Over 60 funders converged on Washington for the 2011 Federal
Policy Briefing, co-sponsored by PSFG
and the International Human Rights Funders Group (IHRFG). The meeting marked another successful
collaboration between the two funder affinity groups.
The meeting began with dinner on Tuesday, March 29 and
featured former House Speaker and current Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). A stellar cast of experts and
policy makers addressed some of the most pressing issues facing the peace &
security and human rights advocacy and funding communities.
Sessions were held on the
following issues, among others: >Ending military involvement in Afghanistan >Confronting violent extremism >Promoting peace-building and military
withdrawal >Unpacking budget reform and national security >Examining U.S. responses to popular uprisings in
the Middle East >Ensuring government accountability in national
security and human rights policy-making
As has become tradition, the
first day was capped by a large reception at the Stewart R. Mott House. Susan
Eisenhower, President of the
Eisenhower Group, addressed the group, which included speakers and leading
Washington, DC activists and analysts from among our grantees.
The second day was spent on
Capitol Hill where we met in the Capitol Visitors Center and ate lunch at the
Senate Buffet. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) among others, spoke to the group. In the
afternoon, PSFG held an organizational meeting on what we can and should be
doing to enhance the effectiveness of philanthropy in the field of peace and
security.
Advancing Peace, Security and Human Rights in an Era of Change March 18- 19, 2009 Washington, DC
Members and friends of the Peace and Security Funders Group and the International Human Rights Funders Group gathered in Washington, DC for a two-day meeting to hear from policy makers and leading analysts and advocates on the political environment in Washington and opportunities for advancing peace, security and human rights issues. The meeting succeeded
beyond expectations in its objectives of inspiring and informing attendees, as well as encouraging the development of politically-attuned strategies for our philanthropy.
Planning for the meeting was guided by two convictions. First, we believe there is tremendous value in bringing together funders from the closely related worlds of human rights and peace so we can all gain deeper understanding and appreciation of the connections between and the interdependence of these aspirations. Second, we are seized with the critical importance of responding effectively to the very welcome political opportunities afforded by the new Administration and this reflective moment in American political history. Windows of opportunity such as this often close quickly.
Program Highlights
*Keynote speech from Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg *Meetings with Members of Congress and Administration officials in the capitol *Dynamic Experts and Speakers, including: Steve Coll, President and CEO, New America Foundation; Frederick Barton, Co-director of the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Lynn Rusten, former Senate Armed Services Cmte staff and State Dept official; Joseph Zogby, Chief Counsel to Sen. Durbin; Suzanne Spaulding, Principal, Bingham Consulting Group; Catherine Powell, Associate Professor of Law, Fordham Law School; John Isaacs, Executive Director of the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation; and Lisa Graves, Deputy Director, Center for National Security Studies. *Substantive sessions and talks on some of the most important issues facing us: Human Rights at Home; US Nuclear Weapons policy; Accountability
for Abuses Committed in the Struggle Against Terrorism; Ending
America’s “Wars” in Iraq, Afghanistan and the “war on terror”; Human
Rights and Peace for Palestinians, Israelis and Iranians; Reforming the U.S. Military Budget; Protecting Human Rights while Fighting Terrorism *Reception with leading NGO’s at the Mott House featuring remarks from fomer funder and U.S. Representative Donna Edwards and Representative George Miller. *Strategy discussions
Meeting Report and Documents
Click here to access 2009 Federal Policy Briefing documents, including the final report, agenda, participant contact information and speakers' bios in the Members' Only section.
Co-sponsored with the