Canada’s first Middle East Strategy Forum to host over 30 renowned experts in two-day conference, open to the public


OTTAWA, April 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Institute for Peace & Diplomacy will host the inaugural Middle East Strategy Forum (MESF 2021) on May 19-20th. This landmark event brings together policymakers, diplomats, think-tankers, business leaders and journalists from around the world to engage in live discussions around geopolitical issues in West Asia. Audience members can participate in a series of virtual keynote speeches, panel discussions, seminars and networking sessions. Presenting foreign policy experts include Hon. Sergio Marchi, Canada’s Former Minister of International Trade; Dennis Horak, Canada’s Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Erica Di Ruggiero, Director of Centre for Global Health, University of Toronto; and Lawrence Wilkerson, retired U.S. Army Colonel and former chief of staff to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Bijan Ahmadi, Executive Director, Institute for Peace & Diplomacy: “As an institute dedicated to the cause of peace, our objective with this conference is to bring together experts from different backgrounds and with diverse views to discuss and debate complicated strategic challenges of our time. MESF 2021 is the first international conference in Canada that brings together top thinkers from around the world to discuss current and emerging issues in the Middle East with respect to foreign policy, defence, trade and humanitarianism.”

Program

May 19: Multi-Faceted Geopolitics In The Middle East (10AM-6PM ET)

  • Opening
  • Panel 1: New Middle East Security Architecture in the Making
  • Panel 2: Great Power Competition in the Middle East
  • Panel 3: Canada’s Middle East Engagement and Defense Strategy
  • Panel 4: Humanitarian Diplomacy: An Underused Foreign Policy Tool in the Middle East

May 20: Diplomacy In Action In The Middle East (10AM-6PM ET)

  • Panel 1: Future of Diplomacy and Engagement in the Middle East
  • Panel 2: Arms Race and Terrorism in the Middle East
  • Panel 3: Trade and Business Diplomacy in the Middle East
  • Panel 4: Pathways to Manage Non-Proliferation in the Middle East
  • Closing

Registration is required. More information: https://peacediplomacy.org/mesf2021/

The Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) is a Canadian non-profit and non-partisan foreign policy think tank dedicated to promoting sustainable peace through diplomacy, dialogue, and constructive engagement. Visit our website to learn more (https://peacediplomacy.org).

Contact: info@peacediplomacy.org