THE GEOPOLITICAL FORUM - The World on Its Own Terms

As US relations with many allies grow strained, ties with Central Asia are warming. The region offers key resources, trade corridors, and diplomatic opportunities, and Central Asian governments are eager to cooperate with Washington. Central Asian immigrants have also built vibrant communities in cities like Chicago, contributing to transportation, logistics, and entrepreneurship.

Can the US sustain meaningful engagement in a region it has historically struggled to prioritize? What do Central Asian countries want from Washington, and what does deeper US involvement mean for a region long accustomed to balancing Russia and China? What challenges are Central Asian diasporas facing? Join Ajar Chekirova, Elena Son-LaRocco, and Alex Cooley for a conversation on Central Asia's evolving role in US strategy and American communities.

This event is hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. We from The Geopolitical Forum can hang out and continue the conversation perhaps over a drink or bite after the event wraps up.

Please register for free at: https://www.cvent.com/d/m3qv74/4W?_gl=1*1qd9r29*_ga*MTYyMjgyMjE4NC4xNzI5ODI4MDQ2*_ga_2YZ9YVDY8F*czE3NzIwNjE3MjMkbzM3MiRnMSR0MTc3MjA2MjAyMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_gcl_au*MTE0OTc5MTUyMC4xNzY2NTI1MDAz*_ga_R51EMY3K4S*czE3NzIwNjE3MjMkbzM3MyRnMSR0MTc3MjA2MjAyMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.. Act sooner rather than later, while there are still seats left.

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America at 250: The Unfinished Project — Did the American Revolution Really Achieve Its Ideals? Was the complex and ultimately incomplete promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ever fully realized in the United States? What cultural, legal, and economic factors have held back progress? Or were those ideals always contested and partial—a struggle that continues in the spirit of the nation’s founding? A panel discussion across disciplines and viewpoints exploring the nation’s values on its 250th anniversary. Lunch served. Featuring Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation; U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA); and Alison LaCroix, Robert Newton Reid Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. Moderated by Sarah Isgur, editor of SCOTUSblog and legal analyst for ABC News. Co-sponsored by International House. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact iopevents@uchicago.edu. Friday, May 1, 2026 International House 12:30 - 1:45 pm

Please register for free at: https://iop.z2systems.com/np/clients/iop/eventRegistration.jsp?event=20044. Act sooner rather than later, while there are still seats left.

Please also RSVP here to help us find one another at the event.

What does it take for a nation to reckon with its past? American presidents have long wrestled with this question, using tools of transitional justice to confront historical harms both at home and abroad. Ronald Reagan signed legislation apologizing for Japanese American internment, while Barack Obama visited Hiroshima and Laos to acknowledge the lasting consequences of US bombing. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, how should we confront difficult chapters in our past? How can a nation reckon with past wrongs like displacement, discrimination, or violence, and what role can leaders play in guiding reconciliation and accountability? Join Ruti Teitel and Leslie Vinjamuri for a conversation on how presidents reckon with the past and shape America’s path forward.

This event is hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. We from The Geopolitical Forum can hang out and continue the conversation perhaps over a drink or bite after the event wraps up.

Please register for free at: https://www.cvent.com/d/43q5l6/4W?_gl=1*19h5l5o*_ga*MTYyMjgyMjE4NC4xNzI5ODI4MDQ2*_ga_2YZ9YVDY8F*czE3NzQ1NTc0NTAkbzQxMyRnMSR0MTc3NDU1Nzc3NCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_gcl_au*MTI4NzIxMDMyNS4xNzc0MzA2MzAw*_ga_R51EMY3K4S*czE3NzQ1NTc0NTAkbzQxNCRnMSR0MTc3NDU1Nzc3NCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.. Act sooner rather than later, while there are still seats left.

Please also RSVP here to help us find one another at the event.