The following article was written by Loraine von Moltke, a member of our community who represented Aspen UK at the Aspen Ideas Festival (Aspen, Colorado – United States, 25 June – 1 July 2026).
Ideas matter. They are the seed of every project, every business, every organisation, every movement. Ideas build and transform our society and our civilisation. The seven day Aspen Ideas Festival is an intense and glorious whirlwind of panel discussions, interviews & fireside chats, workshops, and 1:1 conversations. Set high in the Rocky Mountains, it is enhanced by music, colourful art work and extracurricular activities to feed the soul, like guided nature walks in Maroon Bells and bird watching in the early morning.
The Aspen Institute was founded in Aspen, Colorado, in 1949, in the aftermath of two world wars by the visionary businessman Walter Paepcke. It was built upon the belief that more than just economic achievement, society requires the humanistic ideals of education, culture and civic responsibility. “Paepcke envisioned Aspen as a sanctuary for thoughtful conversation, a place where leaders, artists, scholars and citizens could come together to renew both intellect and spirit. This belief guides the Institute today”. This is the ecosystem and foundation of the Aspen Ideas Festival.
The overarching topic of the 2026 Ideas festival was the 250th Anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. This document represents the founding ideas behind an enlightened form of government: Democracy. Today more than ever, Democracy is a topic to discuss and defend. Eight programme tracks encompassed the topics surrounding Democracy: The American Experiment, Pledges of Allegiance, The Next American Dream, Acts of Imagination, Inventing Tomorrow, The Pursuit of Happiness, This Land is our Land, and Viewpoints. A vast array of speakers included academics, journalists, entrepreneurs, corporate CEO’s, foundation leaders, artists, musicians, military leaders, politicians, lawyers, authors, teachers, community leaders, actors, and university presidents, led discussions across multiple stages and in various forums – small and large. It was truly a feast of ideas. Not everyone agreed and often opposing viewpoints were offered. It was at times intense and profound, always civil discourse, enlightening and sometimes even electric.
Particularly heartening was the inclusion of young people: the Bezos Scholars – 30 exceptional high school seniors selected from schools across the US and Africa; The Aspen Challenge winners – young people who have crafted innovative solutions to create community change; and two leaders of LA gangs leading a roundtable discussion on: “The Blueprint for Peace: Gang Rivals Reflect on the Truce that worked”.
It was an absolute honour to participate in the Ideas Festival. My favourite sessions were not always the obvious ones from the title or those with the most well known speakers. The impressive all women panel discussing “Building the Next Economy, Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility” featured women discussing practical ideas to address economic mobility, such as public-private partnerships, skill building and “listening tours” to understand the needs of the community. “American Rhapsody: Harmony, Discord and the Cadence of Hope” was a moving interview of Princeton University Professor Eddie Glaude by pianist Laura Downes. Pervasive was the profound suffering of African Americans throughout US history and the fear that strides made in Civil Rights are now being unwound. “Tech vs Tanks: AI and the Future of Warfare” was a terrifying panel discussion led by FT journalist, Gillian Tett, about AI and drone warfare. While “From Barely Making it to Making it Work” showcased grassroots organisations that work on creating opportunities for disadvantaged families across the US with the Aspen Institute’s Ascend programme, speakers from non-profits such as UC Berkley’s Equity and Excellence programme and Valley Settlement promoting early childhood development in immigrant communities. Themes running through the sessions were: the need to renew trust, the importance of supporting all job seekers in building skills relevant to today and the future economy, civic engagement, storytelling, the importance of taking time to understand people’s sentiments, AI, our global geo-political challenges and the changing world scene. Hope and ideals are fundamental – they enable and motivate us.
Especially inspiring, for example, in “The Case for Loving Humanity” was listening to Mitch Landrieu, former Mayor of New Orleans, speak about the power of love following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. “Like the Mississippi delta, if you let love flow, where it goes, it nourishes.”
Perhaps most inspiring of all was the Saturday night evening session under Pledges of Allegiance: “The Opposite of War is Creation: Israeli-Palestinian Artistic Partnership”. Riman Barakat (Palestinian) and Karen Brunwasser (Israeli) are co-CEO’s of FeelBeit, an Israeli-Palestinian cultural centre on Jerusalem’s East-West border. “Jointly led by a team of Israeli and Palestinian creatives, we present music, dance, theatre, visual arts and more that bring together artists and audience from both sides by the thousands, even and especially now.” Listening to these two Co-CEO’s speak and two of their musicians, a Palestinian opera singer and Israeli electronic music maker, perform together, brought a deep sense of hope from a place one least expects it.
If I were to sum up what I would like to bring with me to Aspen UK from the Ideas Festival, it is that we must take ideas in hand, connect people with these ideas around roundtables, and positively create the momentum that we need to drive change in our economy and communities. Building practical solutions from the ground up, with voices of employers, young people, academics, politicians, artists, journalists and community leaders, we can empower change.
