Policy Week Ahead

Aug 17 – 23, 2026

27 events · 16 topics · 21 organizations — think tank webinars, panels and conferences, grouped by policy topic. Times are US Eastern.

Subscribe to this week's top topics

National Security

10 events

FDD Morning Brief — Jonathan Schanzer featuring Emily Schrader (livestream)

Mon, Aug 17 · 8:30 AM EDT·Foundation for Defense of DemocraciesVirtual

Emergency Episode: What's Happening with Korea? — Livestream — Aug 17, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Mon, Aug 17 · 2:45 PM EDT·Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Virtual

Indo‑Pacific Irregular Warfare Symposium (Aug 18–20, 2026)

Tue, Aug 18 · 6:00 AM EDT·Pacific ForumIn person

The Hormuz Implications for Energy Policymaking: Japan and South Korea — Webinar — Aug 18, 2026 8:00–9:00 am EDT

Tue, Aug 18 · 8:00 AM EDT·CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change ProgramVirtual

Golden Dome for America — Brookings-led discussion (Aug 19, 2026)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·Brookings InstitutionVirtual

5 more in National Security

Diplomacy

7 events

Emergency Episode: What's Happening with Korea? — Livestream — Aug 17, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Mon, Aug 17 · 2:45 PM EDT·Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Virtual

Beyond Pyongyang: Regional Development, Modernization, and Inequality in North Korea — Mon Aug 17, 8-9 PM ET (Webinar)

Tue, Aug 18 · time TBA·Stimson CenterVirtual

Great Power Diplomacy: How to Avoid World War Three — 19 August 2026 — Online (Members Event)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·RUSIVirtual

Lowy Institute Debate: Does AUKUS strengthen Australia's security?

Thu, Aug 20 · 4:15 AM EDT·Lowy InstituteIn person

UN Security Council informal poll to select next U.N. secretary-general (Aug 21, 2026)

Fri, Aug 21 · 12:00 AM EDT·Foundation for Defense of DemocraciesIn person

2 more in Diplomacy

Energy

4 events

Office Hours with Ira Joseph — August 18 (bookable slots)

Tue, Aug 18 · 12:00 AM EDT·Center on Global Energy PolicyIn person

The Hormuz Implications for Energy Policymaking: Japan and South Korea — Webinar — Aug 18, 2026 8:00–9:00 am EDT

Tue, Aug 18 · 8:00 AM EDT·CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change ProgramVirtual

The Strait of Hormuz closure: What happens to trade and shipping? (Trade Winds webinar) — Aug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Wed, Aug 19 · 9:00 AM EDT·Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)Virtual

ONS Summit 2026 on Energy Security — Aug 23–24, 2026 (Stavanger)

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·Munich Security ConferenceIn person

Conflict

4 events

Emergency Episode: What's Happening with Korea? — Livestream — Aug 17, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Mon, Aug 17 · 2:45 PM EDT·Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Virtual

Indo‑Pacific Irregular Warfare Symposium (Aug 18–20, 2026)

Tue, Aug 18 · 6:00 AM EDT·Pacific ForumIn person

Great Power Diplomacy: How to Avoid World War Three — 19 August 2026 — Online (Members Event)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·RUSIVirtual

Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course (SPTC) – 27th Edition | 23 August - 04 September 2026

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·GCSPIn person

Defense Technology

4 events

Golden Dome for America — Brookings-led discussion (Aug 19, 2026)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·Brookings InstitutionVirtual

National Security Dialogue: Beneath the Surface — India's Submarine Capacity-Building and Subsurface Warfare Strategy (19 Aug 2026, 15:00 IST, In-person)

Wed, Aug 19 · 5:30 AM EDT·Observer Research FoundationIn person

Lowy Institute Debate: Does AUKUS strengthen Australia's security?

Thu, Aug 20 · 4:15 AM EDT·Lowy InstituteIn person

2026 Armament and Disarmament Summer School

Mon, Aug 24 · time TBA·SIPRIIn person

Trade Policy

2 events

The Strait of Hormuz closure: What happens to trade and shipping? (Trade Winds webinar) — Aug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Wed, Aug 19 · 9:00 AM EDT·Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)Virtual

China's Weaponization of Trade — EWC Research Speaker Series (Victor Cha) — Hybrid

Thu, Aug 20 · 7:00 PM EDT·East-West CenterHybrid

Human Rights

1 event

Learning from a 1939 Library Protest — Aug 21, 2026, 12:00–1:00 PM EDT (Online)

Fri, Aug 21 · 12:00 PM EDT·New AmericaVirtual

Climate Change

1 event

IFPRI @ World Water Week 2026 — Aug 23–27, 2026 (Stockholm, Sweden)

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)In person

Supply Chain Security

1 event

The Strait of Hormuz closure: What happens to trade and shipping? (Trade Winds webinar) — Aug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Wed, Aug 19 · 9:00 AM EDT·Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)Virtual

United States

10 events

FDD Morning Brief — Jonathan Schanzer featuring Emily Schrader (livestream)

Mon, Aug 17 · 8:30 AM EDT·Foundation for Defense of DemocraciesVirtual

Emergency Episode: What's Happening with Korea? — Livestream — Aug 17, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Mon, Aug 17 · 2:45 PM EDT·Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Virtual

Office Hours with Ira Joseph — August 18 (bookable slots)

Tue, Aug 18 · 12:00 AM EDT·Center on Global Energy PolicyIn person

Indo‑Pacific Irregular Warfare Symposium (Aug 18–20, 2026)

Tue, Aug 18 · 6:00 AM EDT·Pacific ForumIn person

Golden Dome for America — Brookings-led discussion (Aug 19, 2026)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·Brookings InstitutionVirtual

5 more in United States

Global

9 events

The Impact of Foundational Skills on Workforce Success — August 18, 2026 — Virtual

Tue, Aug 18 · time TBA·Aspen InstituteVirtual

Great Power Diplomacy: How to Avoid World War Three — 19 August 2026 — Online (Members Event)

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·RUSIVirtual

Writing a Public Comment — August 19, 2026 — Virtual

Wed, Aug 19 · time TBA·Aspen InstituteVirtual

The Strait of Hormuz closure: What happens to trade and shipping? (Trade Winds webinar) — Aug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Wed, Aug 19 · 9:00 AM EDT·Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)Virtual

China's Weaponization of Trade — EWC Research Speaker Series (Victor Cha) — Hybrid

Thu, Aug 20 · 7:00 PM EDT·East-West CenterHybrid

4 more in Global

Asia-Pacific

8 events

Emergency Episode: What's Happening with Korea? — Livestream — Aug 17, 2026 2:45 PM ET

Mon, Aug 17 · 2:45 PM EDT·Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Virtual

Beyond Pyongyang: Regional Development, Modernization, and Inequality in North Korea — Mon Aug 17, 8-9 PM ET (Webinar)

Tue, Aug 18 · time TBA·Stimson CenterVirtual

Indo‑Pacific Irregular Warfare Symposium (Aug 18–20, 2026)

Tue, Aug 18 · 6:00 AM EDT·Pacific ForumIn person

The Hormuz Implications for Energy Policymaking: Japan and South Korea — Webinar — Aug 18, 2026 8:00–9:00 am EDT

Tue, Aug 18 · 8:00 AM EDT·CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change ProgramVirtual

National Security Dialogue: Beneath the Surface — India's Submarine Capacity-Building and Subsurface Warfare Strategy (19 Aug 2026, 15:00 IST, In-person)

Wed, Aug 19 · 5:30 AM EDT·Observer Research FoundationIn person

3 more in Asia-Pacific

Europe

4 events

Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course (SPTC) – 27th Edition | 23 August - 04 September 2026

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·GCSPIn person

IFPRI @ World Water Week 2026 — Aug 23–27, 2026 (Stockholm, Sweden)

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)In person

ONS Summit 2026 on Energy Security — Aug 23–24, 2026 (Stavanger)

Sat, Aug 22 · 6:00 PM EDT·Munich Security ConferenceIn person

2026 Armament and Disarmament Summer School

Mon, Aug 24 · time TBA·SIPRIIn person

China

1 event

China's Weaponization of Trade — EWC Research Speaker Series (Victor Cha) — Hybrid

Thu, Aug 20 · 7:00 PM EDT·East-West CenterHybrid

Middle East

1 event

The Strait of Hormuz closure: What happens to trade and shipping? (Trade Winds webinar) — Aug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Wed, Aug 19 · 9:00 AM EDT·Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)Virtual

Africa

1 event

FACECO Seminar: Job search, skills certification, and youth employment (18 Aug 2026) — Hybrid

Tue, Aug 18 · 6:00 AM EDT·UNU-WIDERHybrid

Previous week This week Next week