Chairman’s Report
I’d like to start this year-end review from the Aspen Institute in the UK with thanks. So many people and organisations have placed their trust in us, supporting us in a shared belief that dialogue can promote understanding – an essential step to repairing the political, social, and cultural divisions that exist in the UK. In what has been a divisive year, Aspen UK has remained implacably neutral, inviting people to its public and leadership programmes from across political divides, from different parts of the UK, and from a broad range of communities and disciplines.
We are still a young organisation, and in 2022 have continued to build a strong community and a growing audience across the UK, and beyond. We enjoy using the unmatched convening power of the Aspen Institutes around the world in furthering our mission in the UK.
2022 was also the year where we launched a much-needed Rising Leaders Fellowship, empowering some of the UK’s finest, high potential leaders. They join a community where people understand, respect, and celebrate differences, and learn from each other. Within a few years, this Fellowship will create one of the largest alumni networks of any leadership programme in the UK, and the first few cohorts have been inspiring and engaged.
We are aware none of our work would have been possible without the unwavering support of our partners, Fellows, and participants. Our gratitude is immense, and we look towards 2023 with much enthusiasm.
Ed Williams, Chairman of the Aspen UK Board of Trustees