Introducing VCWA’s 2025 International Day of Peace Theme

As the world faces deepening polarization and shifting power dynamics, our ability to engage across differences has never been more crucial. In this climate of division and uncertainty, the Vermont Council on World Affairs invites you to join us on September 24th for a full-day summit, titled Building Bridges in a Fractured World, to explore how civil discourse can serve as a powerful force for peace and a counter to the forces driving us apart.

This summit will examine:

This summit is designed as a platform to get informed about today’s most pressing global challenges and discover concrete ways to stay engaged in the democratic process. Through distinguished voices in peacebuilding, diplomacy, and human rights, attendees will explore how informed participation and respectful dialogue can foster understanding, build trust, and strengthen communities.

This is how democracies grow resilient, through citizens who understand the stakes and know how to engage constructively across differences. Attendees will leave the summit equipped with tools to bridge divides, both locally and globally.

International Day of Peace

Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, International Day of Peace represents a globally shared day for all humanity to commit to building a culture of peace in communities around the world. The Vermont Council on World Affairs is excited to once again celebrate International Day of Peace with programming focused on this important topic.

What to expect at this summit

Each year at our International Day of Peace summit, we honor an individual who, in VCWA's view, embodies the qualities inherent in promoting international understanding and building ties between the US and the world with our Person of the Year Award.

Schedule and Pricing

Building Bridges in a
Fractured World

11:00 am - 5:00 pm | Hula Lakeside

Followed by an evening networking reception

With a keynote address and sessions on civil discourse, the evolving role of international development, and an in-depth look at the causes of genocide.

Tickets:

Full-day: $125

Special pricing for VCWA Members - email elizabeth@vcwa.org for more information

Full-day tickets include lunch, exclusive networking opportunities, admission to the VIP evening reception with complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Agenda

*We believe cost should never be a barrier to attending our events. To support accessibility, we offer sliding-scale ticket options. Please contact elizabeth@vcwa.org for details and assistance.

Summit Overview

In an era of growing division and misinformation, civil discourse is a vital tool for preventing and resolving conflict. This session will explore how open, respectful dialogue can bridge cultural and ideological divides, build trust, and foster lasting peace. It will also examine the role of media in shaping public perception, the impact of misinformation on polarization, and strategies individuals and organizations can use to promote fact-based, constructive conversations.

Session 1:

From Conflict to Connection: Discourse as a Peace Tool

Jim Welch | Journalist; Former Editor in Chief, VTDigger

Speakers:

Christina Barsky | Associate Professor; Director, Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program, University of Vermont

Wilmer Chavarria | Moderator

For decades, USAID has been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy, using development aid to prevent conflict, stabilize societies, and expand American influence. However, dramatic funding cuts are leaving a gap that global competitors are quick to fill. China now outspends the U.S. 4:1 on development and citizen diplomacy, expanding its reach, while other nations have adopted the U.S. soft power playbook to strengthen their geopolitical standing. This session will explore the consequences of these shifts - how reduced U.S. engagement impacts global stability, who is stepping in to fill the void, and what it means for the future of American influence. 

Session 2:

Power and Presence: What Happens When the U.S. Steps Back

Speakers:

Courtney Chubb | Retired Senior Foreign Service Officer

Garrett Graff | Journalist, Historian

Sarwar Kashmeri | Host, Polaris-Live.com; Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Association; Applied Research Fellow, Peace & War Center, Norwich University

In predominantly white spaces like Vermont, fostering inclusivity requires intentional effort, self-reflection, and action. This session, presented in partnership with Bellwether International and World Affairs Councils of America, will examine the concept of “other-ness” and how systemic barriers prevent equitable representation. This panel will explore how racism fuels larger-scale injustices, including genocide, the importance of early intervention to prevent such atrocities, and the role administrations may play in these challenges.

The Other-ing Effect: Preventing Hate Through Inclusion

Ellen Yount | Moderator

Session 3:

Speakers:

Chelsea Hedquist | Executive Director, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

Paul Suk-Hyun Yoon | Chief Culture and Compliance Officer, Vermont State University

Sarika Tandon | Race Equity Consultant, Rise Consulting

Patrick Brown | Moderator

Meet the Speakers

Keynote Speaker

Senator Peter Welch

Session 1:

From Conflict to Connection: Discourse as a Peace Tool

  • Christina S. Barsky is an Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at the University of Vermont. A “prac-academic,” Barsky bridges theory and practice in public administration and is motivated by community-engaged projects that address complex problems and meet local needs. Her work is centered around the dynamics of citizen-state interactions on the frontlines of democracy and offers actionable insight for policymakers, practitioners, and general audiences. She holds degrees from Northern Arizona University (Ph.D.), the University of Montana (M.P.A.), and Skidmore College (B.A.) and is a proud national service (VISTA) alumna.

  • Former Editor-in-Chief of VT Digger, a nonprofit media outlet dedicated to serving as Vermont’s business and government watchdog, recently partnered with PolitiFact to launch a fact-checker for state and local politicians. Jim Welch currently works as an independent journalist and teaches journalism at the University of Vermont.

Moderator

  • Wilmer is the superintendent of the Winooski School District, leading the only "minority-majority" district in the state and modeling practices that affirm, protect, and capitalize on the diversity of the district. Wilmer has held other leadership positions in Milton, the Windham Southwest SU, and the Española Public Schools in New Mexico, and served in other formal capacities at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation. He is a Watson Fellow and a Davis Scholar, and holds college and graduate degrees from Earlham College, the University of New Mexico, and Harvard University. Wilmer was born a refugee and raised in northern Nicaragua, becoming a US citizen in 2018.

Power and Presence:
What Happens When the U.S. Steps Back

Session 2:

  • Courtney Chubb is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer with over 25 years of leadership experience at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She served as Mission Director in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she advanced democratic governance, energy reform, and economic development. Previously, she led the USAID Mission/West Bank and Gaza, navigating high-stakes diplomacy and restarting a $100M assistance program. Her international assignments also included leadership roles in Thailand, Russia, Mexico, Colombia, and as Director of USAID’s Foreign Service Center in Washington, D.C.

    Courtney is known for her strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and ability to manage complex operations in challenging political environments. She has successfully guided multi-million-dollar portfolios, mentored diverse teams, and briefed senior U.S. government officials during crises, including the 2021 Gaza conflict.

    She is married to a retired Department of State Foreign Service Officer and has two sons.

  • Journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist historian Garrett M. Graff has covered politics, technology, and national security for two decades. The former editor of POLITICO Magazine, he writes the popular Doomsday Scenario newsletter and hosts the Edward R. Murrow Award-winning podcast, Long Shadow. The author of ten books, including Watergate: A New History, he is best known for his bestselling landmark volumes of oral histories, The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11, When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day, and, most recently, The Devil Reached Toward the Sky, about the making of the atomic bomb.

  • Sarwar Kashmeri is an international relations specialist, author, and commentator known for his expertise on U.S. global strategy and national security. He is the founder and host of Polaris-Live.com, a program exploring the geopolitical and economic impact of China’s rise. A Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Association and an Applied Research Fellow at Norwich University’s Peace and War Center, Kashmeri has authored several influential works, including China’s Grand Strategy and two Telegram reports on U.S.-China policy. He has spoken at West Point, appeared in global media outlets such as CNN, Deutsche Welle, and The Guardian, and served as a communications advisor and former CEO in the tech sector.

    Kashmeri holds engineering degrees from Saint Louis University, where he also taught and led major computing initiatives.

Moderator

  • During her 25+ year career in international development, Ellen has focused on governance, strategic communications, capacity building and gender. She has served as a trainer and advisor in more than 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East -- on the importance of free and fair elections, advocacy, and women’s leadership. Along with her husband, Ellen co-founded the One Connected Village Foundation to devote resources to women and girls in conflict. 

The Other-ing Effect:
Preventing Hate Through Inclusion

Session 3:

  • Chelsea Hedquist is executive director of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, established in 2008 to carry forward the human rights legacy of her grandfather, Congressman Tom Lantos. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked as a radio journalist and later as a communications professional in the global development space, including with the United Nations Foundation in Washington, DC, and the World Health Organization in Copenhagen, Denmark. She joined the Lantos Foundation in 2020 and has helped extend its impact and influence in the world of human rights advocacy, particularly on behalf of political prisoners and on issues related to freedom of religion or belief. Chelsea is a graduate of Stanford University and the Columbia School of Journalism.

  • Paul Suk-Hyun Yoon is the Chief Culture and Compliance Officer of Vermont State University. He believes his purpose in life is to passionately pursue justice to make the world a more equitable place and brings more than 18 years of experience in education to this role. His most recent position was as Senior Advisor for Inclusive Excellence in the Division of Inclusive Excellence at the University of Vermont. In addition, Paul is a Partner with CQ Strategies, a Vermont-based consultancy committed to justice, equity, cultural proficiency, and social justice.

  • Sarika (Sah’-ri’-kah) Tandon is the founder of Rise Consulting.  She facilitates, consults, speaks, teaches, writes, and collaborates at the intersection of race, justice, and environmental issues. Sarika is deeply committed to working for racial, environmental, and climate justice, and to center the power, brilliance, agency, and well-being of communities of color. 

    In her work, Sarika has partnered with organizations and communities to support the well-being and healing of BIPOC communities, re-imagine programs and professional learning to center justice and liberation, and to support racially equitable processes and outcomes. 

    Sarika is a Lecturer at the University of Vermont, where she teaches about Race and Racism in the US.  She is a former Adjunct Faculty member at Antioch University New England Graduate School of Environmental Studies and serves on the Board of the Haymarket People’s Fund.

Moderator

  • Brown came from his native Jamaica decades ago to study at Concordia University in Montreal, graduating in 1982 before coming to Saint Michael’s for his graduate degree in education. He liked the community so much, he stayed in the area after exploring many other regions that never quite measured up. He has been honored with the Burlington Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award and many other awards for his service. A major accomplishment in his life and career was planning and executing the historic visit of Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Vermont in 2005. 

    Active for many years as a partner in programming at Burlington’s Howard Center and a longtime lecturer at the University of Vermont, also has been one of the most active members of the greater Burlington community as an advocate and educator on diversity issues and initiatives. 

    Currently serving as a Trustee of St. Michael's College, member of the State Board of Education, The Vermont New American Advisory Council, Age Well and the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Vermont Council on World Affairs, among other volunteer activities. 

Thank you to our sponsors

Interested in sponsoring this event?

Email elizabeth@vcwa.org for more information