Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Who We Are
01 Our Purpose
We ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world.
02 Our Mission
We drive change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time.
03 Our Vision
We are building a thriving interconnected community of leaders driving impact across geographies, generations, and viewpoints.
Impact Areas
Rising Generations
We ignite the potential of young people of all backgrounds by developing their leadership, amplifying their voices, and enabling productive dialogue across differences.
We connect and develop leaders across sectors, geographies, and generations, creating networks of individuals committed to solving our greatest challenges.
We advance strategies, policies, and ideas that catalyze the change needed to build an inclusive economy—one that ensures financial security, opportunity, and resilience.
Explore the origins of the Aspen Institute, from our founding in 1949 to our growth as a platform for dialogue, leadership, and action. Discover the people and principles that continue to shape our work today.
Our signature leadership seminars create transformative experiences that challenge participants to reflect deeply, think critically, and grow as purposeful leaders.
Aspen Institute Centers provide focused platforms for advancing specific fields of inquiry, public understanding, and leadership development across disciplines.
Our Annual Impact Report shares highlights from the past year—including our programs, partnerships, financials, and impact—offering a clear view of how we bring our mission to life.
The Aspen Institute shares regular updates about our work. You’ll receive the latest information on upcoming events and popular material from our staff — including publications, blog posts, podcasts, and videos.
