FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2012
Contact: Kathy Gest or Dagny Leonard
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Democratic Institute (NDI) today announced the speakers that will take part in its International Leaders Forum (ILF) program during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte Sept. 4-6.
They include former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, NDI chairman; Senator John Kerry; former Senator Tom Daschle; Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinksi of MSNBC; John Heilemann, New York magazine; Mark Halperin, TIME; Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post; Ryan Lizza, The New Yorker; Sam Stein, The Huffington Post; John Podesta, former White House chief of staff; Michèle Flournoy, former U.S. undersecretary of defense; Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman; Frank Fahrenkopf, former Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman and co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates; Paul Kirk, co-chairman emeritus of the Commission on Presidential Debates, former U.S. senator and former DNC chairman; Michael Steele, former RNC chairman; pollsters Peter Hart, Stan Greenberg, Andrew Kohut and Whit Ayres; Vin Weber, former U.S. representative; David Drummond, Google; and the mayors of Charlotte, Philadelphia and Houston.
These and other speakers will participate in a series of bipartisan panel discussions covering topics such as the U.S. political process, domestic and foreign policy issues, and media coverage of the presidential race. The panels are organized as part of NDI’s International Leaders Forum, which will host nearly 400 guests from more than 100 countries, including current and former heads of state, ministers, members of parliament, heads of political parties and U.S.-based ambassadors from around the world.
“The International Leaders Forum brings together political leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds to encourage discussion about critical issues facing democracy, both in the U.S. and abroad,” Albright said. “We hope these bipartisan panels will provide a nuanced and constructive dialogue about topics that affect all of our participants.”
NDI’s international guests also will observe the convention proceedings, gaining first-hand knowledge of the U.S. democratic process, and have the opportunity to share information with their counterparts from around the world.
“We are delighted to bring together such a distinguished group of ILF guests and panel participants to continue NDI’s tradition of political dialogue in support of democracy,” said Kenneth Wollack, president of NDI. “This is a unique opportunity for our international friends to learn from each other and from the U.S. political process.”
ILF is privately funded by donations from individuals, foundations and corporations.
NDI’s convention programs at Charlotte’s Belk Theater are open to media and to the public. Media credentials will be issued upon sign-in at the Belk. Free tickets for the public may be reserved here and are required for admittance. Live streaming of the panel events will be available at: www.ndi.org/live.
NDI is a nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that supports and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. For more information about NDI and the International Leaders Forum, please visit our website, www.ndi.org.
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SCHEDULE
OF
EVENTS
(All events
are
in
the Belk Theatre, 130 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC)
Tuesday, September 4
|
10 - 10:15 a.m. |
Introduction to the International Leaders Forum Speakers: Madeleine K. Albright, former secretary of state and chairman, NDI; Kenneth Wollack, president, NDI; Dan Murrey, executive director, Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee |
|
10:15 - 11:30 a.m. |
“The 2012 Campaign: The Role of Primaries, Nominating Conventions and Presidential Debates" Panelists
discuss
important
facets of the 2012 presidential selection
process. |
|
11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
“Campaign
2012 in Ads, Anecdotes and Media
Perspectives with
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski” MSNBC talk show hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski recreate the “Morning Joe” show featuring regular contributors discussing the campaign period, including how the nominations and campaigns have been covered from a media perspective. Panelists: Mark Halperin, senior political analyst for TIME magazine, Time.com and MSNBC, co-author of “Game Change;” John Heilemann, national affairs editor and columnist for New York magazine and NYMag.com, and co-author of “Game Change;” Sam Stein, political reporter at The Huffington Post; Michael Steele, former chairman of the RNC |
|
3 - 3:15 p.m. |
"Democracy
Spotlight"
Series Dynamic
global
thought
leaders discuss and demonstrate how
information and communications technology is being used to
strengthen democracy. |
|
|
|
|
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. |
"How
They
Would
Govern" Panelists cover how a next administration would turn campaign promises into reality, including working with Congress and setting priorities, all within the context of our contemporary political process and challenges in the U.S. and throughout the world. Panelists:
Tom
Daschle,
former U.S. Senate majority leader, co-chair,
ONE Vote 2012 and vice chair, NDI; Vin Weber, former U.S.
representative and former chairman of the National Endowment for
Democracy; John Podesta, chair and counselor of the Center for
American Progress, former White House chief of staff under President
Bill Clinton; Ryan Lizza, Washington correspondent for The New
Yorker; Scot Lehigh,
columnist for The
Boston
Globe |
|
|
Wednesday, September 5
| 10 - 11:30 a.m. |
"New Frontiers in Polling" Leading
pollsters/analysts
will
discuss findings of public opinion
research regarding the 2012 presidential election. They will review
and analyze how voter sentiment is shaping the campaigns and, in
turn, how the campaigns are trying to influence voter sentiment when
it comes to defining issues, characterizing candidates, and
communicating messages. The panel will feature clips from a
nonpartisan focus group in the swing state of Wisconsin. |
11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
The
most
innovative campaigners, including social media and data
management experts, discuss how new techniques are reshaping how
political campaigns are run. |
3 - 3:15 p.m. |
Dynamic
global
thought
leaders discuss and demonstrate how
information technology is being used to enhance citizen participation,
improve government accountability and strengthen government
transparency. |
|
3:15 - 4:45 p.m. |
"Investing
in
21st
Century Cities” By
the
year
2050, two-thirds of the world's population is expected to
live in urban areas. This panel of innovative urban leaders will share
their strategies and personal experiences in building vibrant, thriving
21st century cities. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 - 11:15 a.m. |
"Global Responses to Poverty and Human Development" A program organized with the ONE Campaign With nearly 1.5 billion people living in absolute poverty, the United Nations has declared that poverty eradication efforts remain "the most significant challenge facing humankind." Inadequate access to education, basic health services and means to sustainable livelihoods impedes development and leads to low living standards. This panel of "influence shapers" will share innovative ways that governments, corporations and average citizens can make a difference in ending poverty, inequality and barriers to opportunity for the world's poor. Panelists: Morgan Tsvangirai, prime minister of Zimbabwe; Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senate majority leader, co-chair, ONE Vote 2012 and vice chair, NDI; David Miliband, former British foreign secretary, member of parliament; Rajiv Shah, administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development Moderator: Michael Elliott, CEO and president, ONE Campaign |
|
|
|
|
11:30 - 11:45 a.m. |
"Democracy Spotlight" Series A program organized with Google Inc. Dynamic
global
thought
leaders discuss and demonstrate how
information technology is being used to enhance citizen participation,
improve government accountability and strengthen government
transparency. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. |
"America's Role in the World" A program organized with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Experts
discuss
global
challenges facing a next administration and
their vision for America's role in the world, including opportunities
on development, democracy and the economy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|