Indiana Bar Foundation hosts inaugural Indiana Civics Summit

National, regional, state, and local leaders will discuss the role of civics in the Indiana business, education, legal, non-profit, and government communities.

Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner are among the featured speakers. Hosted by the Indiana Bar Foundation on April 13, the Indiana Civics Summit will be held at the Ivy Tech Conference Center in Downtown Indianapolis. 

“We have created a day of comprehensive discussion, collaboration, and networking centered on how civics impacts all aspects of our lives, from our homes to classrooms, to board rooms,” said Foundation President & CEO Charles Dunlap. A capacity gathering of 200 attendees is anticipated for this first-ever summit, a news release said.

The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Richard Haass. He is in his twentieth year as the Council on Foreign Relations president. Among his accomplishments, Dr. Haass is a veteran diplomat, a prominent voice on American foreign policy, and a proven leader and manager. He is the author of “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.”

Six moderated panels with presenter remarks and time for open discussion will cover a variety of topics, including:

• Making a Case for Civic Education in Indiana
• National Civics Landscape & Indiana’s Role
• The Educator’s Perspective on Civics
• The Business Case for Civics
• The Legal Community’s Role in Civics
• Community Building Through Civics

The Summit marks the beginning of a Foundation-led Civic Coalition. “Our goal is to use the momentum from the summit to establish a Civics Coalition to set forth a coordinated effort to improve civic knowledge and participation, impact public policy, support best practices in education, improve civic skills, and enhance civic attitudes,” said Dunlap.