 Good afternoon everyone or good morning or good evening wherever you might be around the world For those of you who don't know me. I am Anne Marie Slaughter. I am the CEO of New America and It's my great pleasure to welcome you to the 8th annual future security forum This year our forum is a little different than in years past There is a great deal to discuss in the world This forum is taking place as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has riveted our attention and also escalated concern about renewed great power competition rising authoritarianism and really the Intersection of security and democracy which is exactly our theme for this conference But the issues tying together security and democracy extend well beyond the war in Ukraine We're going to hear about their intertwining and with regard to Afghanistan India China In cyberspace and also here in the United States when it comes to domestic terrorism one of the great things About this forum is that it is a signature event for our partnership for New America's partnership with Arizona State University that partnership has been hugely beneficial to both parties and it is an innovative Arrangement with ASU which is the most innovative University in America and indeed Thinks of itself as the new American University just as we think of Ourselves as standing for and helping to shape the America that is emerging the new America I want to thank President Michael Crow Evelyn Farkas who I will be introducing who has taken over the McCain Institute and is a Long-standing friend of mine and Peter Bergen's will be speaking on behalf of ASU But I always have to thank President Crow For his vision in agreeing to this fellowship on this Forum is also the result of the future of war project Which has been led by Peter Bergen on the new America side and Daniel Rothenberg on the ASU side For eight years. We've hosted over a hundred and fifty events in Arizona and in Washington We've reached thousands of thought leaders and journalists and government officials Students members of the military and anyone interested in the future of security The creation of the Center on the future of war which is based at ASU Has grown from Peter and Daniel Daniel to a team of 20 faculty members and over a hundred and fifty affiliated faculty from multiple fields We've done research projects on drones terrorism proxy war and other issues Faculty have published over more than 15 books faculty and fellows and won major prizes and grants Most recently co-directors Peter and Daniel alongside Candace Rondo another ASU professor of the practice and now director of the future front lines and planetary politics initiatives at New America and David Sturman published an edited volume entitled Understanding the new proxy wars. I strongly recommended proxy wars have been with us for a long time But there's a new generation of proxy wars Reflecting the new configuration of power in the world We've also created an online masters in global security, which is now in its sixth year We have over a hundred and fifty current students and nearly 300 graduates ASU and the Center on the future of war Also supports a group of the new America fellows. I Also have to thank I don't have to thank I want to thank our Conference organizing partners this year in addition to ASU and New America The strategic studies Institute of the Army War College led by director Carol Evans and the Joint Special Operations University led by President Colonel Ike Wilson who is also a New America International Security Fellow and a professor of the practice at ASU Finally the future security forum is a different kind of Washington DC policy conference it is Designed to be smaller in ways that encourage Active conversation We've had thousands of attendees Over our eight years, but when we were physical we were able to hold it in a relatively small room And we try to create that feeling virtually as well We also see this conference as an opportunity to Exemplify what we at New America see as the central part of our mission to honestly confront the challenges caused by rapid technological and social change The last thing I want to mention is to comment on the New America Army Fellowship We have been delighted to host Army Fellows since 2018 A year ago our fourth New America Army Fellow Colonel Crystal Hills joined our team and even though we are only now really back in the office We have been able to forge very valuable connections and we were delighted to host her this year We are thrilled to welcome our newest Army Fellow Colonel Carmelia J. Scott skillen skillen. I'm sorry to the New America team So now let me introduce my colleague and friend Evelyn Farkas the director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at ASU Evelyn, let me turn to you. Well, thank you so much Anne Marie Thank you for including me For those who have not met me I am Evelyn Farkas the executive director the new executive director of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University We are at the McCain Institute inspired of course by the legacy of the great late senator McCain And what we do is basically boldly advanced democracy human dignity and security We are committed to serving causes greater than ourselves and our vision is a world that is free safe and just for all people And we do that through our programming focusing on human rights democracy and leadership I'm really pleased to join today's event. I had the pleasure several years ago actually of speaking at this forum And I know that you will have a really interesting conversation And I actually was bemoaning the fact that I can't stay for the whole thing. So I'll have to look at this on video You have some really really timely panels. Anne Marie as you mentioned the Ukraine panels in particular Including on special operations forces. So again, I'm going to look to that video This is really a unique partnership. As you mentioned, Anne Marie between Arizona State University and New America As you mentioned new the Arizona State University is really one of the most innovative if not the most innovative universities in the world And the Center for the Future of War and ASU have teamed up to put together this flagship symposium year after year And to the great benefit of both organizations and all of the participants The program is part of our identity at ASU of a comprehensive public research university And ASU measures itself not by whom it excludes But by whom they include whom we include and how they succeed And we are always advancing research and the discovery of public value Assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic social cultural and overall health of of the communities ASU serves This semester there are over 140,000 undergraduate and graduate students registered for classes A significant increase from last year and again that is another objective ASU ranks six in the united states also for research expenditures among universities without a medical school Having increased research from 123 million in 2002 to 673 million today So the theme of this year's forum is securing democracies This of course is also a passion of the mccain institute One of the most pressing issues today is really the rising influence and power of authoritarian regimes Alongside the substantive threats to democratic rule and engaging this issue like so many future security challenges Requires new approaches ideas and a commitment to innovation Institutions like ours are crucial to redefining national and global security We are committed to lifelong learning to advancing our thinking and solving problems on all of this So we Really just want to echo The thanks that amory gave to president crow. I obviously am not president crow, but I am Representing him, but thank you nonetheless to president crow. Thank you for everyone at new america for organizing this The mccain institute team and with that I bid you a great conference