The American Ditchley Foundation

The Ditchley Foundation was established in 1958 to advance US-UK understanding following World War II. Over time, that transatlantic purpose has expanded to a broader mission — promoting global understanding and dialogue among nations around the globe.

Today, the American Ditchley Foundation works with The Ditchley Foundation in the UK and the Canadian Ditchley Foundation to bring together experts and leaders from a variety of fields to foster a better understanding of, and solutions to, issues of global concern. Through ten to twelve conferences each year, generally hosted at Ditchley Park, a stately Oxfordshire manor, Ditchley advances dialogue on subjects of international importance. Conference participants benefit from Ditchley Park's grand beauty yet relaxed atmosphere, which fosters warmth, intimacy, and a thoughtful approach to the problems facing our complex world today.

Ditchley conferences, which are by invitation only, focus on dialogue rather than speeches. Conferees, who usually number around 40, meet together and in smaller groups to engage deeply on the topic of the conference over the course of three days. The results of these deliberations are made available to the public through summaries posted by the Director of The Ditchley Foundation.

The American Ditchley Foundation helps shape conference programs, provides financial support to conferences, and co-hosts a biennial conference in the US. In addition, American Ditchley recruits American conference participants, providing travel stipends to support their participation, when needed.