Events

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Featured Events

PAST EVENT VIDEO
A Conversation with Estonian President Alar Karis
Speakers on the Council's stage Speakers on the Council's stage
Ana Miyares Photography
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Estonian President Alar Karis joins the Council to discuss digital innovation, cybersecurity, and Estonia's role on the front lines of collective defense.
Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Xi Jinping speak at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 1, 2025. Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Xi Jinping speak at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 1, 2025. Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Xi Jinping speak at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 1, 2025. Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Xi Jinping speak at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 1, 2025.
Nov
5
Suo Takekuma / Pool Photo via AP
The Trade Triangle: China, India, and America's Economic Future
Hybrid EVENT
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Chicagoans enjoy a day on the lakefront as Lake Michigan and the skyline loom in the background. Chicagoans enjoy a day on the lakefront as Lake Michigan and the skyline loom in the background. Chicagoans enjoy a day on the lakefront as Lake Michigan and the skyline loom in the background. Chicagoans enjoy a day on the lakefront as Lake Michigan and the skyline loom in the background.
Nov
6
Nam Y. Huh / AP
Built to Last: Creating Climate Resilient Communities
Hybrid EVENT
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More Upcoming Events

A woman waves a handheld Indian flag.
Dec
18
Manish Swarup / AP
Navigating the Middle: India's Global Role
Hybrid EVENT

Samir Saran and Leslie Vinjamuri discuss India's distinctive foreign policy strategy and its implications for the global order.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stands at a podium with a microphone as a Hungarian flag waves in the foreground.
Dec
11
Denes Erdos / AP
The Rise of Illiberal Democracy: Lessons from Hungary
Hybrid EVENT

David Pressman and Suzanne Nossel discuss Hungary's descent from democracy into illiberalism.

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A man holds a Chinese national flag to mark the 76th National Day of the People's Republic of China in Hong Kong on October 1, 2025.
Nov
17
Chan Long Hei / AP
The US and China: Competition, Coexistence, or Collision?
Hybrid EVENT

Rana Mitter and Leslie Vinjamuri discuss great power competition, strategic rivalry, and the evolving US-China relationship.

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Flags of Mexico, Canada, and the United States flying from flagpoles.
Nov
13
Paul Sancya / AP
USMCA 2026: Renegotiating North America's Economic Future
Hybrid EVENT

Heather Hurlburt, Eric Miller, Orlando Pérez Gárate, and Robert Gulotty discuss the 2026 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review and how it might shape the future of North American economic cooperation.

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Global Leadership Awards Dinner 2025

In-Person EVENT
Honoring The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, former prime minister of Canada; Tanya and Michael Polsky; and Regina Cross, Council Emerging Leaders alumna.

Where your world and the world meet.

Council events explore diverse perspectives on global issues and put our audiences, in Chicago and online, at the heart of important conversations with global leaders, influencers, and changemakers. 

 

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Event Experience

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Deepen Your Understanding

Expand your worldview with expert insights and diverse perspectives. Our events connect you with those at the forefront, giving you the context and knowledge to navigate an ever-changing world.

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Ask thoughtful questions, challenge ideas, and exchange perspectives with the speakers on our stage. At the Council, discussions are interactive, and your voice helps shape the global future.

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Expand Your Network

Council event attendees are interested and invested in the world around us. Meet new people, exchange ideas, and build meaningful connections with your globally-conscious peers.

[The Council] is a unique, outstanding opportunity to learn about US/global relations and participate in the future of our country. Few cities, if any, can offer such mind-expanding experiences to all its citizens.”

— Council Event Attendee

Watch Past Event Video

PAST EVENT VIDEO
East Meets West: Europe, Eurasia, and the Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
Alexander Cooley, Liana Fix, Elena Lazarou, Rachel Rizzo, and Leslie Vinjamuri Alexander Cooley, Liana Fix, Elena Lazarou, Rachel Rizzo, and Leslie Vinjamuri
Rafiq Maqbool / AP
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Alexander Cooley, Liana Fix, Elena Lazarou, Rachel Rizzo, and Leslie Vinjamuri explore how the war in Ukraine is reshaping power dynamics across Europe, Eurasia, and the broader international order.
Paramita Das, Alaina Harkess, and Karl Friedhoff on the council stage. Paramita Das, Alaina Harkess, and Karl Friedhoff on the council stage. Paramita Das, Alaina Harkess, and Karl Friedhoff on the council stage. Paramita Das, Alaina Harkess, and Karl Friedhoff on the council stage.
Ana Miyares Photography
Mining the Future: America's Critical Minerals Challenge
PAST EVENT VIDEO
Speakers on the Council's stage Speakers on the Council's stage Speakers on the Council's stage Speakers on the Council's stage
Ana Miyares Photography
The Future of Multilateralism: UN80 and Beyond
PAST EVENT VIDEO

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