Fareed Zakaria at Asheville Ideas Fest Now Open to the Public, Free but Ticketed Event

Fareed Zakaria Headshot
May 26, 2022

UNC Asheville today announced that Fareed Zakaria’s talk on Democracy Around the Globe: Myths and Reality, a highlight of the inaugural Asheville Ideas Fest on Wednesday, June 15 in the UNC Asheville Kimmel Arena at 7:30 p.m., is now open to the public as a free, but ticketed event. Zakaria hosts Fareed Zakaria GPS for CNN Worldwide. He is a columnist for The Washington Post and a bestselling author. For tickets, please visit Eventbrite

The first-ever Asheville Ideas Fest (AIF) is taking place June 14-18, 2022, on the campus of UNC Asheville and at key sites in our region, including Grove Park Inn, Highland Brewing, and Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. The core programming of this inaugural event is the convening of global thought leaders in Asheville to focus on the most consequential issues of our time. For a schedule of events and to register for the full AIF experience, visit ashevilleideasfest.com.

The many talented speakers joining Zakaria at AIF include Bill McKibben, environmentalist author and founder of 350.org; Jon Meacham, presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author; Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and, Jason Mott, bestselling author and National Book Award Winner, just to name a few. In addition, a number of UNC Asheville faculty will participate with other notable and influential leaders as panel respondents across a variety of themes and topics.

With vital support from partners such as Explore Asheville, Asheville Ideas Fest is designed to become an Asheville tradition for decades to come.

Asheville has a rich history as a  destination for intellectuals, creators and thought leaders. It’s a location known nationally for its dynamic and eclectic arts, culture, music, culinary, literary and outdoor pursuits. In the last century, leaders in arts and industry – from Thomas Edison and Henry Ford to Nina Simone and F. Scott Fitzgerald – have spent productive time in Asheville as part of the city’s shared spirit of inspiration and innovation.

Visit ashevilleideasfest.com for more details, including the schedule, speakers, ticket info, and more.

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