October 3, 2020

United States National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien will participate in the International Churchill Society’s 2020 virtual conference, which takes place on the 23rd and 24th of this month. Ambassador O’Brien will be interviewed by Ambassador Mitchell B. Reiss about the applicability of Churchill’s leadership example in today’s world. Their conversation will be aired on Saturday, October 24th and is presented by the National Churchill Library and Center at the George Washington University. The conference will be based in Britain and will include both live and pre-recorded sessions from various locations around the world. Registration is free. For details on how to register, please CLICK HERE.

Prior to becoming the 28th—and current—US National Security Advisor, Mr. O’Brien also served the present administration as Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs with the rank of Ambassador from 2018 to 2019. Mr. O’Brien served in the administration of President George W. Bush as Alternate Representative to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly from 2005 to 2006; Co-Chairman of the US Department of State’s Public-Private Partnership beginning in 2007; and as a member of the US Cultural Property Advisory Committee for a three-year term beginning in 2008. Ambassador Reiss served as President George W. Bush’s Special Envoy to the Northern Ireland Peace Process from 2003 to 2007 with the rank of ambassador and is the co-chair of the International Churchill Society’s Operating Committee.

This year’s conference will also include former British Prime Minister Sir John Major in conversation with former British Foreign Secretary William Hague. Veteran broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby will chair a discussion about Churchill’s relevance today with panelists Andrew Roberts, Rear Admiral Dr. Chris Parry, and Dr. Karin von Hippel. Also on the schedule is author Cita Stelzer, whose book Working with Winston explores the important working relationships that Churchill had with his many secretaries. From Chartwell, Katherine Carter will introduce the refurbished painting studio, and Dr. Barry Phipps and Paul Rafferty will explore Churchill’s painting and how it helped him in his darkest hours.

From North America, the conference will feature a virtual look at America’s National Churchill Museum at Westminster College and a discussion with special guests David Reynolds, Emeritus Professor of International History and a Fellow of Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge, and Catherine Katz, author of The Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War. This session will focus on Churchill on the international stage and the “Special Relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom. It will also anticipate the 75th Anniversary of the “Sinews of Peace” (Iron Curtain) speech in March 2020. This session will be moderated by the Museum’s Sandra L. and Monroe E. Trout Director and Curator Timothy Riley.

2024 International Churchill Conference

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Conference sessions will begin at 2:00 PM BST on both Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th. This will be 9 am in the Eastern time zone of North America and 6 am in the Pacific time zone. There will be approximately 4–5 hours of programming each day.