How To Get Involved

• An evening with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter
  
• A discussion on how the next U.S. administration can repair the country's human rights record
  
•  A dialogue on the Carter Center's efforts to make Guinea worm the first parasitic disease to be eradicated in human history
  
• An examination of what it takes for an election to meet international standards
  
• A look at the nature of mental illnesses and misconceptions faced by those affected

All Conversations events are held at the Carter Center's Ivan Allen Pavilion. Tickets and RSVPs are available online only.  Please note RSVP start-dates below.
 
A Conversation with the Carters
Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 7-8:30 p.m.

View the archived webcast.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will discuss current initiatives at The Carter Center and their recent activities. This event will be moderated by Carter Center CEO Dr. John Hardman. 
 

 
Restoring Rights and Rules: A New Human Rights Agenda for
the United States
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, 7-8:30 p.m.

View the archived webcast.

The U.S. human rights record has been greatly tarnished by Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and other events during recent years. Join former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian human rights defender Saad Ibrahim, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA Larry Cox, and Chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission Sima Samar as they discuss how the next administration can restore the reputation of the United States on human rights. Event will be moderated by Karin Ryan, director of the Carter Center's Human Rights Program. 
 

Zeroing In On Guinea Worm Disease
Thursday, January 15, 2009, 7-8:30 p.m.

View the archived webcast. 

When The Carter Center began leading the campaign to eradicate Guinea worm in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of the disease in 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Today, there are fewer than 5,000 cases in six African countries—Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Niger—making Guinea worm disease poised to be the next disease after smallpox to be eradicated.

Dr. Donald Hopkins, who directs all health programs at The Carter Center and is a leading expert on disease eradication including smallpox, and Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, who leads the Center's Guinea worm eradication program, will discuss the journey toward this public health achievement and the strategy to reach zero cases of the disease. Read their full bios.

 
Beyond Free and Fair
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, 7-8:30 p.m.

View the archived webcast.

Election observers play a vital role in the elections of countries emerging from conflict. Their presence deters interference or fraud and reassures voters that they can safely and secretly cast their ballots, and their assessments are central to determining whether an election is considered genuinely democratic.

Hear from leaders in the field of international election observation and administration as they discuss witnessing elections in countries emerging from warfare or under threat of new conflict. Recent and upcoming election projects will be analyzed as well as emerging standards for credible elections, a project spearheaded by The Carter Center. 

Panelists include Ammar Dwaik; former chief electoral officer of the Palestinian Central Election Commission; Ambassador Christian Strohal, permanent representative of Austria to the United Nations and specialized agencies in Geneva, and former director of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Ilona Tip, senior advisor of conflict management, democracy, and electoral education at the Electoral Institute of South Africa (EISA).  David Carroll, director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program, will moderate.

 
Mental Illnesses:  Myths and Realities
Thursday, April 16, 2009, 7-8:30 p.m.

View the archived webcast.

Mental illnesses are extremely common—one in four Americans will experience one in their lifetime—yet advances in treatment and understanding of mental illnesses have not changed public perception of these disorders. Many people incorrectly believe mental illnesses cannot be treated or that a person with a mental illness is more likely to be violent.

Noted mental health and anti-stigma experts Dr. Patrick Corrigan, Dr. Ben Druss, and Charles Willis will address these and other misconceptions that are the most harmful to efforts to improve access to mental health care and fight discrimination against people with mental illness. The discussion will be facilitated by the Center's Mental Health Program Director Dr. Thom Bornemann. Watch the event live online.