‘Civics at Work’ Launch Event

Democracy is not inevitable or invincible. Sustaining it requires an informed and engaged public. On May 4, the CSIS Defending Democratic Institutions (DDI) Project will launch its new initiative, 'Civics at Work.' For the past few years the DDI team has worked on an initiative to reinvigorate civic education as a national security imperative. However, while it is important to make long-term investments in K-12 civics, the lack of civic literacy among adults presents a current threat to democracy that demands an urgent response. All Americans need to understand the fundamentals of our democratic republic and their role in sustaining it.

The ‘Civics at Work’ initiative is a partnership with leading civics groups, national security practitioners, and business leaders looking to elevate civics as a national and economic security imperative. This event will include opening remarks from Microsoft’s President Brad Smith and the American Bar Association's President-elect, Deborah Enix-Ross, followed by an expert panel featuring the following: Tom Fanning (CEO, The Southern Company), Teresa Hutson (VP of Tech and Corporate Responsibility, Microsoft), Michael Carney (Senior VP, Emerging Issues, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation) and Suzanne Spaulding (Director, Defending Democratic Institutions Project, CSIS). This panel will not only discuss why businesses should more aggressively engage in civics but will also outline how businesses can better engage their workforces by participating in ‘Civics at Work.’ The event will conclude with closing remarks from the Director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, Kathleen Hall Jamieson. 
 

For more information, please visit the ‘Civics at Work’ project page or email civics@csis.org.

This event is made possible by Microsoft, The Southern Company, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.