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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 JFK Jr. Forum Program should contact student co-chairs Hannah Bottarel, Anika Bagaria, or IOP Forum Director Nanda Chitre. 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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TheJFK Jr Forum

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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

The Ukrainian Refugee Crisis

Wednesday April 27 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm

According to the United Nations, more than 5 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion – most to neighboring Poland. Internationally-recognized chef and humanitarian José Andrés of the World Central Kitchen, Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA, and Mayor Wojciech Bakun of Przemyśl, Poland, have been working on the frontlines of this humanitarian crisis in Przemyśl, a community of only 60,000 handling an influx of 1.2 million refugees from war-torn Ukraine. World Central Kitchen and CARE are among the relief organizations in Ukraine and Poland, helping Europe manage the greatest migration since World War II.

 Join us virtually on Wednesday, April 27, at 3:00 PM ET as Chef José Andrés, Michelle Nunn of CARE USA and HKS ‘01, and Mayor Wojciech Bakun of Przemyśl, Poland, explain the immediate needs of people making the long journey to escape war. The conversation will be moderated by Institute of Politics Spring 2022 Resident Fellow and 20th Director of the Peace Corps Jody Olsen and Institute of Politics Student Leader Kate Klein ‘24, who recently worked as an aid worker in Przemyśl, the hometown of her great-grandparents.

Please click here to register.

Building Space for Arab Americans in Public Service: A Conversation with James Zogby and Noor Tagouri

Monday April 25 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm

In 1985, James Zogby founded the Arab American Institute to serve the political and research needs of the Arab American community. In 2019, Noor Tagouri, an award-winning journalist, founded At Your Service Imprint, a production and consulting company meant to share representative stories. Join us on Monday, April 25 at 6:00pm for a conversation with Tagouri and Zogby on navigating the realm of public service, advocacy, and storytelling as Arab Americans are going beyond requesting a seat at the table to building space for an entire community.

Please click here to RSVP.