What does it mean to trust the news in an age of AI, fractured attention, and declining public confidence? For Te-Rina Isaáko a youth leadership scholarship opened the door to three days of rigorous dialogue, challenge, and connection at the 2025 Socrates Seminar in Queenstown. In this reflection, she shares what it was like to step into a global conversation on media, trust, and leadership, and why youth voices are a necessary part of it.

How can democracy and journalism hold their ground in a world shaped by AI, speed, and information overload? Drawing on her experience as a systems thinker and sustainability practitioner, Katherine Short reflects on the 2025 Socrates Seminar. Her essay explores trust, accountability, and the enduring need for human judgement at the heart of democratic life, as technology reshapes how information is created, shared, and consumed.

Following his participation in the recent Aspen NZ Socrates Seminar, Alexander Plimmer considers the implications of declining trust in the news and what open dialogue can offer in navigating an increasingly fragmented information environment.

Highlights of our first NZ-India forum exploring the potential of NZ-India relations: From redefining trade models to embracing the blue economy and harnessing Indian technology prowess, our expert panellists discussed numerous paths for a mutually beneficial partnership.

Craig Hawke, NZ Ambassador to Germany, and Nicole Menzenback, German Ambassador to New Zealand, discuss German-NZ relations and geopolitical developments in the Indo Pacific region and reflect on the commonality in views shared by both countries. Full replay available to view.

Trust is fundamental to a healthy society. Recent public opinion surveys show that our trust in each other, in many important institutions, and information has fractured.

There is a sense that those with differing perspectives can’t find common ground. We have lost trust in basic institutions—from media to government to education—that are meant to serve us, leaving many unsure of who to turn to for essential information.

The Aspen Institute is helping repair the structures that allow trust to flourish and looking for ways to build new ones.

Aspen Institute Energy & Environment Executive Director Greg Gershuny shares an overview on the break down in trust over climate change and what it will take to repair it.

Trust in science and medical experts has been on the decline since the COVID-19 pandemic began, so are we truly following the advice of scientific experts? What can policymakers, business leaders, and citizens themselves do to better understand scientific and rational thinking in order to make better decisions themselves?

At the Resnick Action Forum, Ana Maria Vallerino spoke about how leaders can build trust in their communities. Vallerino is executive director of Todo Panama and a Central America Leadership Initiative Fellow.