Weiser Diplomacy Center

In the year since the Hamas attack on Israel, the deadly conflict has widened into crises beyond Gaza -- in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen. Two experts with long experience in Middle East policymaking return to the Ford School for a substantive policy conversation about the conflict and the broader implications for the region, and the ways in which U.S. policy and policymakers are acting and reacting to the crises. This event is open to Ford School students, faculty, and staff, and will be streamed live and on-demand.

Join this year's Ambassadors' Forum for an in-depth look at the escalating crises in the Middle East and the critical questions surrounding the region’s stability and international involvement.

Democracy around the world is both robust -- two billion people will be able to cast a ballot in 2924 -- and fragile, as threats to the voting process, to the structures of democratic society, and to the voters themselves afflict many nations. 

Former United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), will join us to discuss the intricate relationship between health equity and economic resilience in Africa. Dr. Songwe's insights will highlight Africa's role in global power dynamics and strategies for asserting its agency amid evolving economic landscapes.

Meet Mark Jacobson, a seasoned veteran who has made significant contributions to NATO, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and held key roles at the Department of Defense. Mark's journey spans academia and military service.

Discover the captivating journey of President Zelensky's former press secretary and a globally acclaimed journalist. Uncover the behind-the-scenes stories of her impactful work in Ukraine and the dynamic world of journalism!

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president of Poland visits the University of Michigan to speak on the global impact of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College will host a policy simulation at the Ford School this fall. In this exercise, students will learn about the competition in the Arctic region and be tasked with using diplomacy to address a variety of urgent issues.

Gay McDougall and Jamil Dakwar will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context.

Dr. Kelebogile Zvobgo will join Professor John Ciorciari in conversation as part of a virtual series on the historical roots and impact of race shaping public policy in the global context.

The fourth webinar of the North American colloquium will discuss new approaches to countering nationalist extremism in North America.

Dr. Bama Athreya is an expert on international labor issues, gender and social inclusion, business and human rights and will run a student workshop style discussion on using trade to address forced labor worldwide.

Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service (Retired) Colonel James T. (Tom) Faust will reflect on his career in the military and civilian service.

The heyday of the human rights movement—the 1990s—is well behind us. At its peak, the human rights movement was the most captivating ideology of its time. 

National Museum of American Diplomacy and the Weiser Diplomacy Center will host a virtual simulation for all Ford School students focused on an international migration crisis.

This panel discusses how nationalism and extremism pose mounting challenges around the world, including in North America.

An expert panel will explore elements of U.S.-China relationship in 2021. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein will moderate conversation with Ambassadors Sylvia Stanfield, Craig Allen, and David Shear. 

Eric Beinhart of the U.S. Department of Justice will discuss approaches to police reform in societies affected by conflict and ways to bridge the divide between formal law enforcement and traditional community governance structures in areas where state institutions have lacked capacity and/or legitimacy.

This event will feature Dr. Vivian S. Walker, Executive Director of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, in conversation with Professor John Ciorciari, Director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the University of Michigan, with a welcome address by Rejaul Karim Laskar, representing the Global Forum for Scholars & Practitioners of Diplomacy. 

The Ford School and the Weiser Diplomacy Center invite all University of Michigan students to join us for a presidential debate debrief with Ambassador Susan Page and Associate Professor John Ciorciari.

Please join us for a virtual seminar with Jason Carter, Chairman of the Carter Center Board of Trustees, Ms. Narcis Scope, Chief Elections Officer, Elections and Boundaries Commission of Trinidad and Tobago representing CARICOM, and Ms. Pauline Chase from Guyana Bar Association in conversation with Ambassador Susan Page, Professor of Practice in International Diplomacy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy discussing about the Guyana Electoral Observation Mission (EOM).

Join P3E and the Weiser Diplomacy Center for a Getting Stuff Done workshop with Shellie Bressler, a long-time Capitol Hill foreign policy staff member.

Join us for a lunchtime webinar to learn more about the Ford School's research centers.