FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>Agenda to include conversations with political and military leaders from Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, the United States, Canada and more than 60 global democracies together with champions of freedom from Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Afghanistan and Hong Kong;
>15th annual Forum introduces acronym to describe a new alignment of nations where global democracies’ strategic challenges now originate, namely China, Russia, Iran and North Korea: the CRINKs;
>Forum will reflect on topics from past years emphasizing areas that still require serious attention from the democratic community of nations.
Washington, DC – HFX President Peter Van Praagh today released the topical agenda for the 15th annual Halifax International Security Forum that will take place November 17-19 in Halifax, Canada.
“The October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks that intentionally targeted entire families, senior citizens, unarmed men, women, children and babies for being Israeli and being Jewish was a disgrace to civilized humanity, including all peace-loving Arabs,” Peter Van Praagh said. “It was also the opening of a new front of a global confrontation against democracy and civilization.”
“Putin’s Russia started this violent new era of global confrontation against civilization when it attacked its peaceful democratic neighbor Ukraine on February 24, 2022. But as a result of President Zelenskyy’s inspiring leadership, the courage of the Ukrainian people and the generosity of the world’s democracies, Putin is desperate,” said Van Praagh. “Now Putin is working to shift the world’s democracies’ attention—and their generous support for Ukraine – to other theatres.”
“Weapons in this multi-front conflict include modern technologies weaponized for malevolent purposes, the use of social media to influence global public opinion and shocking violence against civilians,” Van Praagh said. “While Putin continues his criminal war against Ukraine, he wants the democracies to shift their focus to other theatres of operations such as East Asia where China’s coercion tactics are aimed at Taiwan while North Korea makes efforts to intimidate its neighbors, West Africa where Wagner Group is working to take advantage of recent military coups and now the Middle East with Iran-backed Hamas intentionally murdering Israeli civilians,” Van Praagh said and added, “All of this is taking place while some individuals and political parties inside our own democracies are challenging the long-established rules of democracy itself.”
“The world’s democracies must come together to stop this multi-front attack. And the best way to do that is for Putin to fail in Ukraine. Ukraine’s victory against Russia’s brand of terrorism will be a victory for democracy everywhere,” Van Praagh said. “At this time, moral clarity is more important than ever and the 15th anniversary Agenda reflects this important truth.”
Plenary On-the-Record Sessions
Make the World Safe Again: Victory in Ukraine
Victory in Ukraine = Message to the CRINKs (China/Russia/Iran/North Korea)
Victory in Ukraine = Example for Israel
Victory in Ukraine = Indo-Pacific Possibilities
Victory in Ukraine = Feeding the World
Victory in Ukraine = Allies’ Access to Innovation
Victory in Ukraine = Climate Cooperation
For as Long as it Takes: Victory in Ukraine.
Informal Off-the-Record Sessions
(Marking its 15th anniversary, Halifax International Security Forum is re-introducing panel titles from past years. The dates in parentheses reflect when panel titles were first introduced at the Forum.)
Ancient Antisemitism Arrives Again (2023)
AI: Awesome Initiative or Apocalypse Impending? (2017)
African Security: Where is the Next Mali? (2013)
Arctic Security in a Time of Thaw (2010)
Beyond Borders: Transnational Trafficking and Crime (2011)
Broken China: Handle With Care (2015)
Cold Weather, High Prices, Long War: Finding Our Winter Resilience (2022)
A Conversation on Afghanistan (2010)
Drone: On (2013)
Facing the Future: Developing a Security Community in the Balkans (2010)
Fukushima Follow-Up: The Future of Nuclear Power (2011)
Germany and its Alternatives (2018)
Hide Your Power, Bide Your Time: China Eyes Taiwan (2023)
Iran: What Do We Do? (2009)
Israel Is Real (2023)
Laws of War: Do They Work? (2009)
Let My People Go: Keeping Faith With Our Hostages. And Ourselves (2023)
NATO in Asia? Or a NATO for Asia? (2010)
NATO: Necessary (2016)
The Nature of Geopolitics? The Geopolitics of Nature (2023)
Never Mind the BRICS, Here’s the CRINKs (2023)
No More Loyalty Tests: A New Era for Global Democracies (2023)
O Say, Can’t You See?: The Indispensable Role of the Exceptional Superpower (2014)
Problems and Partners: The Middle East (2009)
Public Opinion: Mobilizing the Key Strategic Asset (2010)
Rapprochement With Russia: Post-Putin Prep (2017)
Sea, Sky, Space, Cyber: Secure? (2010)
Te Amo, Ammo: On Time Rearming (2023)
Tech: America’s Great Inventions, Its Enemies’ True Intentions (2018)
Terrorism: What’s Next? (2009)
Today’s Technologies, Tomorrow’s Battles and the Laws that (Try to) Govern Them (2011)
Trade as a Weapon: The Art of Economic Statecraft (2013)
Ukraine’s Plan: Survival, Revival, Arrival (2023)
The annual Halifax International Security Forum is hosted by Canada’s Minister of National Defence. HFX receives financial support from the Government of Canada, NATO and Club HFX.
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