IWA Speaker Series

“Conflict and Conflict Resolution in South Asia”

Tridivesh Singh Maini

Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 9:00 am
2711 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 333
Arlington, VA 22202

RSVP: hgregorian@iwa.org

You are cordially invited to a Roundtable Discussion featuring Mr. Tridivesh Singh Maini. Given recent events in South Asia, it may be instructive to focus on commonalities and bridges within the region. Mr. Singh’s presentation will concentrate on the importance of treating the conflict in South Asia as a political one rather than religious. The talk will address the relevance of the “Punjab” as an important case study for promoting commonalities and countering the Muslim-Non Muslim schism globally and in South Asia. It will also look into the possible role of Washington “think-tanks” and policy makers in building the foundations for a more integrated South Asia, politically, economically and culturally.

Tridivesh Singh Maini is a writer and peace activist. He also works as a consultant with a private sector company. Maini's earlier assignments have included consultancies with the World Bank. His first book, South Asian Cooperation and the Role of the Punjabs, was released in India, Pakistan and   the US, and has received positive reviews. Maini contributes regularly to international journals. He was the only Indian to be part of the Joint Indo-Pak celebrations held on the 13th of August 2007 at Lahore, Pakistan to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the sub continent's independence. Maini earned an MA in International Development from the American University, Washington DC, and a BA from Sheffield University, UK.

Policy Brief, October 2007
Beyond Information Sharing & False Coherence: Interagency Coordination in International Peace Missions 

New Publication

Workshop Report, October 2007
Side by Side or Together?  Working for Security, Development and Peace in Liberia and Afghanistan. 

PDSP 2007/08 Seminar Series –
New Challenges in War to Peace Transitions

“Development and War in Afghanistan”

Michelle Parker
USAID
October 15, 2007

University of Calgary

Michelle Parker was the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Development Advisor for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Kabul, Afghanistan in 2006. Her role included advising GEN David Richards on strategizing and operational zing development in a counterinsurgency, Provincial Reconstruction Teams and an overall view of the development sector in Afghanistan.  Prior to that she managed the USAID Jalalabad Field Office for two years, served as the USAID representative in Nangarhar and Laghman provinces, and served as the development lead in the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team.  She received a “Superior Civilian Service Award” from the US Army and the “Superior Honor Award” from USAID for her work in Jalalabad.   She has also worked on international development in China, Ukraine, and Nepal and with at risk youth in the United States.

The New Challenges in War to Peace Transitions Seminar Series is to bring experienced practitioners from the humanitarian assistance, development and security sectors with cutting-edge experience working on war to peace transitions.  The series aims to highlight practical experience with effective approaches for international agencies to help conflict-affected countries move from war to sustainable, equitable peace, with a special focus on the interface between security, development and peacebuilding programs.

The Peacebuilding, Development and Security Program (PDSP) is a partnership of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, University of Calgary and the Institute of World Affairs.

THE INSTITUTE OF WORLD AFFAIRS

hosted a roundtable discussion on September 28, 2007

 MEETING POLICY CHALLENGES OF BIOVIOLENCE

Professor Barry Kellman

Author:  BIOVIOLENCE:  Preventing Biological Terror and Crime

 Barry Kellman is a Professor of international law and is Director of the International Weapons Control Center at the DePaul University College of Law.  For the past decade, Professor Kellman has focused primarily on the issue of biological terrorism.  He initiated and is Special Advisor to the Interpol Program on Prevention of Bio-Crimes and is author of BIOVIOLENCE: Preventing Biological Terror and Crime, which has recently been released by Cambridge University Press (2007).  Professor Kellman describes bioviolence as a threat without borders to the human species.  How should policies promote the advance of science, encourage sustainable development worldwide, and prevent malevolent security threats?  The challenge is how to confront this threat in a flattening world where the circulation of science and technology is accelerating.  Indeed, implementing international legal standards to prevent bioviolence is the prerequisite of global science guardianship.  Yet it must be asked why bioviolence is not being systematically and globally addressed. 

IWA Distance Education Program Commendation!