Is the self-trust that leaders need to rule borne out of a lack of self-knowledge? How can the virtues of honesty, humility, compassion, and competence help to rebuild trust in our institutions? Is trust in each other, between groups that make up 'the people', a choice?To trust is to risk, to become vulnerable, to place the centre of our universe somewhere other that ourselves. A loss of trust, particularly in public figures and institutions, is increasingly a feature of modern life. Together these essays provide deep reflections on the nature of trust in the context of public life, agreeing that it is endangered through real encounters, not in the abstract or by force. They offer guidance on how to make those encounters real, wether they be within oneself, between people, or between institutions and the people they serve.