U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Spoke at 2009 SAIS Commencement on May 21 Ban Ki-moon, the 8th secretary-general of the United Nations, gave the keynote address on "Global Leadership in a Time of Crisis" at the 2009 SAIS commencement on Thursday, May 21. Click here for audio and video of the ceremony. Click here for Ban's written remarks. Click here for more information.
SAIS Hosted Discussion on U.S.-Cuba Policy on May 12 Patrick Doherty, director of the U.S.-Cuba Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation; Daniel Erikson, director of Caribbean Programs at Inter-American Dialogue; Peter Kornbluh, director of the Cuba and Chile Documentation Projects at the National Security Archives; Jake Colvin, director of USA*Engage and a SAIS graduate; and Wayne Smith, director of the Cuba Program at the Center for International Policy, discussed "Engaging Cuba: A New Way Forward" on Tuesday, May 12.
Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson Spoke at SAIS on May 7 Tommy Thompson, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Peter Hotez, the Walter G. Ross Professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine at George Washington University, discussed “Medical Diplomacy” on Thursday, May 7.
SAIS Professor Bridget Welsh Spoke About Democracy in Southeast Asia on May 6 Bridget Welsh, associate professor in the SAIS Southeast Asia Studies Program and the recipient of the 2009 Max M. Fisher Prize for Excellence in Teaching, discussed "Engagement, Empowerment and Employment: Building Democracy in Southeast Asia" on Wednesday, May 6.
SAIS Hosted Ambassadors’ Forum on Water Issues in South Asia on May 1 SAIS hosted the Fifth Annual SAIS-SAARC Ambassadors' Forum on "Water Issues in South Asia" on Friday, May 1. Speakers included Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States; Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka's ambassador to the United States; Said T. Jawad, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States; Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh's ambassador to the United States; Jawed Ashraf, political counselor at the Embassy of India; Kali Prasad Pokhrel, chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of Nepal; Winston Yu, water resources specialist at the World Bank and a SAIS professorial lecturer; and Walter Andersen, associate director of the SAIS South Asia Studies Program.
Bologna Center Students Met Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on April 29 Thirty Bologna Center students met with Giorgio Napolitano, president of Italy, Wednesday, April 29, at the Quirinale Palace in Rome. Bologna Center Director Ken Keller and Professor Stefano Zamagni accompanied the students to the meeting and palace tour. Click here for more.
SAIS Hosted Vietnam War Book Event With Author John Prados on April 29 John Prados, senior fellow at the National Security Archive at George Washington University and author of Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975; Dale Andrade, senior historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and author of America's Last Vietnam Battle: Halting Hanoi's 1972 Easter Offensive; and Bernard Kalb, former CBS and NBC international affairs correspondent, discussed Prados’ new book on Tuesday, April 29.
Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Igor Lukšić Spoke at SAIS on April 28 Igor Lukšić, deputy prime minister and finance minister of Montenegro, and Michael Haltzel (moderator), senior fellow at the SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations, discussed "The Global Economic Crisis and Eastern Europe" on Tuesday, April 28.
National Commission on Energy Policy Executive Director Jason Grumet Spoke at SAIS on April 27 Jason Grumet, executive director of the National Commission on Energy Policy, delivered the keynote address during the 13th Annual Washington Energy Policy Conference on "New Energy Dynamics: Recession and Beyond" at SAIS on Monday, April 27.
Afghan Ambassador Said Jawad Spoke at SAIS on April 24 Said T. Jawad, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United States, discussed "Afghanistan: Regional Cooperation Is Key to Winning the War on Terror” on Friday, April 24.
SAIS Hosted Finance Book Discussion With Liaquat Ahamed and Stanley Fischer on April 24 Liaquat Ahamed, author of Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, and Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel, discussed Ahamed’s new book on Friday, April 24. Click here to view and download video of this event.
EU Economic Commissioner Joaquín Almunia Discussed Global Financial Crisis on April 24 Joaquín Almunia, the commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs for the European Commission, and Daniel Hamilton (moderator), director of the SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations, discussed "Confronting the Global Financial Crisis: The European Response" on Friday, April 24. Click here for a copy of the prepared remarks.
IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Spoke at SAIS on April 23 Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, delivered the keynote address on "Multilateralism and the Role of the IMF in the Financial Crisis" at a conference, "New Ideas in Development After the Financial Crisis," hosted by the SAIS and the Center for Global Development on Thursday, April 23. Click here for his prepared remarks. Click here to view video of this event.
SAIS Hosted Conference on New Ideas in Global Development on April 22 and 23 SAIS and the Center for Global Development hosted a two-day conference, “New Ideas in International Development After the Financial Crisis” on April 22 and 23. The first day featured a panel on “Causes of the Global Financial Crisis and the Implications for National Development Strategies,” with Larry Diamond, senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution; Anne Krueger, professor in the SAIS International Economics Program; Arvind Subramanian, a professorial lecturer in the SAIS South Asia Studies Program; John Williamson, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics; and Roger Leeds (moderator), director of the SAIS Center for International Business and Public Policy.
CARE President Helene Gayle Spoke at SAIS on April 21 Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, delivered the W.P. Carey Global Leader Lecture on "Challenges of Foreign Assistance in Today’s World" on Tuesday, April 21.
CNN Anchor Wolf Blitzer Spoke at SAIS on April 16 Wolf Blitzer, CNN anchor and a SAIS graduate, discussed "President Obama and the World" at the annual Rostov Lecture on International Affairs on Thursday, April 16. Click here for video of the event.
Author Rose George Spoke on International Sanitation Issues at SAIS on April 14 Rose George, a freelance journalist and author of the new book The Big Necessity, discussed "The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters to International Development," on Tuesday, April 14. Geoffrey Dabelko, director of the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, provided commentary.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Klein Spoke at SAIS on April 10 Dale E. Klein, chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, spoke on "The Role of Independent Nuclear Regulator in a Carbon-Constrained Economy" at SAIS on Friday, April 10.
SAIS Hosted Forum on Iraq Reconstruction on April 8 Stuart W. Bowen Jr., special inspector general for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), and Ginger Cruz, deputy inspector general for SIGIR and a SAIS M.I.P.P. candidate, spoke about "Hard Lessons: Iraq Reconstruction and Implications for Afghanistan and Beyond," on Wednesday, April 8. Francis Fukuyama, director of the SAIS International Development Program, provided opening remarks.
JHU Water Experts Spoke at SAIS on April 8 JHU water experts spoke at SAIS on Wednesday, April 8 at a panel discussion entitled, “Bridging Water With Policy, Engineering and Public Health." Panelists included Kellogg Schwab, director of the Center for Water and Health at the JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health; Erik Peterson, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a SAIS graduate; John Boland, professor emeritus in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at the JHU Whiting School of Engineering; Bill Ball, professor in the Department of Geography and Environment Engineering at the Whiting School; David M. Lampton, director of the SAIS China Studies Program; Winston Yu, SAIS International Policy Program professorial lecturer; Ted Alcorn, a dual-degree M.A. student at SAIS and the Bloomberg School; and Kristen Gibson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Bloomberg School; and Kristen Downs, an M.A. student at the Whiting School. Click here for video of this event.
SAIS Hosted Book Event on American Foreign Policy on April 7 On Tuesday, April 7, David Calleo, director of the SAIS European Studies Program, discussed his new book, Follies of Power: America's Unipolar Fantasy.
South Korean Ambassador Han Spoke at SAIS on April 6 Han Duk-soo, the Republic of Korea's ambassador to the United States, made remarks during a forum on Monday, April 6, on "The Future of Northeast Asia's Peace and Security: The Obama Administration’s Emerging Korea Policy.” Remarks were also made by Lee Ki-Taek, vice chairman of the National Unification Advisory Council (NUAC), and Lee Yong-Jin, NUAC Washington Chapter president. A panel discussion followed featuring Charles "Jack" L. Pritchard, president of the Korea Economic Institute; Alan Romberg, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center; Joel Wit, U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS (USKI) visiting scholar; Jared Genser, president of Freedom Now and a partner at DLA Piper LLC; and Don Oberdorfer (moderator), USKI chairman.
SAIS Hosted Forum on Safe Drinking Water in the Developing World on March 31 Greg Allgood, director of Procter & Gamble's Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, spoke about "Safe Drinking Water: How One Company Makes a Difference in the Developing World" on Tuesday, March 31. Click here for a copy of Allgood's presentation. Click here to download video of this event (Windows Media).
SAIS Hosted Forum on U.S.-Korea Relations on March 31 Michael H. Armacost, former U.S. under secretary of State for Political Affairs; Thomas Hubbard, former U.S. ambassador to Korea; Evans J.R. Revere, president of the Korea Society; Gi-Wook Shin, director of Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center; Charles "Jack" L. Pritchard, president of the Korea Economic Institute; and Don Oberdorfer (moderator), chairman of the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS, discussed "U.S.-South Korean Relations: Recommendations to the Obama Administration" on Tuesday, March 31. Click here to access the panelists' report entitled, "'New Beginnings' in the U.S.-ROK Alliance."
World Water Council Director Ger Bergkamp Addressed SAIS Water Conference on March 30 Ger Bergkamp, director general of the World Water Council, gave the afternoon keynote address on "Futures of Water and Agriculture" at the SAIS Year of Water conference on “Water and Agriculture: Implications for Development and Growth” on Monday, March 30. Click here for the full conference agenda. Click here for video of this event.
Harvard Water Expert John Briscoe Addressed SAIS Water Conference on March 30 John Briscoe, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Environmental Engineering at Harvard University, gave the morning keynote address on “Availability, Distribution and Control of Water for Agriculture” at the SAIS Year of Water conference on “Water and Agriculture: Implications for Development and Growth” on Monday, March 30. Click here for the full conference agenda. Click here for video of this event.
Water Rights Advocate Rohini Nilekani Spoke at SAIS on March 24 As part of the “Year of Water” initiative at SAIS, Rohini Nilekani, founder of the India-based NGO, Arghyam, discussed "Water: A Conflict of Paradigms," on Tuesday, March 24.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Alexandr Vondra Spoke at SAIS on March 23 Alexandr Vondra, deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic and former Czech ambassador to the United States, discussed "The Czech EU Presidency at the Midterm: Transatlantic Relations Before the U.S.-EU Summit in Prague," on Monday, March 23.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Ušackas Spoke at SAIS on March 10 Vygaudas Ušackas, minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, spoke about "The West, Russia and Eastern Europe: New Challenges, New Opportunities," on Tuesday, March 10. Click here for a copy of his prepared remarks.
SAIS Scholar Esther Brimmer Nominated to Senior State Department Position President Barack Obama announced on March 6 his intent to nominate Esther Brimmer, deputy director and director of research at SAIS’s Center for Transatlantic Relations and a professorial lecturer, to serve as assistant secretary of State for International Organizations. Click here for more information. Click here for the official announcement from the White House.
Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki Spoke at SAIS on March 5 Ichiro Fujisaki, Japanese ambassador to the United States, gave a talk on Japan’s foreign policy challenges in the wake of the global financial crisis entitled, "Challenges, Changes, Chances," on Thursday, March 5. Click here for his prepared remarks.
World Bank Chief Economist Justin Lin Spoke at SAIS on March 4 Justin Lin, chief economist and senior vice president at the World Bank, discussed "China's Responses to the Global Financial Crisis," on Wednesday March 4.
SAIS Hosted Darfur Film Screening With Veteran Journalist Nick Clooney on March 4 Nick Clooney, distinguished journalist in residence at American University's School of Communication, and Peter Lewis (moderator), director of the SAIS African Studies Program, led a discussion on Wednesday, March 4, about the 2006 documentary "A Journey to Darfur," which chronicles Nick and his son, George, Clooney's visit to the troubled region. Click here to view the documentary.
SAIS Hosted Water Experts Aaron Salzberg and Geoff Dabelko on February 20 Aaron Salzberg, lead for water and head of the Interagency Working Group on Water at the U.S. Department of State; Geoff Dabelko, director of the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and Cinnamon Dornsife (moderator), associate director of the SAIS International Development Program, discussed “Water and International Development” on Friday, February 20.
Chilean Government Honors SAIS Professor Riordan Roett On February 2, Mariano Fernández, Chile’s ambassador to the United States, conferred upon Professor Riordan Roett the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins, with the rank of “Gran Oficial.” The order, named after Chile’s independence leader and founding father, is one of the Chilean government’s highest distinctions awarded to foreign citizens who have made valuable contributions to the country. This honor recognizes Roett, director of Western Hemisphere Studies at SAIS, for his important role as chairman of the Emergency Committee to Aid Latin American Scholars (ECALAS) from 1973 to 1975, when he assisted Chilean academics escape persecution during the Pinochet era. During the Washington ceremony, Fernández also lauded Roett’s decades of continuing dedication to issues that are key to Chile’s democratic and economic development.
SAIS Hosted Forum on Reshaping Foreign Policy Bureaucracy on February 10 Wendy Chamberlin, Middle East Institute president and former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan; Karen DeYoung, associate editor at The Washington Post; Richard M. Moose, former under secretary of Management at the U.S. State Department; Samuel Lewis, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and a SAIS graduate; and Susan Collin Marks (moderator), senior vice president at Search for Common Ground, discussed “Reshaping the Foreign Policy Bureaucracy,” on Tuesday, February 10.
Former OPEC President Chakib Khelil Spoke at SAIS on February 9 Chakib Khelil, former OPEC president and minister of Energy and Mining for the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, and Ed Morse (moderator), managing director and head of economic research at LCM Commodities and Louis Capital Markets and a SAIS graduate, discussed “The World Oil Markets and the Role of OPEC," on Monday, February 9.
Pakistani Ambassador Haqqani Welcomes Photo Exhibit on Pakistan to SAIS on February 6 Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States and a former SAIS visiting scholar, introduced a photo exhibition entitled "The Other Pakistan," which features the work of 21 Pakistani and U.S. photographers. The exhibition was curated by contributing photographer Elisabeth Braun, who also provided remarks on Friday, February 6. Click here to view the exhibition.
Rensselaer President Shirley Jackson Spoke About Energy Policy at SAIS on February 5 Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, discussed “From Rhetoric to Reality: United States and Global Energy Security,” on Thursday, February 5. Click here for a transcript of her speech.
SAIS Hosted Book Launch Event With Azar Nafisi and Scott Simon on January 26 On Monday, January 26, Azar Nafisi, executive director of SAIS Cultural Conversations, and Scott Simon, host of NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday" and author of Windy City: A Novel of Politics, discussed Nafisi's new book, Things I Have Been Silent About.
SAIS Faculty Discuss Critical Foreign Policy Issues Facing Obama Administration SAIS’s academic program directors were asked to assess the top priority for the incoming president as related to their field of study. Click here for their view of President Obama’s international affairs in-basket.
Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Joins SAIS as Distinguished Visiting Scholar Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson Jr. is joining SAIS as a distinguished visiting scholar. He will be a fellow based at the Bernard Schwartz Forum on Constructive Capitalism, an initiative led by Francis Fukuyama, director of the International Development Program. Click here for more.
2008 Issue of SAISPHERE Is Now Available SAIS recently published the 2008 issue of its annual magazine, SAISPHERE. In this issue we asked several members of the faculty, scholar, student and alumni community to explore the theme, "Water: The New Reality" to coincide with our "Year of Water." Click here for the online version or send an email to saispubaffairs@jhu.edu to request a printed copy.
