Bank of America recently hosted two premiere events – in Washington, D.C., and New York City – to celebrate the release of The Vietnam War, the landmark PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.
Members of government, the business community, academia, and employees, including many who are military veterans, gathered to watch clips from the film and hear panel discussions focused on the ways in which the series can spark productive conversations and greater understanding about the era.
The Washington panel discussion included co-directors Burns and Lynn Novick, Senator John McCain, 68th Secretary of State John Kerry and 24th Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The discussion was moderated by ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz. Following the conversation, Bank of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan introduced The Lumineers, who performed a rousing cover of Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” The song is part of a series of covers and videos called “Echoes of Vietnam” that Bank of America is sponsoring in partnership with Spotify. In honor of The Lumineers’ participation in the initiative, the bank made a philanthropic investment to the USO.
At the New York City event, Terry Laughlin, Bank of America’s Head of Global Wealth and Investment Management, kicked off the evening leading in to the film screening. The clips were followed by a personal and heart-felt panel discussion moderated by ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, featuring Burns and Novick; Dr. Roger Harris, a Vietnam veteran interviewed in The Vietnam War; David Hume Kennerly, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist; and Phan Quang Tue, a South Vietnamese refugee and retired judge also interviewed in the film.
To help recap the events are videos below, including discussion highlights with John McCain, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel.
Ken Burns discusses his and Lynn Novick’s hope for fostering new and open dialogue
Senator John McCain discusses the importance of The Vietnam War film
68th Secretary of State John Kerry shares why we should be open to discussing the Vietnam War
24th Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel discusses how the film could have a global impact
We’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. Our sponsorship of The Vietnam War is a key demonstration of this focus.
10/25/2017