A note from the road
An update from the past two months
It’s been more than two months since I published a newsletter article, and for that I apologize. There’s been a lot going on, and so I figured I would use this week as an actual “news” letter, to share what I’ve been up to lately.
In April, the U.S. Department of State invited me to, once again, deliver the keynote lecture for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). This was my sixth time delivering a keynote to international visitors hosted by the State Department. This cohort featured 15 journalists from 14 European countries who toured the U.S. for two weeks and built transatlantic ties to strengthen journalism and press freedom here and in their home countries. I spoke about A.I. and its effects on journalism, and forged human-to-human connections that can never be replicated by machines. Many thanks to the Meridian International Center for hosting us.
In May, I was invited by the U.S. Department of State's American Center in Moscow to give a lecture on my home state of New York. The American Center in Moscow provides ongoing educational programming about the U.S. to Russian-speaking audiences. For America 250, the center has been hosting a weekly series on all 50 U.S. states. New York is where I was born and raised, and no matter where in the world I am, New York will always be home. It was a real treat--a dream come true, even!--to introduce students abroad to our wonderfully complex state, not solely New York City but all of its rich history. (This was before the Knicks won the NBA Championship, otherwise that also would have been included!)
In June, I traveled to Kosovo to deliver the keynote at a conference on transitional justice and history, titled "Bridges of Memory.” Kosovo and its capital, Pristina, are magical places. This was my second visit, and I enjoyed it even more than the first. There is a unique dynamism and energy in the country as it continues to grow, evolve and recover from war. There are challenges--gridlocked politics, energy dependence, inflation--but they are equaled by resilience, youth and optimism. If you've not visited Kosovo, I highly recommend it. The food, the people, the history, the crossroads of cultures... there is a lot to wrap one's mind around. Apparently there will also be a music festival this summer with 60,000 people. The link below is to an interview done in Pristina, and here is my prior article about Kosovo from 2024.
Back in the U.S., on July 3, I was featured on C-SPAN as part of the network’s "America 250" / July 4th coverage. I was live in studio taking calls and discussing what America 250 means (or doesn’t mean). The video is available on C-SPAN.org.
I was also featured in Germany's DER SPIEGEL over July 4th weekend with an interview on what America 250 became, and what it could have been.
Finally, I'm thrilled to announce that I will be the keynote speaker at the #EUSTORY Festival in Germany in September, hosted by the German pro-democracy foundation Körber-Stiftung.
This Europe-wide festival will unite policymakers, educators and scholars in Hamburg to address the challenges facing civic education in Europe and beyond. At a time when history and civics confront massive political and technological headwinds, this will be an opportunity for thinkers and practitioners to learn from each other about what works, what doesn't and how to navigate these difficult times.
I'm particularly humbled to share the stage with Jørgen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee (which awards the Nobel Prize), and Irina Scherbakowa, winner of the prestigious Goethe Medal.
Colleagues and friends in Europe are welcome to attend; register for free on the festival website.
It’s been a busy few months with more on the way. Many thanks for your continued support of this newsletter and we will speak soon!
Have a good week,
-JS
Oh man! I was supposed to be in Prístina this past June but…the rental car company wouldn’t let me physically drive into Kosovo! 😂