The National Conference on Citizenship Launches The American Conversation Project Ahead of America’s 250th Anniversary

Washington, D.C. — September 16, 2025 — Today, the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) announced the launch of The American Conversation Project, a nationwide initiative to spark thousands of local conversations that reflect on the past, present, and future of the United States as it approaches its 250th anniversary.

Founded at the close of World War II on the belief that America must cultivate an “active, alert, enlightened, and conscientious citizenry,” NCoC has convened organizations and citizens for nearly eight decades. The American Conversation Project continues this mission by empowering communities to come together, share their stories, and bridge divides in a time of polarization and disconnection.

“We’re at a critical moment for our nation,” said Cameron Hickey, CEO of the National Conference on Citizenship. “Polarization is increasing, political violence grows, and social media and AI are deepening our divisions. If the next 250 years are going to improve on the last, we must find ways to connect, rebuild trust, and truly listen to one another.”

The project will engage community leaders nationwide, in partnership with organizations including the National Civic League, Braver Angels, the National Issues Forums Institute, Mediators Foundation, and the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. In collaboration with Cortico, the initiative will use small group dialogues—facilitated, recorded, and analyzed—to generate insights, community media, and a living record of American voices.

“The approach is straightforward,” Hickey added. “When we connect face-to-face and share our vision and our values through telling our own stories, we can listen to and learn from one another. We can build civic bonds, bridge across our differences, and imagine together the future we want to create.”

The initiative begins this year with youth-led pilots in local libraries across the country supported by the Carnegie Corporation. By 2026, the project aims to expand to thousands of conversations in all fifty states.