The public is welcome to our meetings. The meetings are held at The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Boulevard, Charlottesville, VA 22901, the second Wednesday of the month from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no charge, although we suggest you join our group which has been in existence for 25 years. The membership dues are only $25 per year and can be paid online on the ‘Join SSV’ page. Your dues will help us continue to deliver top-quality presentations. If you have questions, please email info@seniorstatesmen.org. Click the tab above to see samples of our newsletter.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Europe faces renewed tensions as the war in Ukraine, political divisions, economic pressures, and questions about NATO reshape the continent.
This discussion will examine how the post-Cold War settlement gave way to today’s challenges and why European leaders are placing greater emphasis on defense. It will also consider whether unresolved tensions from the past help explain Europe’s current instability.

Dr. James R. Sofka is a scholar of transatlantic diplomatic history and the author of Metternich, Jefferson, and the Enlightenment: Statecraft and Political Theory in the Nineteenth Century. He has taught American and European foreign policy for 30 years across a wide spectrum of audiences, including the University of Virginia and the United States military. Dr. Sofka resides in Ivy, Virginia where he serves on an advisory committee of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and is active in several community organizations and foundations in the arts and historic preservation. He currently serves on the OLLI at U.Va. Foundation Board of Directors.

The program will be moderated by SSV Board President, Margie Swanson.

SSV IS ASKING ALL ATTENDEES TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
Senior Statesmen of Virginia | The Center Charlottesville (thecentercville.org)

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Past Programs

Past programs are arranged in inverse chronological order.  Speaker bios and links to videos and podcasts are given, with a program summary written by SSV board members