From Civil War to Civil Discourse: Desh Amila’s Mission to Get Us Talking
byRachel Martens and Janette Afsharian
What happens when you grow up in a war zone and decide the solution to division is… more conversation? For Desh Amila, witnessing the devastation of civil war in Sri Lanka shaped a lifelong mission: bringing people together to talk across differences with honesty, nuance, and humanity.
From reinventing the way Australia engages with big ideas—marketing philosophers and scientists like rock stars—to launching Thinkable in Montclair, New Jersey, Desh has built a global platform for curiosity and connection. His speaker series will feature voices as diverse as Ta-Nehisi Coates, Richard Dawkins, Cornel West, John Wood Jr., Steven Pinker, John McWhorter, and Masih Alinejad, drawing thousands to venues that feel more like concerts than lectures.
At the heart of it all is Desh’s belief: when you give people a chance to listen deeply—even to those they disagree with—you create not just understanding, but community.
Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about the power of dialogue, why ideas need stages as much as songs do, and how Montclair is becoming the latest home for this global movement.
