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Citizen Infrastructure

The American Conversation Project

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the National Conference on Citizenship (a civic organisation founded just after World War II) asked a pointed question: will the moment be “flag cakes and fireworks,” or something that actually rebuilds trust at a time of rising polarisation? Their answer, launched in 2025, is the American Conversation Project — an effort to catalyse thousands of local conversations across all 50 states.

How it works

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The project is built on Cortico’s civic listening method, organised around three simple prompts:

  • What has America meant to you?
  • What are the challenges we need to overcome together?
  • What should the next 250 years look like?

It’s launching with youth-led conversations in local libraries — the American Library Association is establishing a network of conversation hubs — funded by the Carnegie Corporation, and convened with a broad coalition including the National Civic League, Braver Angels, the National Issues Forums Institute, the Mediators Foundation, and the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The aim is a living, audible record of American values at a turning point.

Where it stands

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It’s just getting off the ground (2025–26), so there are no outcomes to report yet — this is a story to watch. What makes it notable is the ambition of the premise: treating listening itself as civic infrastructure, at national scale.

Sources

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