Camden Conference and "Ideas for a Better Democracy from Maine and Away"
PORTLAND — For the finale of Portland Public Library’s Camden Conference Community Event Series, in partnership with the 38th annual Camden Conference, the Library will host Anna Kellar, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Maine, for a presentation entitled "Ideas for a Better Democracy from Maine and Away."
The program takes place Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 5 - 6 p.m., at Portland Public Library Rines Auditorium and via Zoom.
After working with democracy and anti-corruption campaigns in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Kellar brings an international perspective to their work in Maine.
"We hear all the time about how the decline in democracy and rise in authoritarianism is a global phenomenon, but we should be encouraged that the efforts to renew and rebuild democratic principles also have an international dimension. Americans can learn a lot from innovative strategies and successful movements in other nations. What's more, Maine, and even Portland has a lot to teach the world about ways to restore representative government and citizen participation," says Kellar.
Kellar grew up in Maine and holds a Bachelors in Political Science from Yale University and a Masters in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics. Their professional experiences cover a wide range of work, from civic engagement to designing institutions to withstand polarization.
Portland Public Library’s Camden Conference Event Series was organized by Myles Robert, Business & Government Librarian, who shared that, “Anna Kellar is such an engaging person. I get the sense that we are witnessing someone who is just beginning to establish their legacy in serving their community in intelligent and creative ways and that we will one day proudly say, ‘I met Anna when they were just starting their career’.” Join Portland Public Library, in-person or via ZOOM, for this free event. Registration is required.
Please visit: https://www.portlandlibrary.com/events/ideas-for-a-better-democracy-from-maine-and-away/ for more information and registration form.
The 38th Camden Conference will be held in Camden on February 21-23, 2025. The topic of this year’s conference is titled: Democracy Under Threat: A Global Perspective.
About Portland Public Library:
Portland Public Library serves as the civic and cultural center of our region in which generations of citizens are literate, informed, and engaged. The library provides trusted resources and accessible experiences that inspire imagination, curiosity, awareness, and learning.
About The Camden Conference:
The Camden Conference was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit, non-partisan educational organization whose mission is to foster informed discourse on world issues. The 2025 Camden Conference will look at some of the specific drivers that challenge democracies around the world, including immigration, religious nationalism, the role of polarization and disinformation, and the failure of progressive reforms to remedy economic inequality.
About League of Women Voters:
The League of Women Voters of Maine is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
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Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland, ME 04101
United States