Colorado SunFest 2026, hosted by The Colorado Sun at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs will be a daylong event bringing Coloradans together to discuss what makes A Better Colorado on Friday, May 1.

Whether the conversation is centered on politics, outdoors, environment or education, all Coloradans have a say in how to make this great state even better.

Students are eligible for discounted tickets!

Colorado SunFest 2026

Join us for Colorado SunFest 2026, a full-day event bringing together journalists, community leaders, and engaged Coloradans for compelling conversations and meaningful connections. General admission includes access to all sessions — including a featured Keynote conversation — plus breakfast, lunch, all-day coffee and tea, a sponsor tote bag, and access to the Networking Lounge.

Registration is through The Colorado Sun. Discounted tickets are available for students and Colorado Sun members.

Member & Group Discounts:

Colorado Sun members save $40 -  email [email protected] to confirm your membership, or [email protected] to receive your discount code.

Groups of 6 or more save 20% with promo code SF2026Group.

Nonprofits receive 15% off with promo code SF2026Nonprofit (use your organization's email at checkout).

[Register now through The Colorado Sun → https://coloradosun.com/colorado-sunfest/]

The Korbel Honors is an annual celebration of the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs and members of our community making a difference in the world. This event brings together faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends to celebrate all the Korbel School has accomplished, and can accomplish to advance a more just, prosperous, sustainable, democratic, and peaceful world. The Korbel School is pleased to announce the 2026 honored guest and speaker, Melinda French Gates.

For more information about past events, please visit the Korbel Honors webpage.

*This is an invite only, closed event.

The Sustainable Development in Africa Conference convenes academics and cultural leaders to address pressing African challenges and opportunities. This year's theme is Reimagining Africa's Future Through Democracy, Economic Growth, and Youth Innovation.

This conference is presented by the Africa Center and Students for Africa group at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs.

Join the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the Korbel School for a policy dialogue with the two leading Democratic candidates for the next Governor of Colorado, diving into key state policy issues, including affordability, federal-state relations, and rural economic development.

After the dialogue, stay, socialize, and discuss the issues with other attendees and our guest speakers. Pizza and drinks will be provided. Registration is required.

This event is open to the Scrivner Institute, Korbel School, and DU communities. We kindly request that you do not circulate this registration to others.

Agenda

• 11:30am - Doors open
• 12:00pm - Dialogue begins
• 1:15pm - Pizza and meet and great

Please note that the event is open seating and if the room reaches capacity, guests will be directed to an overflow room with a closed-circuit, live stream of the dialogue.

Join the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy for the next Scrivner Policy Roundtable. This edition will feature The Colorado Project, a program convened by the Korbel School that brings together a politically and geographically diverse group of civic, political, and private‑sector leaders to address Colorado’s most pressing policy challenges.

At this roundtable, you’ll learn about Colorado Project 2.0: Rural Renaissance, which focuses on elevating the experiences and perspectives of rural communities in shaping policy opportunities for economic thriving. A 2025 Rural Learning Tour, which included site visits to the Northeast Plains, the San Luis Valley, and the Yampa Valley, allowed the project team to engage with local leaders and understand the challenges and innovations unique to these rural communities.

You’ll hear directly from participants about their insights from the site visits and take part in dynamic discussions on policy priorities for an inclusive and sustainable state economy.

Light breakfast will be provided. Please RSVP for more details.

We invite you to join the Center for Middle East Studies (CMES) at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs for an evening of discussion, featuring Faysal Itani, senior fellow at the New Lines Institute. The discussion will examine Lebanon’s ongoing political and economic crisis alongside broader post-war regional dynamics, including rising U.S.-Iran tensions and their implications for Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

The Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs invites you to a special screening of Lithium Rising: The Race for Critical Minerals, a Bertelsmann Foundation documentary.

Lithium Rising is a cinematic journey through the global race for critical minerals—the metals powering our green transition. Filmed across five continents, the documentary explores how the drive to decarbonize has sparked fierce geopolitical competition while imposing steep costs on vulnerable communities at the frontlines of extraction.

From the salt flats of the Andean highlands to the cobalt pits of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the film meets miners, Indigenous leaders, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the promises and perils of this new resource boom. Whether it is water scarcity threatening communities in the Atacama desert or tribal sovereignty and land-use disputes in Nevada, the film reveals how the quest for a greener future risks repeating the extractive injustices of the past.

With intimate access and sweeping visuals, the film asks: Who benefits from the green boom—and who gets left behind?

Join us on February 25 for the screening, followed by a discussion with director Samuel George and special guests.

We're looking forward to welcoming you for a screening of the 1-hour film, followed by discussion and Q&A. Light refreshments will be served--RSVP today!

Doors will open at 5:45pm with introductions and the film beginning at 6:15pm.

Join the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy and the Newman Center for the Performing Arts as we welcome Ephrat Asherie and Arturo O’Farrill, co-creators of Ephrat Asherie Dance’s newest work, Shadow Cities.

This unique collaboration between b-girl and EAD Artistic Director Ephrat Asherie, and pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill explores the relations between African American vernacular dance and jazz. Join us in conversation as we discuss the connections between underground club and street dance, Afro Latin music traditions, and modern jazz, as well as how art nurtures dialogue surrounding culture and heritage.

Ephrat Asherie Dance & Arturo O’Farrill will be performing Shadow Cities at the Newman Center on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 PM. $15 student tickets are available here with DU log-in.

Light afternoon snacks and coffee/tea will be served. We'll see you there!

How can humanity address the twin crises of human development and climate change together? Join the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies on February 4 for the official launch of Charged for Change: The Case for Renewable Energy in Climate Action, a new report from UNDP, Octopus Energy, and DU’s Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures. Featuring Governor Bill Ritter, UNDP’s Dr. Chibulu “Lulu” Luo, and Dr. Jonathan Moyer, this evening event will explore a data-driven case for a just energy transition that advances both people and the planet. All students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to attend.