The Torch: Upcoming Events

Online. (MS Teams) 0845-1530 hrs EST. Registration outlined at link.
See poster at link for more details.

Save the Date. Check link for more information including registration.
!Great powers. Allies and Friends. Rivals, or lately even enemies. These are the labels we typically use to refer to countries we care about the most for our defence and security. As talk of a “new Cold War” abounds in policy discourse, the world seems once again like it can be divided into rival, competing blocs. There are those we cooperate with, and others we compete with. Yet most countries of the world do not fall neatly within these categories. Instead, they are often located in-between (or even outside) such binaries. Their non-alignment concerns us, and we fear the implications of them choosing the “other” (wrong) side....

Online. 1900-2100 hrs AST. Registration at link.
By Georgetown University Wargaming Society.
War is an infinitely complex endeavor waged over vast spaces by entities composed of hundreds of thousands of human beings. Wargames need to be teachable in an hour and managed by two humans. This requires compression. But what does that compression do and how does it shape our understanding? This talk will use examples from history to show how wargame rules impact how we view conflicts and build narratives that we may not be able to consciously see. From terrain modifiers to information flows, it will challenge assumptions and offer solutions to help better capture the complexity of war.

Online. 1300-1415 hrs GMT. Registration at link.
Political transitions in the Horn of Africa, notably Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, had offered hope for more democratic, civilian-led governance and enhanced regional stability.
However, since 2018 they have been disrupted by a series of crises and shifting regional dynamics shaped by long-standing and new political forces. ... At this event, panellists will discuss:
- The increasing regionalization of conflict in the Horn of Africa.
- How regionalization has become entangled with national interests.
- Key areas where regional, continental, and international actors can better coordinate responses to address the conflict, defuse cross-border tensions, and promote consolidated stability in the region.

President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping participated in a summit meeting November 15 in Woodside, California in which U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns participated. This event will offer a unique opportunity to gain insight from a participant in the talks about the impact of the summit on the direction of U.S.-China relations....

Online. 1200-115 hrs. Registration at link.
Join Arctic Initiative Senior Fellow Margaret Williams for a debrief with Arctic experts recently returned from the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP28. The panelists will reflect on their key takeaways from the conference and answer any questions you might have about its outcomes, with a focus on Arctic biodiversity, permafrost thaw, and Indigenous peoples.
Recording: The seminar will be recorded and available to watch on this page (typically one week later). Those who register for this event will automatically receive a link to the recording as soon as it is available.

Zoom webinar. 1600-1730 ET. Registration at link.
Defectors, the new book by award-winning historian Erik R. Scott, shows how the Cold War treatment of those fleeing the Communist world shaped present-day restrictions on cross-border movement. This far-ranging study charts a global struggle over defectors that unfolded among rival intelligence agencies operating in the shadows of an occupied Europe, in the forbidden border zones of the USSR, in the disputed straits of the South China Sea, on a hijacked plane 10,000 feet in the air, and around the walls of Soviet embassies. Challenging our conventional understanding of Cold War divisions, it reveals that the competition for defectors paved the way for collusion between the superpowers, who found common cause in regulating the spaces through which defectors moved.

Online. 1000-1100 EST. Registration at link.
The war in Israel and Gaza has impacted many countries far beyond the combatants or their immediate neighbors, Major global actors are now both involved in and affected by the crisis....

Webcast. 1100-1145 hrs ET. Registration at link. English, with interpretation in French
This sixth event in the series will explore how the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces work with allies, including the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), to keep Canada and Canadians safe.

Virtual Live Stream. Registration at link.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Joint Operations Symposium (JOS) brings together senior Defence and Security leaders, practitioners, and experts to address major challenges facing the CAF and Defence.
Theme: Insights on and Solutions for Operational Challenges facing the CAF and Defence.

Online (Zoom) - 1800-1900 MST. Registration at link.
Royal Alberta United Services Institute presentation.
Consider a security crisis. Any crisis, anywhere in the world. Journalist and political advisor Sarah Chayes will connect the dots between corruption and its pivotal role in driving security crises, wherever they may occur. Join us for this exploration of the structure of corrupt networks and the far-reaching implications of their practices.
Following a 30-minute presentation, the audience is encouraged to challenge and discuss with relevant questions. These will be non-partisan discussions aimed at generating thought-provoking responses allowing all parties to become better informed on security and defence.

Zoom webinar. 1000-1700 EST. Registration at link.
The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) will host its 2024 Virtual Winter Conference on February 26. The virtual conference will explore lessons from Ukraine, with topics related to nuclear rhetoric and brinksmanship, escalation management, and changes in the perceived value of nuclear weapons.

Online. 0800-1800 GMT. Registration at link.
Potential cost.
... The 2024 conference will explore the implications of the changing global security order, as well as the nature of conflict and the potential avenues for enhanced cooperation on issues of common and strategic interest to successfully tackle 21st-century threats....

Save the Date. Registration information coming. See link.
The Ottawa Conference on Security & Defence is an annual event held at the Chateau Laurier since 1932.