On the boundary between East and West, Turkey's democracy has thrived by balancing its Islamic heritage with a modern secular state. However, recent protests and increasing authoritarian actions taken by Prime Minister Erdogan's government have observers questioning Turkey's current political leadership. The loss of over 300 miners in the country's biggest industrial disaster and the recent corruption allegations leveled against Erdogan adds fuel to existing tensions between the government and Turkey's citizens. Turkish political commentator and author Mustafa Akyol will discuss recent developments in Turkey and explain what they mean for the broader Muslim world.

Speaker Mustafa Akyol is a Turkish political commentator and author.

The conversation will be moderated by Jeffrey Scott Collins, Senior Counsel, International Policy, Chevron.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1316

Successful international development requires the integration of many different elements, from improving education and healthcare to addressing inequality and increasing government accountability. Each of these elements presents unique challenges and requires multi-faceted solutions. Looking at the example of poverty, as President Obama said in his State of the Union address last year, eradication will come from "connecting more people to the global economy and empowering women; giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve; helping communities to feed, power and educate themselves; saving the world's children from preventable deaths; and realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation." In the face of such complex problems, what more can be done to address global development challenges? Modern technologies like crowd sourcing, datapaloozas and hack-a-thons may prove to be useful tools. Ambassador Steinberg, former deputy administrator at USAID, will discuss the shifting landscape and the implications of these changes for the way we approach global education and development.

Speaker Donald Steinberg is President and CEO of World Learning.

The conversation will be moderated by Ruth Levine, Director, Global Development and Population Program, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1318

Political, economic and security ties have long united Europe and the United States, with NATO as an essential element of that relationship. Beyond the Euro-Atlantic area, NATO is working with partners across the globe, including in the Asia-Pacific, to build our common security and support the stable, rules-based international order on which we have come to rely. The stability of our international system cannot be taken for granted; with its recent aggression against Ukraine, Russia has demonstrated blatant disregard for the international rule book. NATO's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, will set out how the US and Europe, working through an outward-looking NATO, can continue to lead by example and safeguard the order on which our security and prosperity depend.

This program is presented in partnership with the Commonwealth Club of California and the Marines' Memorial Association.

Speaker Anders Fogh Rasmussen is Secretary General of NATO.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1320

California is changing and the University of California is changing along with it. As president of a world class institution with a public mandate and a global mission, Janet Napolitano has launched initiatives to ensure that the university will thrive in the 21st century and to make public education in California affordable and accessible. She will discuss strategies to enhance community college transfers; boost the transfer of UC's cutting-edge research to market; improve services for student veterans; and leverage the University's capabilities to address food-related challenges in California, the nation and around the world.

She will also discuss efforts she has launched which are focused on environmental sustainability and her project to achieve carbon neutrality across the UC system by 2025.

Speaker Janet Napolitano is President of the University of California.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1303

As the new president of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband has taken on the challenge of the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Having previously served as UK Foreign Secretary, he is well versed on the international policy issues affecting refugees around the world.

Miliband addresses the range of issues for refugees around the world, including immediate concerns in Syria, Iraq and South Sudan.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1322

The release of the most recent assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has refocused the international climate debate. The report states that the human influence on the earth's climate is clear and that change weather patterns are already having an impact on countries and oceans around the world. From the causes and effects of climate change to options for adaptation and mitigation, this publication has given the international community a lot to think about. How will a changing climate impact ecosystems, food security, human health and water supplies? To what extent can we mitigate further change and how can we adapt to the effects that have already occurred? This panel of experts, including contributing authors to the IPCC report, will discuss the findings of the report and its global implications.

Speaker Ken Caldeira is Senior Scientist, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science.

He is joined by Noah Diffenbaugh, Associate Professor of Environmental Earth System Science and Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University.

The discussion is moderated by Amy Luers, Director of Climate Change, Skoll Global Threats Fund.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1305

On May 8 Costa Rica inaugurated its 47th President into office, the Honorable Luis Guillermo Solís. Solís will address how his country has evolved into a high technology leader in Latin America, and will touch upon the priorities that his administration will undertake to continue to provide and enable the right business climate in Costa Rica while fostering foreign direct investment. The title of his talk will be "A Competitive Hub for High-Tech Manufacturing and Services in Latin America."

Speaker Luis Guillermo Solís is President of the Republic of Costa Rica.

The conversation will be moderated by Akiko Yamazaki, President, Board of Directors, Asian Art Museum; Co-Founder, Wildlife Conservation Network.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1308

In panel 2 of a two-part discussion, human rights and humanitarian aid experts and international security specialists take a new look at the challenges posed by North Korea and consider what the international community can do.

For more information about this event please visit: http://asiasociety.org/northern-california/events/north-korea-what-can-international-community-do

For more information about our partner, the Asia Society, please visit: http://asiasociety.org/

In panel 1 of a two-part discussion, defectors, human rights and humanitarian aid experts, and international security specialists delve into the realities of life within the secret society of North Korea.

For more information about this event please visit: http://asiasociety.org/northern-california/events/north-korea-what-can-international-community-do

For more information about our partner, the Asia Society, please visit: http://asiasociety.org/

China has undergone profound economic change in recent years. Through international trade and development of new energy resources, the country has increased its involvement abroad, and at home economic growth has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. However, progress has not been made across the board -- political and social advances have been slower to emerge. The Communist Party still seeks to maintain control over its citizens, limiting freedom of expression and restricting access to information.

As China continues to progress, change will need to come to these areas as well and the country will need to solve the underlying conflict between communism and capitalism. Individuals are finding ways around restrictions and exploring the potential of newfound prosperity and global connectivity. Evan Osnos, China correspondent for The New Yorker, will share stories of ordinary citizens remaking their lives in this shifting landscape.

Speaker Evan Osnos is Correspondent for The New Yorker.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1257