743Z
CREATED:20250407T174743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T174743Z
UID:10018170-1744718400-1744722000@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Common Sense Diplomacy
DESCRIPTION:Andrea Mitchell will conduct a far-ranging conversation with Ambs. David L. Cohen and  Amy Gutmann on their experiences as diplomats.\n\n\nIn the spirit of Penn’s commitment to embracing global engagement\, Andrea Mitchell will conduct a far-ranging conversation with Ambassador David L. Cohen and Ambassador Amy Gutmann on their experiences as diplomats. They will discuss what best prepared them for their positions\, what its greatest perils and pleasures were\, and lessons learned. They will address the challenges of defending democratic sovereignty\, security\, and economic progress and the job of diplomacy when personal beliefs may be at odds with the “official” positions of Washington. \n \nSpeakers\nDavid L. Cohen was nominated to be U.S. ambassador to Canada by President Joe Biden\, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to that appointment\, he served as senior advisor to the CEO at Comcast Corporation as of January 1\, 2020. He was previously senior executive vice president at Comcast NBCUniversal\, where his portfolio included corporate communications\, legal affairs\, government and regulatory affairs\, public affairs\, corporate administration\, corporate real estate and security\, and community impact. Cohen also served as the company’s first chief diversity officer. Before starting with Comcast in July 2002\, Cohen served as a partner in and chairman of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll\, LLP\, one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. From January 1992 to April 1997\, Cohen served as chief of staff to the Honorable Edward G. Rendell\, the mayor of Philadelphia. He has served on many nonprofit boards\, including as chair of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and its Executive Committee; as chair of the trustee board and the executive committee of Penn Medicine; as chair of the board of directors and the executive committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; as chair of the Philadelphia Theatre Company; as a member of the Board of the National Urban League; and as chair of the corporate board of advisors of UnidosUS. \nAmy Gutmann is a prize-winning scholar\, teacher\, university leader\, and diplomat. She has published and lectured widely on democracy and education; deliberation\, compromise\, diplomacy\, and their critics; bioethics and access to health care; human rights; identity politics; and ethics in public affairs. Gutmann served as U.S. ambassador to Germany (2022-24). During her tenure\, the German relationship with the United States became stronger than ever in the post-WWII period\, on multiple measures including support for Ukraine’s defense against Putin\, increased trade and investment\, and resistance to rising extremism. Gutmann was the eighth and longest serving president of Penn\, serving from 2004 to 2022. Named by Fortune in 2018 as one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders\,” Gutmann is renowned for championing affordable access to education and health care\, innovative discoveries that save lives and propel economies forward\, global engagement\, and public-private partnerships. \nAndrea Mitchell is NBC News’ chief Washington and chief foreign affairs correspondent\, reporting on political and international news for NBC Nightly News\, the Today Show\, Meet the Press\, and the network’s digital and streaming platforms. She has covered every presidential campaign for NBC News since 1980\, and for 17 years also anchored “Andrea Mitchell Reports\,” a weekday program of political and foreign policy news on MSNBC. A pioneer in her field\, Mitchell is known for her tenacity whether she is covering domestic politics or reporting from conflict zones in Iraq\, Afghanistan\, North Korea\, or the Middle East. Mitchell has been honored for her distinguished reporting\, receiving the lifetime achievement award at the 40th annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards\, The International Radio and Television Society Foundation’s Giant of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts Honor\, the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award\, the Freedom of the Press Award from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press\, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the sixth annual Washington Women in Journalism Awards. A Penn alumna\, she is a former vice chair of the Board of Trustees and founder of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy in the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2018\, she was the University’s commencement speaker and received an honorary doctorate of humanities from the University. \n \nWelcoming remarks by\nMichael C. Horowitz is director of Perry World House and Richard Perry professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also senior fellow in innovation and technology at the Council on Foreign Relations. From 2022 to 2024\, Professor Horowitz served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for force development and emerging capabilities. He is the author of The Diffusion of Military Power: Causes and Consequences for International Politics\, and the co-author of Why Leaders Fight. He won the Karl Deutsch Award given by the International Studies Association for early career contributions to the fields of international relations and peace research. He has published in a wide array of peer reviewed journals and popular outlets. His research interests include the intersection of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics with global politics\, military innovation\, the role of leaders in international politics\, and geopolitical forecasting methodology. Horowitz worked for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/common-sense-diplomacy/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250401T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250401T130000
DTSTAMP:20250324T175146Z
CREATED:20250324T175146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T175146Z
UID:10017835-1743508800-1743512400@gridphilly.com
SUMMARY:Pioneers of Plant-Based Fine Dining: A Conversation with the Chefs of Vedge
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a discussion with the chefs/owners of Vedge about their innovative approach to plant-based cuisine.\n\n\nJoin us for an exclusive event featuring Philadelphia locals Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby\, the visionary chefs and co-owners of the renowned VEDGE restaurant. Known for their innovative approach to plant-based cuisine\, Landau and Jacoby will discuss their culinary journey\, sustainability philosophy\, and creative processes that have made them a groundbreaking force in the world of fine vegetarian dining. They will share first-hand insights of the challenges and innovations shaping the future of food and offer a unique perspective on gastronomy in a climate changed world. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or new to plant-based eating\, this event promises to be an unforgettable culinary education. \n\n\nSPEAKERS\n \nHusband/Wife team Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby are the Chefs/Owners of Philadelphia’s renowned vegetable restaurant\, Vedge.   \nChef Rich Landau\, a pioneer of the modern\, plant based dining experience\, opened his first restaurant\, Horizons\, in 1994. His mission: to demonstrate the creativity and satisfaction of vegetable cuisine. Through his 3+ decades in the restaurant industry\, teaching\, consulting and in media appearances including winning Food Network’s Chopped\, Landau has used the carnivore’s palate he grew up with to translate his vision for vegan cuisine to a broader audience.  Cooking Light Magazine said “Landau takes a guns-a-blazing approach to flavor”.  Chef Landau is a 6-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Mid Atlantic as well as twice being named “Best chef in Philadelphia” by Philadelphia Magazine.  \nChef Kate Jacoby studied French and Sociology at Georgetown. In 2001\, she switched gears to join Landau at Horizons\, the restaurant she had already grown to know and love as a customer. Her work in the kitchen beside Landau helped hone her pastry skills and shaped her approach to desserts. A James Beard Nationally Nominated Pastry Chef and a Certified Sommelier\, her recent focus also includes overseeing the Wine Program and working the couples small vegetable farm in Chester County.   \nLandau and Jacoby met in 2001 and began to grow the business together.   In 2009 The couple and their team cooked the first Vegan meal ever served at the James Beard House in Manhattan. In 2011 they opened “Vedge” in an elegant Center city Philadelphia brownstone to national acclaim. Landau and Jacoby have authored five cookbooks\, including “Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small that Redefine Vegetable Cooking” and the newly released released Vedge Cocktail Book. \nLandau and Jacoby are both native Philadelphians who take pride in helping shape the culinary landscape in their region and who are committed to further raising the bar for vegetable cuisine across the country.  When not in the kitchen\, they love to travel with their son Rio\, always on the hunt for their next great food experience. \n \nMODERATOR\nDeputy Director Michael Weisberg is the Bess W. Heyman President’s Distinguished Professor of Philosophy. A climate diplomat\, philosopher of science\, climate policy researcher\, and experienced academic leader\, he has negotiated and achieved collective outcomes in the complex landscape of climate\, ocean\, and development issues at the highest levels of international diplomacy. \nAn expert on the climate needs of small island developing states\, Weisberg currently serves as senior advisor to Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and as an advisor to the Fiji and Palau negotiating teams at COP. Weisberg was a leading voice in the development of the “mosaic of solutions” for addressing loss and damage due to the adverse impacts of climate change\, which led to major breakthroughs on the topic at COP27 and COP28. This framework was developed in collaboration with the Maldivian Government and the International Peace Institute\, where he is a Non-resident Senior Advisor. \nWeisberg serves as editor-in-chief of Biology and Philosophy and director of the Galápagos Education and Research Alliance. He is the author of Simulation and Similarity: Using Models to Understand the World\, co-author of the landmark photographic study Galápagos: Life in Motion\, and a contributing author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. \nWeisberg educates the next generation of environmental leaders in the classroom\, at the negotiating table\, and in the field\, ensuring that their voices have maximal impact on addressing the climate crisis.
URL:https://gridphilly.com/event/pioneers-of-plant-based-fine-dining-a-conversation-with-the-chefs-of-vedge/
LOCATION:Perry World House\, 3803 Locust Walk\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gridphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/21e74ec7f8f10a41a643c9d934cdbb3d.jpg
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