Inspiring. Thought-provoking. Invigorating. Life-changing.

These are just a few of the words we’ve heard used to describe the Aspen Ideas Festival, the action-packed, weeklong exploration of some of the most important ideas and pressing issues we face presented by the Aspen Institute and The Atlantic magazine.

Why an Ideas Festival?
For nearly 60 years the Aspen Institute has been the nation’s premier place for leaders from around the globe to explore timeless ideas and the toughest challenges of their day. Since 1857, The Atlantic magazine has shaped the national debate on the defining issues of our times. Together, we’re working to touch as many people as we can to create a “public commons” for the 21st century, where a diverse group of intellectually curious people can gather to talk, listen, debate, question, and learn what they can do to make our world — and our children’s world — a better place.

Divided into two overlapping four-day sessions, the Aspen Ideas Festival offers a breathtaking array of lectures, presentations, debates, and panel discussions by leading thinkers who span a vast range of critical topics, from the economy to the environment, from science to the arts.

Who Will Be There?
From early in the morning until late at night, you’ll hear from inspired and provocative writers, public officials, artists, scientists, business executives, scholars, economists, foreign policy specialists, entrepreneurs, and leaders of all kinds — drawn from myriad fields, from across the country and from around the world — all gathered in a single place. And in the audience, on the footpath, over lunch, or at the coffee bar, you will meet other concerned and curious participants — people who have stepped out of their day-to-day routines to challenge themselves and learn about their world and the ideas that are shaping it.

We’re hard at work planning the details of this year’s Festival.