Center for Strategic and International Studies President and CEO John Hamre Spoke at 2010 SAIS Commencement on May 27 John J. Hamre, '76, Ph.D. '78, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, addressed the SAIS class of '10 on Thursday, May 27 at DAR Constitution Hall. Click here for audio and video of the entire ceremony.
Bologna Center Professor Winrich Kühne Receives High Honor From German Government Germany’s President Horst Köhler has awarded Winrich Kühne, Steven Muller Professor in German Studies at the SAIS Bologna Center, the Bundesverdienstkreuz Order of Merit for his outstanding contribution to improving German and international conflict prevention and management capabilities. The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the highest tribute the country can pay to individuals for services to the nation. It was instituted in 1951 by Federal President Theodor Heuss.
Prime Minister of Croatia Jadranka Kosor Spoke at SAIS on May 25 Jadranka Kosor, prime minister of Croatia, spoke about “Croatia’s Role in Fostering a Euro-Atlantic Perspective for Southeastern Europe” on Tuesday, May 25.
White House National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers Spoke at SAIS on May 24 Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for economic policy, discussed "Reflections on Fiscal Policy and Economic Strategy" on Monday, May 24. Click here for a copy of his remarks as delivered. Click here for video of this event.
SAIS Bologna Center Hosted Africa Conference on May 21 On Friday, May 21 the SAIS Bologna Center and the Foundation for World Wide Cooperation hosted a daylong conference entitled, “Africa: 53 Countries, One Union,” co-sponsored with the United Nations, the African Union and the European Commission. Among the speakers were Abdoulaye Wade, president of Senegal; Thabo Mbeki, former president of South Africa; and Asha Rose Migiro, deputy U.N. secretary-general. Click here for video of this event.
SAIS Bologna Center Visiting Assistant Professor and Graduate Matthias Matthijs Wins Dissertation Prize Matthias Matthijs, visiting assistant professor at the SAIS Bologna Center and a SAIS graduate won the 2010 Samuel H. Beer Prize for the Best Dissertation on British Politics for his work on “The Political Economy of Crisis Making: The United Kingdom From Attlee to Blair.” The prize was developed by the British Politics Group to encourage the study of British politics by graduate students and to reward exceptional work in that area of study. Matthijs’ dissertation also formed the basis of his forthcoming book entitled, Ideas and Economic Crises in Britain From Attlee to Blair (1945-2005), to be published in September 2010 by Routledge. Click here for more information.
SAIS Hosted Forum on Global Food Security on May 14 SAIS hosted a forum entitled, "Global Food Security: Aligning Public and Private Interests" on Friday, May 14, featuring Jessica Adelman, vice president of Corporate Affairs at Syngenta North America; J.H. Bahn, national program leader of Economic and Community Systems at the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Tom Bauer, senior industry specialist at Rabobank International; Paul Guenette, technical managing director for Agribusiness, ACDI/VOCA; Mara Russell, practice manager for Food Security and Livelihood at Land O’Lakes, Inc.; and Richard Gilmore (moderator), president and CEO of GIC Group.
Professor Francis Fukuyama Delivered “Last Lecture” at SAIS on April 29 Francis Fukuyama, Bernard L. Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy and director of the SAIS International Development Program, delivered his farewell lecture entitled, "What Is Development?" on Thursday, April 29. Click here for video of this event. Click here for a copy of his presentation.
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek Spoke at SAIS on April 29 Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament and former prime minister of Poland, discussed "The New European Parliament: Politics and Power in Today's European Union" during the Transatlantic Leaders Forum at SAIS on Thursday, April 29.
SAIS Team Takes Second Place in Global Challenge Competition on April 23 SAIS students Samiya Edwards, Naureen Kabir, Tzyy Ming Yeh and Tara Nicholson were part of the winning team that received second place in the first “Global Challenge” Competition hosted by USAID and the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business on April 23 in Washington, D.C. The competition challenged 65 teams of MBA and other graduate students from 32 universities to develop a public-private venture to support development and the tourism industry in Asia. The SAIS team proposed a Cambodian wildlife sanctuary and ecolodge. Click here to learn more about the SAIS team’s winning proposal. Click here for the announcement about the competition winners.
Former President of Spain José María Aznar Spoke at SAIS on April 28 José María Aznar, former president of the government of Spain, discussed "The End of the Old World Order and Leadership to Build the New One" during the Transatlantic Leaders Forum at SAIS on Wednesday, April 28. Click here for a copy of his prepared remarks.
MIT Professor Simon Johnson Discussed His New Book 13 Bankers at SAIS on April 26 Simon Johnson, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discussed his book, 13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown, at SAIS on Monday, April 26.
U.N. World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran Spoke at SAIS on April 23 Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, discussed "Food Security at the Tipping Point" as part of the W.P. Carey Global Leader Lecture Series on Friday, April 23.
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría Spoke at SAIS on April 22 Angel Gurría, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), discussed "Climate Change and Competitiveness" on Thursday, April 22.
SAIS Hosted Forum on the Role of Religion in Development on April 22 On Thursday, April 22, Bikkhu Bodhi, chairperson of the Buddhist Global Relief's Boards of Directors; John Grayzel, Baha’i Chair of World Peace at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland; Tadeusz Mich, church relations director at World Vision; Paul Miller, Africa team leader and policy adviser at Catholic Relief Services; Ian Schwab, associate director of Advocacy at the American Jewish World Service; Christina Tobias-Nahi, director of public affairs at Islamic Relief U.S.; and Grace Goodell (moderator), SAIS professor of International Development, discussed "Faith Works: The Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in Development" as part of the “Year of Religion" at SAIS.
SAIS Students Visit White House for “Year of Religion” on April 19 As part of the “SAIS Year of Religion,” Joshua DuBois, director of President Obama’s Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, met with SAIS students at the White House on Monday, April 19 to talk about the role religion plays in international affairs.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Spoke at SAIS on April 12 Kasit Piromya, foreign minister of Thailand, discussed "Political and Economic Developments in Thailand" on Monday, April 12. Click here for video of this event.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers Spoke at SAIS-EIA Energy Conference on April 6 Steven Chu, U.S. Energy secretary, and Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council, delivered keynote addresses on Tuesday, April 6, day one of a two-day conference co-hosted by the SAIS Energy, Resources and Environment Program and the U.S. Energy Information Administration entitled, “2010 Energy Conference: Short-Term Stresses, Long-Term Change." Chu's remarks can be heard here:
Summers' remarks can be heard here:
SAIS Hosted Panel Discussion on Iranian Reporters on April 5 Azar Nafisi, executive director of SAIS Cultural Conversations; Nikahang Kowsar, cartoonist and syndicated New York Times editor; and Mona Eltahawy, syndicated columnist and public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues, discussed "'Netizens' in Iran and the Greater Middle East: A Discussion on the Fate of Iranian Reporters" on Monday, April 5.
SAIS Hosted Passover Discussion and Celebration on April 1 On Thursday, April 1, Marc Caplan, Tandetnik Professor of Yiddish Literature, Language and Culture at Johns Hopkins University, and Eliot Cohen, director of the SAIS Strategic Studies Program, discussed "A Moveable Feast: Passover and Political Culture" as part of the "Year of Religion" at SAIS.
U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS Launched Web Site on North Korea The U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS launched "38 North," a Web site devoted to analysis of North Korea on April 1. "38 North" strives for balanced coverage of the region by harnessing the experience of long-time observers of North Korea and drawing on other experts outside the field, and utilizing new technologies to analyze military, economic, social and other developments north of the DMZ.
Justice Stephen Breyer Spoke at SAIS on March 31 Stephen Breyer, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, discussed "The Court and Foreign Law" on Wednesday, March 31, during SAIS's annual Rostov Lecture on International Affairs. Click here for video of this event.
Afghan Ambassador Said Jawad Spoke at SAIS on March 31 Said Tayeb Jawad, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States, discussed "A New Foundation for Afghanistan,” on Wednesday, March 31. Click here for video of this event.
Islam Scholar Tariq Ramadan Spoke at SAIS Bologna Center on March 25 Tariq Ramadan, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Oxford’s Oriental Institute and president of the European Muslim Network in Brussels, discussed the "Islamic Ethics and Liberation in Europe," on Thursday, March 25.
Former U.S. Ambassador to China Jim Sasser Spoke at SAIS on March 25 Jim Sasser, former U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, discussed "Past Crisis Management as a Guide for Managing the U.S.-China Relationship," on Thursday, March 25.
SAIS and Texas Tech Hosted Conference on Applying Vietnam Lessons in Iraq and Afghanistan on March 4-5 The SAIS Southeast Asia Studies Program and Texas Tech University’s Vietnam Center hosted a two-day conference on “Lessons Learned, Lessons Lost: Counterinsurgency From Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan." Click here for more information. On Thursday, March 4, Michael G. Vickers, assistant secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities, delivered the keynote address.
On Friday, March 5, the following panel discussions took place: "Counterinsurgency Operations in Iraq"
"Counterinsurgency Operations in Afghanistan"
"Lessons Learned, Lessons Lost"
Under Secretary of State Robert Hormats Spoke at SAIS on March 2 Robert Hormats, under secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, discussed “International Economic Priorities in a Multilateral World" on Tuesday, March 2 as part of the W.P. Carey Global Leader Lecture series.
SAIS Hosted Book Discussion on China’s Petroleum Policy on March 1 Bo Kong, director of the SAIS Global Energy and Environment Initiative and a SAIS graduate, discussed his new book, China's International Petroleum Policy, on Monday, March 1. Michael Mandelbaum, director of the SAIS American Foreign Policy Program; Erica S. Downs, a China Energy Fellow at the Brookings Institution; David M. Lampton, director of the SAIS China Studies Program; and Adam Sieminski, chief energy economist for Deutsche Bank, also provided remarks.
SAIS Hosted Discussion on U.S. Promotion of Religious Freedom on March 1 Ishani Chowdhury, former director of public policy at the Hindu American Foundation; Thomas Farr, senior fellow at the Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University; Liu Peng, professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and senior fellow at Emory University; and Joshua White (moderator), a Ph.D. candidate at SAIS and research fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, discussed "Is U.S. Promotion of Religious Freedom Imperialistic?" on Monday, March 1.
Foreign Minister of Serbia Vuk Jeremic Spoke at SAIS on February 25 Vuk Jeremic, Serbia's foreign minister, discussed "Serbia, the United States and the Riddle of Europe" on Thursday, February 25 as part of SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations’ Transatlantic Leaders Forum. Click here for a copy of his prepared remarks.
Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams Spoke at SAIS on February 23 Aaron S. Williams, director of the Peace Corps, discussed "The Future of the Peace Corps and Public Service Abroad" on Tuesday, February 23 as part of SAIS's Black History Month celebration. Milen Woldu, SAIS student and co-president of the SAIS African Diaspora Association, moderated the event, and Stacy Rhodes, Peace Corps chief of staff and a SAIS graduate, participated in the Q&A session. Click here for more information.
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and SAIS Scholar Hank Paulson Discussed His New Book on February 16 Hank Paulson, former U.S. Treasury secretary and SAIS distinguished visiting scholar, discussed his new book, On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System, on Tuesday, February 16. Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, moderated the Q&A session. Click here for more details. Click here for a SAIS Reports interview with Paulson. Click here for video of the event.
SAIS Hosted Iraq War Discussion with Author Tom Ricks on February 3 Tom Ricks, author of Fiasco and The Gamble and Washington Post journalist, discussed "Iraq: Outlook for Political Reconciliation and U.S. Policy Looking Forward" on Wednesday, February 3.
Foreign Minister of Kosovo Skender Hyseni Spoke on February 2 Skender Hyseni, foreign minister of the Republic of Kosovo, discussed "Kosovo Two Years After Independence: Political, Security and Economic Development" on Tuesday, February 2.
SAIS Hosted Book Discussion on History of the Cold War on February 1 Nicholas Thompson, author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan and the History of the Cold War; Michael Mandelbaum, director of the SAIS American Foreign Policy Program; Eliot Cohen, director of the SAIS Strategic Studies Program; and Richard Perle, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, discussed Thompson’s new book on Monday, February 1. Note: Due to technical difficulties, the first 20 minutes of the audio of this event is missing.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini Spoke at SAIS on January 25 Franco Frattini, foreign minister of Italy, discussed "The Major International Security Challenges in 2010: Italy's Role and Vision" on Monday, January 25. Kurt Volker, managing director of the SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations, made introductory remarks, and Maurizio Massari, spokesman for the Italian Foreign Ministry and a SAIS graduate, presided over the question-and-answer session. Click here for his prepared remarks. Click here for more information.
Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanović Spoke at SAIS on January 21 Milo Djukanović, prime minister of Montenegro, discussed "Montenegro's Path to Euro-Atlantic Institutions" as part the SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations’ "Transatlantic Leaders Forum," on Thursday, January 21. Click here to view video of this event. Click here for more information.
Vice Speaker of Korean National Assembly Lee Yoon-Sung Spoke at SAIS on January 14 Lee Yoon-Sung, vice speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, discussed "North Korea-South Korea Relations in the New Era" on Thursday, January 14. Audio of this event will be posted shortly.
2009 Issue of SAISPHERE Is Now Available SAIS recently published the 2009 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, "Religion's Grasp on World Affairs" to coincide with our "Year of Religion." Click here for the online version or request a printed copy.
SAIS Scholar John McLaughlin Appointed to Lead Inquiry Into Detroit Plane Incident Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair has appointed John McLaughlin, distinguished practitioner in residence at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies and a SAIS graduate, to head the Obama administration’s investigation of the intelligence failure which led to the December 25 bombing attempt of a Detroit-bound airliner. Click here for more information.
SAIS Students Visit White House for “Year of Religion” on April 19
U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS Launched Web Site on North Korea
