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The John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at the Institute of Politics is Harvard's premier arena for political speech, discussion and debate.

The forum regularly hosts heads of state, leaders in politics, government, business, labor and the media. A living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, the Institute's mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policy makers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics.

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Students seeking information about the IOP Forum Program should contact the Student Chair Keziah Clarke or IOP Forum Coordinator Cathey Park. If you're interested in attending a JFK Jr. Forum or watching online, make sure to sign up for our newsletter. 

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Upcoming Forums

Check back in September for our fall programming

Strengthening Democratic Institutions

Race, Media and Politics

A Conversation with Malala Yousafzai

America and the World: A Conversation with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy & Senator Ed Markey

Goldsmith Awards Ceremony 2019 with Marty Baron

Free Speech, Open Minds and the Pursuit of Truth

Robotland: The Future of Labor Policy and Work in an AI World

A Conversation with John Kerry

Brexit: What’s Next?

Moral Resistance: When Faith & Activism Meet in the Streets

Big Tech and Democracy

Recent Forums

How Women Saved Rwanda

Tuesday May 7 - 6:00pm

Twenty-five years ago, the African nation of Rwanda was ripped apart by a genocide that left nearly a million dead. The untold story is that when the bloodshed ended, women not only buried the dead and cared for orphaned children, they drove a recovery that laid a foundation for their current political and economic power. Join our conversation with the visionary pioneers who carved out unlikely new roles for themselves, creating stability and reconciliation in genocide’s wake. Moderated by Ambassador Swanee Hunt, Founder of the Women and Public Policy Program and Eleanor Roosevelt Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School.

Tackling Climate Change as an Issue of Justice

Tuesday April 30 - 6:00pm

The Honorable Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, discusses issues of justice arising from climate change with Professor John Holdren, Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at HKS, and former Science Advisor to President Obama and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.