About this Event
The world is shifting. Technology, shifting alliances, economic uncertainty, and global challenges are reshaping how people connect, communicate, and engage with one another. These forces may seem distant, but they increasingly influence our communities, institutions, and everyday lives here in Vermont.
Join the Vermont Council on World Affairs on Wednesday, September 23rd for the 2026 State of the World Summit, a full-day gathering designed to help Vermonters better understand the forces reshaping the global landscape and what they mean for our future.
Held in alignment with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the Summit will bring together leaders and voices from across diplomacy, international affairs, media, business, sports, technology security, and civic life for a day of thoughtful conversations that explore how global trends connect to our local communities.
Through keynote conversations, panel discussions, and interactive dialogue, attendees will examine the issues defining this moment—from emerging technologies and the information landscape to economic change, sports, international cooperation, and the ways culture and connection can build bridges across borders.
Grounded, substantive, and nonpartisan, the State of the World Summit is designed for people who want to better understand the bigger picture and engage seriously with the global issues increasingly shaping our local communities and institutions.
The day includes breakfast, lunch, an afternoon reception, and ample opportunity to connect with fellow attendees committed to thoughtful global engagement and civil discourse.
Agenda
🕑: 08:15 AM - 08:30 AM
Doors Open, Coffee & Networking
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:40 AM
Welcome Remarks
🕑: 08:40 AM
State of the World Address
Host: Major General Harder
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Fighting Disinformation
Host: J.J. Green - National Security Correspondent
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Break
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Panel: From Maple Syrup to Microchips
Info: How Global Economics and Geopolitics Shape Vermont
🕑: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Networking & Book Signing with J.J. Green
🕑: 12:00 AM
Lunch Starts
🕑: 12:20 AM - 01:30 PM
The Diplomacy of Sport: What International Sport Teaches Us About Peace
Host: Lowell Bailey - 4 Time Olympian and Gold Medalist
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Dessert Reception, Coffee & Community Conversation
Event venue & nearby stays
Hula Lakeside, 50 Lakeside Avenue, Burlington, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.