The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware welcomes Joe Walsh and Fred Guttenberg to campus for the launch of their “Two Dads Defending Democracy” speaking tour on Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 5-6 p.m. at the Audion at STAR Tower on the Newark Campus. This in-person event is free and open to the public with registration.

Walsh, a former U.S. Representative from Illinois, and Guttenberg, a businessman-turned-activist following his daughter’s murder in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, went from arguing with each other on social media and television to engaging in meaningful dialogue. The “Two Dads” forged a friendship through patience and civil discourse, demonstrating how people from opposite ends of the political spectrum can find common ground on contentious issues such as gun safety. 

Through respect and understanding, Walsh and Guttenberg successfully model how to engage in dialogue with a willingness to listen and learn to find common ground. As the 2024 election approaches, their story shows a way forward for civil discourse to make the democratic principle of disagreement possible.

Now in its third year, the SNF Ithaca Initiative seeks to advance democracy by empowering students with the tools necessary for civil discourse and civic engagement.  

Valerie Biden Owens, UD Biden Institute Chair, will introduce the conversation with Walsh and Guttenberg and moderated by Timothy J. Shaffer, SNF Ithaca Director and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Chair of Civil Discourse.

To learn more about the SNF Ithaca Initiative at the Biden School, subscribe to receive SNF Ithaca event notifications.

About the UD Biden School

Established in 1961 and named in 2018 for the University of Delaware’s most distinguished alumnus, the 46th President of the United States, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration prepares students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in research and public service to improve the quality of life in communities around the world. Biden School faculty, staff, students, and alumni create and use interdisciplinary, nonpartisan research, and empirically based analysis to inform effective decision-making and policy and to improve leadership and administration. The Biden School partners with organizations from all sectors to discover innovative and equitable solutions to the critical challenges of our time.

About the SNF Ithaca Initiative

SNF Ithaca, an initiative of the University of Delaware's Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration, seeks to advance democracy by equipping students with the civil discourse and civic engagement skills necessary to navigate the mediated public square. Supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), SNF Ithaca is named after the home of Odysseus — one of Greek mythology's greatest heroes. For Odysseus, Ithaca represents not only the beginning of a journey but the ultimate destination. Likewise, the SNF Ithaca Initiative serves as both the beginning of the Biden School students' journey toward becoming engaged and effective citizens and as the ultimate destination for students across the country to come together and work in partnership to develop policy solutions.