Los Angeles — "What we do here at home ripples across the world, and what happens abroad comes back here, to Los Angeles."

 

With those words, World Prize honoree Robert Abernethy challenged a packed ballroom to embrace Los Angeles' role as a global city at a critical moment in international affairs.

 

Speaking at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council's annual gala on September 30, Abernethy traced his commitment to international cooperation back to childhood lessons about Roosevelt, Churchill, and De Gaulle—leaders who chose cooperation over conflict after World War II.

 

"Building ties between countries through trade, diplomacy, and shared values,” he said, makes the world “not only more prosperous but also more peaceful.”

 

But Abernethy warned that "the rules-based order is eroding" and that "the United States cannot lead by dictating terms. We must lead by example. By building coalitions. By earning trust."

 

He challenged attendees to take action through the Council itself. "This is not just a forum for lectures, it is a community," he said, encouraging members to join committees, support student fellowships, and host visiting delegations.

 

Abernethy closed with a hopeful message: "No one of us can fix everything. The problems we face are too big. But if enough of us move the needle even a little, that matters. That's how history shifts."

 

Read the complete speech here: Robert Abernethy World Prize Speech - Los Angeles World Affairs Council