Democratic resilience and the role of institutions in Ethics and Public Life

This panel will bring together leaders at three influential institutions working at the intersection of ethics, civic engagement, and democracy who will engage with a widely recognized moderator to discuss the increasing global importance of the role of institutions on ethics and public life in ensuring democratic principles and resilience for future generations.

We live in a world of global-scale challenges marked by a new era of democratic backsliding and a contraction in commitments that advance the fields of education, dialogue, and research. We need both legacy and new institutions and leadership committed to the ethical principles of scientific advancement, civic engagement, and informed discourse that challenges illiberal thinking and strengthens global democracy. Institutions and the civic spaces they provide are an important part of the solution: they can hold space for individuals from all walks of life to connect and work toward a future based on the principles of cooperation, democracy, and humanitarianism. Institutions and their collective responsibility can help us reclaim our moral agency, to be proactive rather than reactive, and to take important steps toward a more resilient democracy.

The panel will feature specific examples of projects underway at each institution, illustrating democratic resilience in action.