2024 Borah Symposium to discuss challenges and opportunities for peace in the 21st century

MOSCOW, Idaho — The challenges and opportunities for peace and security in the 21st century will be among the topics discussed at this year’s University of Idaho Borah Symposium. The 77th annual symposium, which is free and open to the public, will take place Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 16-18, in Moscow. A full list of events and times is below.

The keynote speaker is Carlos Alvarado Quesada, who served as the 48th president of the Republic of Costa Rica from May 2018 to May 2022 when his constitutionally limited term ended. Under Alvarado Quesada’s leadership, Costa Rica contributed to global efforts to combat climate change and defended human rights, democracy and multilateralism.  

“Costa Rica’s leaders have a legacy of leading out on these topics in the Americas,” said Bill L. Smith, director of the Borah Foundation. “We hosted former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias in 2011 and are thrilled to host President Alvarado in 2024.”

Each year, the Borah Foundation sponsors the Borah Symposium, which strives to bring together world leaders, diplomats, scholars, activists and local communities to discuss the causes of war and the conditions for peace. The theme of the 2024 Borah Symposium is “Peace and Security in the 21st Century.”  

“Amid current world events, the topic of the present and future of peace and security held immediate appeal to the Borah Committee,” said Alyson Roy, assistant professor of history and chair of the Borah Committee. “The committee chose to define the topic as broadly as possible, to encompass everything from climate change and water crises to AI security and human rights protections.”

Monday, Sept. 16

• “Delikado” documentary screening, 7 p.m., Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, 508 S. Main St.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

• Renfrew Colloquium: “Sustaining American Alliances,” presented by Christopher Darnton, associate professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate College, 12:30 p.m., Vandal Ballroom, Bruce M. Pitman Center
• Plenary address, presented by Ambassador Stephanie T. Williams, former head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, 7 p.m., International Ballroom, Bruce M. Pitman Center

Wednesday, Sept. 18

• Keynote address, presented by Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former president of Costa Rica, 7 p.m., International Ballroom, Bruce M. Pitman Center
  Additional information is available at uidaho.edu/borah.

Media contact

Romuald K. Afatchao, Ph.D., LL.M
Associate Director, Martin Institute and Clinical Professor, International Studies
208-885-5735
afatchao@uidaho.edu