For the tenth year in a row, The Atlantic is partnering with the Aspen Institute to bring together hundreds of thinkers, creators, and business leaders at the Aspen Ideas Festival, a week-long conference on the Aspen Institute campus in Colorado.
In 2010, Atlantic editor Alexis Madrigal described the event as a somewhat "lofty" idea that has nevertheless come to be worthy of its wide audience. Walter Paepcke, who co-founded the Aspen Institute decades ago, "saw his goal as cultivating the mind of the American businessperson." Writing days before the 2010 conference, Alexis said, "The Institute soldiers on with its almost quaint-feeling mission to promote human beings (even corporate bigwigs) acting like decent people."
Here are a few moments from the past decade of the Festival, which begins on Friday.
2011: Thomas Friedman reflects on the protests in Egypt's Tahrir Square. "I've see martyrs against Israel," the New York Times columnist said. "I've seen martyrs against America. But martyrs for democracy? I've never seen that before."
2012: Bob Harper leads a morning yoga session. The Biggest Loser star encouraged attendees to work out at least four times a week.