Berkley Lecture: Lessons From The Front Lines Of American Diplomacy (paid event)

026 Berkley Lecture: Amb. Christopher Hill
Lessons From The Front Lines Of American Diplomacy

Ambassador Hill is one of the most experienced American diplomats of the post–Cold War period. Over the course of his career, he served as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Iraq, Poland, and North Macedonia, and as Chief U.S. Negotiator for the Six-Party Talks on North Korea’s nuclear program. These roles placed him at the center of complex security environments involving alliance coordination, nuclear nonproliferation, and crisis diplomacy.

For the 2026 Berkley Lecture, Ambassador Christopher R. Hill will reflect on what it means to represent the United States abroad during moments of crisis, negotiation, and transition. In this lecture, Ambassador Hill will explore the practical realities of diplomacy — how embassies operate under pressure, how diplomats coordinate with military and intelligence partners, and how decisions made in real time shape long-term outcomes. He will examine the limits of U.S. power, the importance of alliances, and the human dimension of statecraft, offering lessons that remain highly relevant as the United States confronts a more complex and contested global landscape.

This conversation will provide audiences with an accessible yet substantive look at the challenges of modern diplomacy and the role it plays in advancing U.S. interests and preventing conflict.

The Berkley Lecture was founded in 1996 and brings an expert in foreign policy and global affairs to the Kansas City area. The lecture was established through the Berkley Endowment to honor the IRC's founder and his decades of service, and to provide a platform for engaging community members in understanding critical global issues.

Registration site: https://www.irckc.org/what-we-do/irc-events-calendar/#id=10807&cid=1742&wid=2201&type=Cal

Individual seats at the luncheon (and full tables of ten) are available for $65 each for IRC members, $80 each for non-members, and $40 each for students.

Tickets include parking, a delicious buffet lunch, choice of soft drink, and dessert. A cash bar will be available.

Single VIP tickets ($125 for IRC members and $150 for non-members) include an invitation to a special evening reception on February 10 with Amb. Hill