Archive

The Hero Summit Agenda 2013

Just Released

The Daily Beast’s Hero Summit, Oct 10 in Washington, D.C., is an invitation-only live journalism event featuring panel discussions and interviews with some of the world’s most influential figures. The summit will showcase stories from military leaders and decorated veterans, Nobel Prize winners, politicians and journalists speaking about issues of service and heroism. The event will be streamed live on The Daily Beast site. Stay tuned for updates as the summit approaches.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10

Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium

8:30 AM WELCOME

Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN

On the Washington shutdown, the Syria crisis, and America's role in the world.

Senator John McCain, Arizona

Moderator: Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

BLACK HAWK DOWN: 20 YEARS LATER

It was a raid that should have lasted 30 minutes, but when the first of two American Black Hawk helicopters was shot down—the entire mission changed. What started as an assault operation would end as a rescue mission. Twenty years later, the story that inspired the epic film is a reminder of the determination of America’s Armed Forces and the creed to never leave a man behind.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Producer

First Sergeant Matthew P. Eversmann, U.S. Army (Ret.); Vice President of Business Development, Allegeant LLC

Craig Nixon, CEO, ACADEMI LLC; Brigadier General (Ret.), U.S. Army

Moderator: Daniel Klaidman, National Political Correspondent, The Daily Beast

THE CHANGING TERROR THREAT

The tragedy of the Boston bombing underscores the infinitely complex challenge of preempting a terrorist strike in the United States. Has the marriage of state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated intelligence provided for the safety and security of America’s cities?

Robert Griffin, Vice President, Industry Solutions, IBM

Jane Harman, Director, President, and CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center

General Michael V. Hayden, Principal, The Chertoff Group

Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department

Moderator: Catherine Herridge, Chief Intelligence Correspondent, Fox News Channel

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH WASHINGTON?

How to revive leadership in the nation's capital. Former Senator and U.S. Envoy George Mitchell joins other top Washington players to deconstruct the shutdown crisis.

Bob Woodward, Associate Editor, The Washington Post

Senator George J. Mitchell, Chairman Emeritus, DLA Piper

Hon. Olympia J. Snowe, Former United States Senator; Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center; Co-Chair, Commission on Political Reform

Moderator: Walter Isaacson, President & CEO, The Aspen Institute

"SHAME ON YOU!"

How America is betraying those who serve.

Arnold Fisher, Honorary Chairman, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Senior Partner, Fisher Brothers

Moderator: Martha Raddatz, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent, ABC News

SHATTERING STEREOTYPES: THE NEW VETERANS

Returning veterans have found themselves in a new battle: a fight for their reputations—and for the reputations of all who serve. A conversation featuring post-military success stories.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Congresswoman, 2nd District of Hawaii

Kate Norley, OIF-OEF Army Medic Veteran

Anthony Smith, OIF Army Veteran, Mission Continues Fellow

Carl M. Tegen, Executive Director, Defense Segment, AT&T Government Solutions

Moderator: John Avlon, Executive Editor, The Daily Beast

ABDUCTED IN SYRIAA photojournalist recounts his capture by militants.

Jonathan Alpeyrie, Photojournalist, Polaris Images

Moderator: Christopher Dickey, Paris Bureau Chief and Middle East Regional Editor, The Daily Beast

THE SYRIA MAELSTROM

The chaos in Syria poses a growing threat to global security. Former top U.S. officials in counterterrorism and an award-winning author discuss financial warfare, war by proxy, and the limits of Western powers to contain the disintegration of Syria.

Philip Mudd, Director of Global Risk, SouthernSun Asset Management

Robin Wright, Distinguished Scholar, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Senior Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace

Hon. Juan C. Zarate, Senior Adviser, CSIS; Senior National Security Analyst, CBS News

Moderator: Christopher Isham, Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief, CBS News

12:30 PM LUNCH

1:25 PM THE NIGERIA CAULDRON: WOLE SOYINKA INTERVIEW

Nobel laureate, author, and political activist Wole Soyinka on the evolving threat of extremism in West Africa and his own harrowing journey—including imprisonment—as a political dissident.

Wole Soyinka, Professor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Nobel Prize for Literature ’86

Moderator: Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

FAMILIES ON THE FRONTLINES

Tens of thousands of veterans are returning home with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and physical disabilities. For their families, life is never the same. Representatives from the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the private sector discuss the support systems they are innovating for military families on the homefront.

Arnold Fisher, Honorary Chairman, Inrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Senior Partner, Fisher Brothers

Alan Reyes, Senior Vice President of Operations, USO, Inc.

Dr. Tommy Sowers, Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Brannan Vines, Founder and President, Family of a Vet

Moderator: John Donvan, Moderator, Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates; Correspondent, ABC News

THE FIGHT FOR BLACK MEN

There are more African-Americans on probation, on parole, or in prison today than the total number of slaves in America 1850. Is crime the central issue? Or is this a fundamental crisis of the nation’s character—of human beings who have been left behind? President Obama’s former spiritual adviser, Joshua DuBois, leads a candid discussion on the moral courage required to forge a genuinely promising new future for black men in America.

Joseph T. Jones Jr., President and CEO, The Center for Urban Families, Inc.

Moderator: Joshua DuBois, Founder, Values Partnerships; Columnist, The Daily Beast

CRISIS LEADERSHIP

Deadly floods, raging wild fires, and destructive hurricanes are ever-present threats that require quick and decisive leadership. Elected officials, military leaders and first responders on how they make the tough decisions in real time to save cities, homes and lives.

Gov. John Hickenlooper, Colorado

Lt. General Russel L. Honoré, U.S.A (Ret.); Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina; Author; Global Preparedness Authority

William McNulty, Co-founder and Vice President, Team Rubicon

Moderator: John Avlon, Executive Editor, The Daily Beast

WHAT MAKES A HERO?

How do we define heroism in the 21st century? This closing discussion examines courage in many realms—physical, moral, political, even intellectual—and asks, who are our modern heroes?

General John Allen, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.); Distinguished Fellow of Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institution

David Brooks, Columnist, The New York Times

Anchee Min, Author

Wole Soyinka, Professor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Nobel Prize for Literature ’86

Moderator: Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Senior Correspondent and Associate Editor, The Washington Post; Author, Little America: The War Within The War For Afghanistan

4:00 PM CLOSING REMARKS

Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

EVENING EVENT

Newseum

6:30 PM DINNER & SCREENING OF LONE SURVIVOR

HOSTED BY:

Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

HEROES AT HOME AWARD PRESENTATION

Olivier François, Chief Marketing Officer, Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat Group Automobiles; Head of Fiat Brand

7:30 PM FILM SCREENING

A special screening of Lone Survivor—Peter Berg’s adaptation of the bestselling memoir by Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell

Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast

Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

9:30 PM LONE SURVIVOR: A CONVERSATION

A conversation with director Peter Berg, retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, and actor Taylor Kitsch of Lone Survivor about the clashing definitions and manifestations of heroism and courage at the heart of this riveting, harrowing story.

Peter Berg, Writer/Director/Producer

Taylor Kitsch, Actor, Lone Survivor

Marcus Luttrell, Retired Petty Officer 1st Class, U.S. Navy; Author of the book Lone Survivor

Moderator: Tina Brown, Editor in Chief, The Daily Beast