Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan feminist, activist, and educator. She founded Afghanistan’s first-ever digital school network, LEARN Afghanistan, and is still providing education for hundreds of girls in the country today despite being exiled after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.

Pashtana joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts at the 2024 Forum on Leadership to discuss her work educating Afghan girls, her experience escaping the country after the Taliban takeover, and her hope for the future of Afghanistan.

Hear more from Pashtana on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Related content:

LEARN Afghanistan

2024 Forum on Leadership

Ambassador Mark Green serves as President, Director, and CEO of the Wilson Center — a nonpartisan organization that provides research, analysis, and independent scholarship on global affairs.

Before leading the Wilson Center, his distinguished career in public policy included key roles at USAID, the International Republican Institute, the McCain Institute, and four terms as a U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 8th District. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation during both the Obama and Trump Administrations.

Ambassador Green joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Center’s Bill McKenzie at the Forum on Leadership to discuss the mission of the Wilson Center, the positive impact of U.S. foreign aid both at home and abroad, and the importance of healthy disagreement.

Hear more from Ambassador Green on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Related content:

• Wilson Center
• 2024 Forum on Leadership

The Stewpot is a ministry that serves those in poverty or experiencing homelessness in Dallas. The organization was founded nearly 50 years ago and provides resources for basic survival needs as well as opportunities for the people they serve to start a new life.

The organization was awarded the 2024 George W. Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation for its work to inspire change and enrich the quality of life in North Texas.

Executive Director of The Stewpot Brenda Ewing Snitzer joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Bill McKenzie at the Forum on Leadership to discuss the organization’s unique enrichment opportunities — including its art program and writing workshop — and the important impact The Stewpot is making in the Dallas community.

Hear more from Brenda on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Related content:

• The Stewpot
• 2024 Forum on Leadership