The Carter Center (video)

Kelly Callahan, director of the Center's Trachoma Control Program, is joined by Jim Ervin, past international president of the Lions Clubs International Association, a key supporter of the Center's efforts to prevent disease, for a conversation about the Carter Center's work to eliminate blinding trachoma from countries across Africa. Footage from a new documentary showing how the Center works with local communities and partners to fight the disease is included.

This event explores Liberia's progress and setbacks toward a sustainable peace after its 14-year civil war, including the impact of the Ebola crisis on recovery. The Carter Center has worked in Liberia for more than two decades, observing elections and partnering with government and civil society to strengthen democratic institutions, access to information, administration of justice, and mental health services. WABE reporter Jim Burress moderates the even.

Combating Violence Against Women and Girls and Advancing Peace: Three of the participants in the Carter Center's Human Rights Defenders Forum join former U.S. President Jimmy Carter for a discussion about protecting the rights of women and girls, with a special emphasis on women and peacemaking and on the role religious leaders can play in this effort.

The Elders along with women peace builders explore what can be done to prevent conflicts, combat cultural norms, and ensure women are part of peace-making efforts. This event promotes the recommendation on women's role in peace building set out in President Carter's acclaimed recent book "A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power." Carter Center CEO Ambassador (Ret.) Mary Ann Peters moderates the discussion and Q&A.

Presented in partnership with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, this discussion features a keynote address by President Jimmy Carter, followed by a Q&A moderated by Steve Orlins, committee president.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter discuss recent Carter Center peace and health initiatives around the world.

Thousands of individuals were arrested, tortured, and killed during Argentina's "Dirty War," which then U.S. President Jimmy Carter protested by withdrawing U.S. economic and military support. Starting with the 45-minute documentary "Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo and the Search for Identity," which describes efforts to track down grandchildren missing as a result of the atrocities, a discussion led by President Carter follows.

Neglected tropical diseases afflict some of the world's most isolated communities. Yet they are not as obscure as many people think – the blinding bacterial disease trachoma existed in the United States and Europe until the early-20th century, and river blindness was brought to the Americas from Africa through the slave trade. Carter Center experts discuss how fighting these horrific, yet preventable diseases impact poverty and improve global health.

Information and communications technology is quickly changing the ways in which nongovernmental organizations such as The Carter Center do their work. What are the inherent risks, challenges, and opportunities of using these tools? How is the Center harnessing technology to promote peace? Watch a panel discussion by Carter Center technology experts.

In 2011, South Sudan celebrated its independence from Sudan after decades of war, but conflict in the region continues. A panel discusses the Carter Center's efforts to strengthen peace between the two countries through a series of dialogues between leaders. Moderated by Itonde Kakoma, manager of the Center's Sudan-South Sudan Dialogue Group, panelists included two members of the dialogue group, Ambassador Nureldin Satti and Professor Jok Madut Jok.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter discuss recent Carter Center peace and health initiatives around the world.

Venezuela experts Margarita López Maya and Carter Center Americas Program Director Dr. Jennifer McCoy discuss the future of Venezuela in the wake of President Hugo Chavez' death and snap presidential elections on April 14. For more than a decade, The Carter Center has conducted election observation, media training, and conflict resolution efforts in Venezuela as it has undergone profound transformations.

Experts discuss how early intervention and community support can make a positive impact toward healing and recovery for young adults with mental illnesses.

Experts discuss the Chinese Communist Party's possible impact on China's political and social development, U.S-China relations, and the Carter Center's programming in China.

Hear from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter as they reflect on 30 years of the Center's peace and health initiatives around the world.

In December 2010, street demonstrations in Tunisia launched the "Arab Awakening," as countries across the Middle East and North Africa began to protest their governments using non-violent means and social media to organize and raise awareness. The Carter Center has followed events closely and plans to monitor upcoming elections in the region, observing history in the making as these countries choose their own leaders after decades of repression.

Watch video footage from "Dark Forest Black Fly," which documents efforts to eliminate river blindness from Uganda; listen to a panel discussion about the challenges of eliminating the disease and experiences making the film.

Panelists discuss the Carter Center's efforts to promote peace by supporting local human rights groups and social service providers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Center also provides protection to human rights defender and promotes transparency and accountability of the nation's copper-mining industry.

n the tenth anniversary year of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, a panel discusses the state of democracy in the Americas and the Charter's reach. Carter Center Americas Program Director Jennifer McCoy moderates.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter discuss The Carter Center's peace and health initiatives around the world.

Watch exclusive footage and hear stories from the field from the filmmakers who produced the new documentary "Foul Water, Fiery Serpent," which chronicles the Carter Center's historic campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease. The discussion also includes the latest information and statistics about the eradication effort. Presenters include Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, Ph.D., director, Carter Center Guinea Worm Eradication Program; Gary Strieker, Ron Borden, and Molly Raskin. John Hardman, M.D., president and CEO of The Carter Center, leads the event.

The Carter Center is at the forefront of a growing international movement to find ways to deliver justice to the poor in places like Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so that all people, not just those who can afford it, can realize their full rights as citizens. Hear about new and innovative practices that are improving access to justice in impoverished and post-conflict countries. Panelists include Tom Crick, associate director of the Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program, who manages the Center's access to justice projects in Liberia; Pamela Scully, professor of women's studies and African studies at Emory University and chair of the Department of Women's Studies; and Stephen C. Lubkemann, associate professor of anthropology and international affairs, Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have posed a unique set of psychological challenges to troops resulting from multiple tours of duty and a greater prevalence of brain injury, among other factors. Experts discuss the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and ways in which families, communities, and the nation can support mental wellness for veterans. The panel includes Kelly Kennedy, reporter for the Times News Service and former Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism; Sonja Batten Ph.D., assistant deputy director, patient care services officer for mental health, Department of Veterans Affairs; and Col. Thomas Carden, commander, 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard. Dr. Thomas Bornemann, director of the Carter Center's Mental Health Program, moderates and former First Lady and Carter Center co-founder Rosalynn Carter provides opening remarks.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter discusses current Carter Center peace and health initiatives around the world.

Women's rights and their access to medical care can be severely limited. Yet, without the support of local women, efforts to improve public health often fail. With help from The Carter Center, public health initiatives are helping women to achieve better health for themselves and their families as well as become leaders in their communities. Dr. Paul Emerson, director, Trachoma Control Program; Karin Ryan, director, Human Rights Program; and Elizabeth Cromwell, assistant director, Trachoma Control Program — moderated by National Public Radio's health policy correspondent and Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism Joanne Silberner — discuss the connection between human rights and good health among some of the world's most impoverished and neglected women.

Paul Collier, award-winning author of books such as "The Bottom Billion," and "War, Guns, and Votes," and professor of economics and director of the Center for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University, leads a Conversation that takes a closer look at the impact of elections in Africa and what is needed to make democracy hold in developing countries. Collier is joined on a panel by David Carroll, director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program; Tom Crick, associate director of the Center's Conflict Resolution Program; and Jennifer McCoy, director of the Center's Americas Program. Carter Center Vice President for Peace Programs John Stremlau moderates.

More than 130 patients have died under suspicious circumstances in Georgia's public psychiatric hospitals over the past seven years, according to an exposé by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Carter Center has been a leading voice for change in Georgia's mental health system since this crisis came to light, and has worked to identify strategies to transform Georgia's shame into a model for the nation. The U.S. Department of Justice has filed suit against the state of Georgia, the status of which was discussed during the Feb. 16 Conversations at The Carter Center. Former First Lady and Carter Center Mental Health Program founder Rosalynn Carter provides opening remarks. Carter Center Mental Health Program Director Dr. Thom Bornemann moderates a panel of key stakeholders who discuss the challenges facing the state mental health system and explore potential solutions. Panelists include Charles Willis of the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network; Dr. John Gates, board member, The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, Georgia Southwestern University; and Andrew Penn of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

Normalizing relations with China was one of the most important decisions for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter during his administration 30 years ago. Making the decision was difficult, as is managing this complex and multi-faceted bilateral relationship, which has a significant impact on world peace, stability, and prosperity. This discussion on the history, present, and future of the relationship between these two great nations is moderated by Carter Center Vice President for Peace Programs John Stremlau. Panelists include former U.S. President Jimmy Carter; Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Madam Li Xiaolin; Emory University distinguished visiting professor of China studies Mary Brown Bullock; and Carter Center China Program Director Yawei Liu.

A panel of distinguished presidential scholars reassesses the relevance for today of key policies and events of the administration of the 39th U.S. President. Speakers include Kevin Mattson, author of "What the Heck Are You Up To Mr. President?" Jimmy Carter, America's 'Malaise,' and the Speech That Should Have Changed the Country (2009), Jimmy Carter Library and Museum Director Jay Hakes, author of "A Declaration of Energy Independence" (2008), and Steven Hochman, Carter Center director of research and faculty assistant to President Carter.

Mental illnesses are extremely common—one in four Americans will experience one in their lifetime—yet advances in treatment and understanding of mental illnesses have not changed public perception of these disorders. Many people incorrectly believe mental illnesses cannot be treated or that a person with a mental illness is more likely to be violent. Noted mental health and anti-stigma experts Dr. Patrick Corrigan, Dr. Ben Druss, and Charles Willis address these and other misconceptions that are the most harmful to efforts to improve access to mental health care and fight discrimination against people with mental illness. The discussion is facilitated by the Center's Mental Health Program Director Dr. Thom Bornemann. 4/16/2009

Election observers play a vital role in the elections of countries emerging from conflict. Their presence deters interference or fraud and reassures voters that they can safely and secretly cast their ballots, and their assessments are central to determining whether an election is considered genuinely democratic. Hear from leaders in the field of international election observation and administration as they discuss witnessing elections in countries emerging from warfare or under threat of new conflict. Recent and upcoming election projects will be analyzed as well as emerging standards for credible elections, a project spearheaded by The Carter Center. Panelists include Ammar Dwaik; former chief electoral officer of the Palestinian Central Election Commission; Ambassador Christian Strohal, permanent representative of Austria to the United Nations and specialized agencies in Geneva, and former director of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Ilona Tip, senior advisor of conflict management, democracy, and electoral education at the Electoral Institute of South Africa (EISA). David Carroll, director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program, will moderate. 2/25/2009

When The Carter Center began leading the campaign to eradicate Guinea worm in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of the disease in 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Today, there are fewer than 5,000 cases in six African countries—Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Niger—making Guinea worm disease poised to be the next disease after smallpox to be eradicated. Dr. Donald Hopkins, who directs all health programs at The Carter Center and is a leading expert on disease eradication including smallpox, and Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, who leads the Center's Guinea worm eradication program, discuss the journey toward this public health achievement and the strategy to reach zero cases of the disease. 1/15/2009

The U.S. human rights record has been greatly tarnished by Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and other events during recent years. Join former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian human rights defender Saad Ibrahim, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA Larry Cox, and Chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission Sima Samar as they discuss how the next administration can restore the reputation of the United States on human rights. Event will be moderated by Karin Ryan, director of the Carter Center's Human Rights Program. 12/03/2008

In the dense forests of Uganda, the fight against river blindness follows an especially challenging mission. Watch public health specialists from The Carter Center as they journey to the black fly's breeding area, discover how freshwater crabs play a unique role in the life cycle of the insect, and learn how dedicated field workers devote tireless efforts to the demanding job of eradicating the fly and the terrible disease it carries. 10/1/2008

In the dense forests of Uganda, the fight against river blindness follows an especially challenging mission. Watch public health specialists from The Carter Center as they journey to the black fly's breeding area, discover how freshwater crabs play a unique role in the life cycle of the insect, and learn how dedicated field workers devote tireless efforts to the demanding job of eradicating the fly and the terrible disease it carries. 10/1/2008

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter discuss current initiatives at The Carter Center and their recent activities. Moderated by Carter Center CEO Dr. John Hardman.

Trachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. The Carter Center, with support from its partners, has been a leader in the fight against the disease in Africa since 1998. Through inexpensive, grassroots solutions, millions of people are now able to preserve their eyesight.

Overview of the Carter Center's effort to control schistosomiasis.

The end of Guinea worm disease is within reach -- the result of a 22-year eradication campaign led by The Carter Center. In 1986, there were 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm in 20 countries in Africa and Asia. That number has now been reduced by more than 99 percent, with fewer than 5,000 cases remaining worldwide, concentrated primarily in Ghana and Sudan. 5/1/2008

The Guinea worm eradication campaign in Southern Sudan led by The Carter Center, Southern Sudan's government, and other key partners. See how Guinea worm disease affects the lives of villagers who struggle to survive in a land just emerging from decades of civil war, and how the Carter Center's dedicated health workers face enormous challenges on the front lines of this historic final battle. 5/1/2008

Working to address the shortage of qualified health professionals in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government, in partnership with The Carter Center, has established a unique public health strategy to improve the quality of training to the country's health science students.

There is a critical shortage of global health care workers to combat life-threatening diseases, most severely in the poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa. For more than a decade, the Carter Center's Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative has worked to build a skilled national health care workforce through specialized curricula and enhanced learning environments. A panel will discuss the shortage of health care workers, the Carter Center's EPHTI work, and whether the EPHTI model can be applied elsewhere.

Panelists Professor Mary Brown-Bullock, president emeriti of Agnes Scott College and visiting distinguished professor of China Studies at Emory University; Professor Fei-Ling Wang of Georgia Institute of Technology; and Professor Yawei Liu, director of the China Program at The Carter Center discuss prospects of democratization in China. Dr. John Stremlau, vice-president of the Carter Center's Peace Programs, moderates. This event also addresses the work of President Carter and The Carter Center in China in the context of growing tension between Washington and Beijing, the pressure of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on the Chinese government with a new leadership in place, and the increasing concern that China will either collapse without political reform or possibly present a new development model for the world.

The level of secrecy in the U.S. government is at a level not seen before. Security legislation has eroded the right to information in the United States since 9/11. Recent legislation passed by Congress aims to strengthen the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which is a critical tool for both reporters and citizens to research public information that could otherwise stay hidden. The panel includes Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive, which collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through FOIA; Michelle Roberts, award-winning journalist from The Oregonian, who used FOIA to expose abuse at state mental health facilities in Oregon; and Kevin Dunion, Scotland's information commissioner, who is responsible for enforcing the Freedom of Information Act and Scottish Environmental Information Regulations. Moderated by Carter Center Americas Program Assistant Director Laura Neuman. Panelists share their experiences regarding how the right to information protects people and how the more information there is available, the better decisions we as a public can make.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter; U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young; Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA; Sergei Kovalev, Russian human rights activist and former Gulag prisoner; and Isaac Newton Farris Jr., nephew of the late Martin Luther King Jr., and president and CEO of The King Center in Atlanta discuss the suppression of political and religious dissidents in the former Soviet Union, the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, and the current work of The Carter Center on human rights. The event coincided with Human Rights Day and the opening of a special exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic site called GULAG: Soviet Forced Labor Camps and the Struggle for Freedom. Sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site,  Amnesty International, and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. Moderated by Karin Ryan, director of the Carter Center's Human Rights Program.

As part of The Carter Center's 25th anniversary, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter discuss current peace and health initiatives at The Carter Center and reflect on past accomplishments. Moderated by Carter Center President and CEO, Dr. John Hardman.

Middle East experts discuss the current crisis in the region. Panelists include Daniel Levy, former advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and leader of the Geneva Peace Initiative; former Minister of Information in the Palestinian NUG Mustapha Barghouthi; and moderator is David Carroll, director of the Carter Center's Democracy Program.

Gaps in insurance coverage, problems with access to care, and the stigma surrounding mental illnesses can contribute to an environment that discourages employees from seeking help and treatment.  Panelists include Ron Bachman, president and CEO of Healthcare Visions, Inc., and a nationally recognized expert on mental health parity; Tom Johnson, former CEO of CNN, and mental health advocate; Henry Harbin, psychiatrist and former CEO of Magellan Health Services; and Cynthia Wainscott, Board Member of Mental Health America. Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, founder of the Carter Center's Mental Health Task Force, introduces the participants.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright speak on the prospects for lasting peace in the Palestinian territories to a sold-out audience at The Carter Center.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter provides a briefing on Carter Center initiatives in disease eradication, conflict resolution, democracy building, and mental health promotion. Carter Center Executive Director Dr. John Hardman moderates.

An overview of the Carter Center's battle against river blindness.