The 2024 Sedona Forum
The 2024 Sedona Forum, held May 3 – 5, celebrated the legacy of Senator John McCain and emphasized America’s important leadership role in the world and the essential values of character and integrity. The theme of the 2024 Sedona Forum, “Securing our Insecure World,” catalyzed conversations on democracy, curbing international influences from Russia and China, AI, the Middle East, and the 2024 elections. We hosted two sitting Cabinet members – U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen – eight U.S. Senators, two Congressmen, two Governors, six prominent national journalists, including NBC News Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker who conducted interviews from the Sedona Forum with Arizona newsmakers, and more than 40 total lawmakers, policy experts, and other changemakers from across the political spectrum for the most-viewed Sedona Forum to date.
2:30 pm - 2:40 pm
Welcome Remarks
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
• Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
Watch Here
2:40 pm - 2:50 pm
A View from Arizona
Introduction by Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chairman, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
• Gov. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s 24th Governor
Watch Here
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Democracy Delivers: An Economic Case for an Uncertain Era
• Sec. Janet Yellen, United States Secretary of the Treasury
In Conversation With:
• Moderator: Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University (TBC)
Watch Here
3:50 pm - 4:30 pm
Weapons of War: Combating Sexual Violence
Introduction by Kristen Abrams, Chief Program Officer, McCain Institute
• Dr. Denis Mukwege, President & Founder, Panzi Hospital and Foundation
In Conversation With:
• Sheryl Sandberg, Founder, Lean In
Watch Here
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Democracy in the Balance
• Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, United States Senator, Arizona
In Conversation with:
• Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Democracy Reporter Based in Arizona, The Washington Post
Watch Here
5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Presentation of the In The Arena Award
Presentation by Gov. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s 24th Governor
• Hans Vestberg, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Verizon
Watch Here
7:05 pm - 8:45 pm
The Sedona Leadership Dinner
Welcome Remarks by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Presentation of the Courage & Leadership Award:
Watch Here
Remarks by Jack McCain, Board Member, McCain Institute
Tribute Video to Alexei Navalny
Presentation by David Axelrod, Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics, CNN Senior Political Commentator, & Professor of Practice, Arizona State University
• Remarks: Ms. Dasha Navalnaya
Keynote Conversation:
Introduction by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
• Sec. Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State
In Conversation with:
• Sen. Mitt Romney, United States Senator, Utah
Watch Here
Remarks and Video Introduction:
• Kristen Abrams, Chief Program Officer, McCain Institute
Tribute Video to Secretary Henry Kissinger
Conclusion:
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chairman, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
8:40 am - 8:45 am
Opening Remarks
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
• Scott Jablow, Mayor of Sedona
8:45 am - 9:00 am
An Update from Ukraine
Virtual Remarks from Dmytro Kuleba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ukraine
In Conversation With:
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Watch Here
9:05 am - 9:45 am
Democracy and the Digital Revolution
Introduction by Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer, Arizona State University
• Sen. Joe Manchin, United States Senator, West Virginia
• Damon Wilson, President & CEO, National Endowment for Democracy
Moderator:
• Sarah Margon, Director, Foreign Policy, Open Society Foundations
Watch Here
9:45 am - 10:30 am
Global Hot Spots: Russia & Middle East
Introduction: “Support Ukraine” video
• Garry Kasparov, Chairman, Renew Democracy Initiative
• Vali Nasr, Professor of International Affairs & Middle East Studies, SAIS
• Amb. David Pressman, United States Ambassador to Hungary
Moderator:
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Watch Here
10:45 am - 11:30 am
Tools of Statecraft: Wrongful Detainees and Hostage Affairs
• Amb. Roger D. Carstens, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, U.S. State Department
• Sen. Peter Welch, United States Senator, Vermont
Moderator:
• Seung Min Kim, White House Reporter, The Associated Press
Watch Here
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
US Deterrence Strategy in Asia
• Rep. Brendan Boyle, United States Congressman, Pennsylvania’s 2nd District
• Jon Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States
• Sen. Mark Kelly, United States Senator, Arizona
Moderator:
• Courtney Kube, Correspondent, NBC News
Watch Here
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
"A Cause Greater Than” Lunch: Political Courage
Tribute Video to Senator Joe Lieberman
Introduction by Steve Duprey, Former Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party
• Gov. Chris Sununu, New Hampshire’s 82nd Governor
In Conversation With:
• Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics & Board Member, McCain Institute
Watch Here
1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Surviving “America First”
• Rep. Jason Crow, United States Congressman, Colorado’s 6th District
• Amb. Alexandra Hall Hall, Former Ambassador to Georgia, Writer, Byline Times, & Co-host, "Disorder" Podcast
• Amb. Martin Kimani, Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations
Moderator:
• Josh Rogin, Columnist, The Washington Post
Watch Here
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Law of the Sea Versus China's Maritime Adventurism
• Adm. Linda Fagan, Commandant, United States Coast Guard
• Sen. Todd Young, United States Senator, Indiana
Moderator:
• Paul Kane, Senior Congressional Correspondent, The Washington Post
Watch Here
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Can Transparency Curb Corruption?
• Sen. Bill Cassidy, United States Senator, Louisiana
• Gen. Laura Richardson, Commander, United States Southern Command
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator, Rhode Island
Moderator:
• Roberto Patiño, Founder, Mi Convive and Director, Institute 2100
Watch Here
4:15 pm - 5:00 pm
Analysis of US Elections: 2024 and Beyond
• David Axelrod, Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics, CNN Senior Political Commentator, & Professor of Practice, ASU
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
Moderator:
• Kelly O’Donnell, Senior White House Correspondent, NBC News
Watch Here
5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Closing Remarks
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
2:30 pm - 2:40 pm
Welcome Remarks
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
• Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
Watch Here
2:40 pm - 2:50 pm
A View from Arizona
Introduction by Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chairman, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
• Gov. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s 24th Governor
Watch Here
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Democracy Delivers: An Economic Case for an Uncertain Era
• Sec. Janet Yellen, United States Secretary of the Treasury
In Conversation With:
• Moderator: Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University (TBC)
Watch Here
3:50 pm - 4:30 pm
Weapons of War: Combating Sexual Violence
Introduction by Kristen Abrams, Chief Program Officer, McCain Institute
• Dr. Denis Mukwege, President & Founder, Panzi Hospital and Foundation
In Conversation With:
• Sheryl Sandberg, Founder, Lean In
Watch Here
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Democracy in the Balance
• Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, United States Senator, Arizona
In Conversation with:
• Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Democracy Reporter Based in Arizona, The Washington Post
Watch Here
5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Presentation of the In The Arena Award
Presentation by Gov. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s 24th Governor
• Hans Vestberg, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Verizon
Watch Here
7:05 pm - 8:45 pm
The Sedona Leadership Dinner
Welcome Remarks by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Presentation of the Courage & Leadership Award:
Watch Here
Remarks by Jack McCain, Board Member, McCain Institute
Tribute Video to Alexei Navalny
Presentation by David Axelrod, Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics, CNN Senior Political Commentator, & Professor of Practice, Arizona State University
• Remarks: Ms. Dasha Navalnaya
Keynote Conversation:
Introduction by Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
• Sec. Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State
In Conversation with:
• Sen. Mitt Romney, United States Senator, Utah
Watch Here
Remarks and Video Introduction:
• Kristen Abrams, Chief Program Officer, McCain Institute
Tribute Video to Secretary Henry Kissinger
Conclusion:
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chairman, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
8:40 am - 8:45 am
Opening Remarks
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
• Scott Jablow, Mayor of Sedona
8:45 am - 9:00 am
An Update from Ukraine
Virtual Remarks from Dmytro Kuleba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ukraine
In Conversation With:
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Watch Here
9:05 am - 9:45 am
Democracy and the Digital Revolution
Introduction by Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer, Arizona State University
• Sen. Joe Manchin, United States Senator, West Virginia
• Damon Wilson, President & CEO, National Endowment for Democracy
Moderator:
• Sarah Margon, Director, Foreign Policy, Open Society Foundations
Watch Here
9:45 am - 10:30 am
Global Hot Spots: Russia & Middle East
Introduction: “Support Ukraine” video
• Garry Kasparov, Chairman, Renew Democracy Initiative
• Vali Nasr, Professor of International Affairs & Middle East Studies, SAIS
• Amb. David Pressman, United States Ambassador to Hungary
Moderator:
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
Watch Here
10:45 am - 11:30 am
Tools of Statecraft: Wrongful Detainees and Hostage Affairs
• Amb. Roger D. Carstens, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, U.S. State Department
• Sen. Peter Welch, United States Senator, Vermont
Moderator:
• Seung Min Kim, White House Reporter, The Associated Press
Watch Here
11:30 am - 12:15 pm
US Deterrence Strategy in Asia
• Rep. Brendan Boyle, United States Congressman, Pennsylvania’s 2nd District
• Jon Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States
• Sen. Mark Kelly, United States Senator, Arizona
Moderator:
• Courtney Kube, Correspondent, NBC News
Watch Here
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
"A Cause Greater Than” Lunch: Political Courage
Tribute Video to Senator Joe Lieberman
Introduction by Steve Duprey, Former Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party
• Gov. Chris Sununu, New Hampshire’s 82nd Governor
In Conversation With:
• Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics & Board Member, McCain Institute
Watch Here
1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Surviving “America First”
• Rep. Jason Crow, United States Congressman, Colorado’s 6th District
• Amb. Alexandra Hall Hall, Former Ambassador to Georgia, Writer, Byline Times, & Co-host, "Disorder" Podcast
• Amb. Martin Kimani, Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations
Moderator:
• Josh Rogin, Columnist, The Washington Post
Watch Here
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Law of the Sea Versus China's Maritime Adventurism
• Adm. Linda Fagan, Commandant, United States Coast Guard
• Sen. Todd Young, United States Senator, Indiana
Moderator:
• Paul Kane, Senior Congressional Correspondent, The Washington Post
Watch Here
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Can Transparency Curb Corruption?
• Sen. Bill Cassidy, United States Senator, Louisiana
• Gen. Laura Richardson, Commander, United States Southern Command
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator, Rhode Island
Moderator:
• Roberto Patiño, Founder, Mi Convive and Director, Institute 2100
Watch Here
4:15 pm - 5:00 pm
Analysis of US Elections: 2024 and Beyond
• David Axelrod, Founding Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics, CNN Senior Political Commentator, & Professor of Practice, ASU
• Rick Davis, Partner, Stonecourt Capital & Chair, Board of Trustees, McCain Institute
Moderator:
• Kelly O’Donnell, Senior White House Correspondent, NBC News
Watch Here
5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Closing Remarks
• Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Executive Director, McCain Institute
