This year's theme: How to promote freedom and democracy effectively
The McCain Institute for International Leadership was established in 2012 with the goal of advancing character-driven leadership based on security, economic opportunity, freedom, and human dignity, in the United States and around the world.
The Institute’s programs are designed to identify and support the next generation of global leaders, and to create better designs for better decisions in national and international policy. An integral part of Arizona State University – the largest public university in the United States – the McCain Institute is based in Washington, DC, with a strong anchor in Tempe, Arizona.
The annual Sedona Forum is one of the McCain Institute’s signature events – a high-level gathering of national and international leaders committed to addressing real world problems from a common foundation of core democratic values.
The Forum brings together top government and private sector leaders and issue experts in the unique setting of Sedona for focused discussion around some of the world’s most pressing challenges. By taking participants away from the intensity of their day-to-day activities, the Sedona Forum offers participants the opportunity to reflect on longer-term strategic, and values- driven challenges amid a stimulating mix of national and global leaders. Following the gathering, the McCain Institute will publish an “Agenda for Action” reflecting the ideas and input developed during the Forum itself.
At the Institute’s first gathering in Sedona, in April 2012, leaders such as General (ret.) Jack Keane, CIA Director David Petraeus, humanitarian and actor Ben Affleck, Cindy McCain, and five U.S. Senators reflected on the role of the United States in the world.
In 2013, the Sedona Forum will tackle the theme, “How to Promote Freedom and Democracy Effectively.” The Institute is inviting speakers from around the world who will focus on the importance to activists of external support, the difficulties leaders in established democracies face in promoting democratic development, and the risks inherent in transitions, such as we see in the Arab Spring.
In future years, the Sedona Forum will cover a broad spectrum of themes, ranging from national security to humanitarian assistance, from human rights to expanding global economic opportunities. Each theme is to be selected by its importance to humanity timeliness on the global agenda. Speakers will be chosen based on their ability to stimulate fruitful reflection and development of actionable recommendations.
By bringing national and international leaders to Sedona, the Forum also provides an opportunity to showcase the beauty of Arizona, the innovative approach to the “New American University” pioneered by Arizona State University, and the work of the McCain Institute. It is a chance for these leaders to see not only the natural beauty of Arizona, but the spirit of innovation and development that drives the state and its growing global business community. It will help strengthen Arizona’s place on the global map.
The 2013 Sedona Forum will take place from April 26 to 28 at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona (www.enchantmentresort.com). Contact the McCain Institute for further details.
