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The Committee of 70’s The Promise of Democracy Summit takes place July 15 and 16 at The National Constitution Center and the University of Pennsylvania. General admission tickets for the kickoff event on Wednesday are $250. VIP tickets are $1,000.

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Citizen Recommends

The Promise of Democracy 250th Summit

Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham headlines a two-day deep dive into the state of our democracy, a must-attend for civic-minded Philadelphians

Citizen Recommends

The Promise of Democracy 250th Summit

Pulitzer Prize winning author Jon Meacham headlines a two-day deep dive into the state of our democracy, a must-attend for civic-minded Philadelphians

BY Courtney DuChene

Jul. 09, 2026

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Back in 2017, Lauren Cristella remembers feeling a bit defeated.

National rhetoric was growing increasingly partisan and ugly. Cristella, like many, wondered what the future would hold.

Then, she attended a talk from Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham hosted by Committee of 70. This was before Cristella was president and CEO of the nonprofit good governance organization. She remembers that Meacham’s talk helped her imagine a better way forward. He spoke on leadership, considering American presidents from Thomas Jefferson to George HW Bush and how they navigated various challenges during their tenure.

“It wasn’t partisan, and it wasn’t dire, but it absolutely met the moment. It was like, hey we’ve been through tough times before. The American spirit is strong. We have what we need to get through this,” Cristella says. “I remember reaching out to [then Committee of 70 CEO] David Thornburgh and his team, saying this absolutely knocked my socks off and made me feel hopeful.”

If you’re wondering what Meacham’s perspective is on this current moment, we have good news: Committee of 70 is once again bringing him to Philly, this time as part of their Promise of Democracy 250th Summit on Wednesday, July 15 and Thursday July 17.

The two-day event will bring together policymakers, civic leaders and educators for a rousing discussion on how we can build a more robust and equitable democracy. The summit will both celebrate the first 250th years of American democracy and consider what the future holds.

“In the middle of the fun and all the other goings on in Philadelphia this summer, we wanted to remind people the reason for the season,” Cristella says.

“If you are feeling inspired by all the celebrations, if you’re feeling down on America — whatever this moment means to you — I think there’s something for you here. It will hopefully get you thinking, or help you learn something, or inspire some new action to take for your community.”

It’ll kick off on Wednesday with a VIP reception and a keynote address from Meacham that will consider today’s debates over democracy, leadership, civic trust and national identity through the prism of our country’s past. Afterwards, there will be a reception for attendees.

“He’s able to put the current American moment in historical context,” Cristella says. “When we were thinking about who could kick this conversation off and ground us in American history, there was truly no other person we wanted to have to do that and anchor this conversation.”

On Thursday, a series of five panels will explore the rule of law, how media affects trust in democracy, voter apathy and how to reduce it, combatting polarization, and how to restore checks and balances to government.

Speakers include Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States; U.S. Congresswomen Chrissy Houlahan and Mary Gay Scanlon; National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial; and Swing Voter Project Creator Rich Thau. The event will conclude with a keynote conversation between writer and author Roxane Gay and former New York Times columnist David Brooks. The conversation will be moderated by WHYY’s Cherri Gregg.

Tickets for the panels on Thursday are currently sold out, but they will be recorded and available on The Philadelphia Citizen and WHYY. You can still buy tickets for Meacham’s talk Wednesday.

Cristella hopes the event will spur ongoing conversations about democracy and how people can use their voice to become more civically engaged. They’ve invited educators to the event to help keep the dialogue going in classrooms and they hope — by sharing the sessions widely online — they will be able to reach a broader audience.

“This is a conversation that we’re kicking off,” Cristella says. “It’s absolutely one that will continue and we hope to bring in new voices.”

Committee of 70’s The Promise of Democracy Summit will take place on July 15 and 16 at The National Constitution Center and the University of Pennsylvania. General admission tickets for the kickoff event on Wednesday are $250. VIP tickets are $1,000.

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Historian Jon Meacham speaks during a discussion with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, not pictured, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on January 6, 2022, on how "to establish and preserve the narrative of January 6th." - The event marked the first anniversary of the US Capitol insurrection, the violent attack by Trump supporters that has fundamentally changed the Congress and raised global concerns about the future of American democracy. (Photo by Al Drago / POOL / AFP) (Photo by AL DRAGO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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