Announcement
Democracy360 Concludes With a Call to Listen, Connect, and Imagine Together
Oct 20, 2025
Democracy360 returns to Charlottesville for three days of bold ideas, engaging conversations, and visionary thinking. Presented by the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, this free event convenes thought leaders, journalists, policymakers, scholars, artists, and students of all ages to ask: How do we shape a thriving democratic future together?
This year’s convening comes at a pivotal moment as the United States nears the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—an opportunity to reflect on democracy’s founding ideals and imagine its future. The Karsh Institute is proud to welcome back The Atlantic as Official Media Partner and VPM as Distribution Partner.
Featured Speakers
Featured Events
Stories That Bind Us: A Conversation with Beth Macy
Melody Barnes, Beth Macy
Join Beth Macy, the acclaimed author of Dopesick and the newly released memoir, Paper Girl, for a powerful conversation about the forces shaping America’s rural and urban communities and the stories that bind us.
Guardrails of Democracy: The Law, Institutions, and the American Experiment
Norman Eisen, Sarah Isgur, Evan Smith
A timely conversation exploring the rule of law and the democratic institutions that uphold it as cornerstones of democratic life and defining forces in the 250-year-old American experiment.
Join the Conversation: ‘Feast of Reason’
Justin G. Reid
Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner parties—where spirited conversation flowed alongside food and drink—this unique session invites participants to gather over lunch for meaningful dialogue about civic identity, democratic values, and the legacy of 1776.
Announcements
From law and institutions to empathy and understanding, the final day of Democracy360 showcased how shared stories can shape the next 250 years of American democracy.
Respectful, open dialogue is critical in a healthy democracy. And on Day 2 of Democracy360, that concept ran throughout.
Democracy360 is back in Charlottesville this week, bringing together leaders, scholars, journalists and community members for three days of discussion on the state of democracy.
Day one of Democracy360 highlighted the power of collaboration, from participatory music and community dialogue to higher education partnerships advancing democracy nationwide.
