On Shifting Ground

More than one billion people today live on just one dollar per day. Those who live at this level of poverty often work extremely hard at jobs few in the West would even entertain. They lack basic services such as healthcare and education, a deficit that all too often keeps them and their families stuck in a continuous poverty cycle, often for generations. Professor Thomas Nazario, founder of The Forgotten International, will discuss what he calls 'the forgotten people of the world'. Often they are those who live in abject poverty, often they are women and children and often they have absolutely no access to any kind of real power or influence. How can one bring more attention to these issues? And what, if anything, can be done to solve global poverty? This event will be followed by Last Call.

Speaker Tom Nazario is Founder and President of The Forgotten International.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1266

Direct download: 4_29_14_Global_Poverty.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 10:52pm PDT



On the occasion of Earth Day 2014, the World Affairs Council and the Commonwealth Club are delighted to host the President of Iceland. As a member of the Arctic Council, Iceland is at the forefront of those nations in the North feeling the environmental effects brought on by climate change. While the melting polar ice cap has potential broad negative consequences for the world's oceans, sea levels and climate, at the same time it increases the potential for commercial and economic activity in the Arctic region. President Grímsson will address both the challenges and opportunities that will arise from these important global changes in his talk "People and Ice: The New Significance of the Arctic and the Himalayas." His Excellency Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson has been Iceland's president since 1996 and is currently serving his fifth elected term in office. He has served a long and illustrious career in public service, first as a professor of political science at the University of Iceland and later holding numerous positions within the Icelandic government. Among many international awards he has received is the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize which he received on behalf of the international organization Parliamentarians for Global Action, of which he was chairman and later president from 1984 - 1990.

Speaker Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is President of the Republic of Iceland.

For more information about event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1286

Direct download: 4_22_14_Iceland_President-1.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 11:15am PDT

The war in Syria, revolutions and counter-revolutions in Egypt, counterterrorism operations in Northern Africa, attacks in Kenya, Nigeria and Russia—the news of today suggests the threat of terrorism is far from over. The post-Arab Spring security vacuum and the rise of social media has changed realities and transformed the terrorism landscape. Where the center of gravity of Bin Laden terrorism was once limited to Afghanistan, Al Qaeda has now adapted and incorporated loosely connected groups, ceding operational control in exchange for a more global reach. Ali Soufan, author of "The Black Banners", CEO of The Soufan Group and former FBI Special Agent, will discuss the spread of Al Qaeda's violent narratives and outline the current threat landscape.

Speaker Ali Soufan is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Soufan Group.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1258

Direct download: 4_7_14_Al_Qaeda.mp3
Category:News & Politics -- posted at: 8:56am PDT

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