The Torch: Upcoming Events

Hybrid Event - 1800-1900 GMT plus 10. Registration at link.
Join us in-person or online with PhD candidate at ANU, Aryana Mohmood, lecturer at SCU and ACU, Dr. Mujib Abid and student at Griffith University, Fahima Ahmadi, who will participate in a panel discussion on women, peace and security in Afghanistan.

Livestream. 0925 start EST. Registration at link.
In collaboration with the Embassy of Canada, this event will bring together perspectives from five-eyes governments and industry to explore the need for interconnectedness and mutually supportive industrial bases to effectively respond to threats and identify trade barriers, legislative and policy challenges and market solutions.
Recognizing that defence procurement is a critical enabler for ensuring that industrial bases are calibrated to achieve strategic objectives, the discussion will also touch upon procurement practices and the proper allocation of resources among governments and industry partners. By exploring current gaps and identifying actionable strategies, the panels seek to answer the underlying question of how to calibrate defence industrial capacity and international defence cooperation to enhance mutual security and socioeconomic outcomes.
This event will be taking place during the week of AUSA 2024, which draws industry, government and stakeholders for a large exposition to amplify solutions and dialogue in the defence ecosystem by connecting people and ideas.

Webinar. 1800-2000 hrs. Registration at link.
This webinar is focused on Commercial Game Software and how it can be used to bring analog training methodology into the digital age to improve critical decision-making skills. It will explore various digital wargames from Matrix Games and how they can be leveraged into creating the next generation of Tactical Decision Gaming Methodology to include at the operational level. Proof of concepts will be demonstrated and bringing military journal publications into the 21st century will be discussed.
Kevin Williamson is a Wargame Subject Matter Expert currently working at Marine Corps University in support of Professional Military Education. Kevin is a veteran of the US Armed Forces with experience in Logistics and Gunnery with a strong passion for Civilian-Military joint learning.

Zoom Webinar - 1200-1300 ET. Registration at link.
The rise of generative AI could revolutionize bad actors’ ability to conduct social media manipulation. RAND experts Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga and William Marcellino will explore this issue through a case study focused on how the Chinese military may adopt generative AI to interfere in Taiwan's democracy.

In person at Ottawa University. See link.
Ernie Regehr will deliver a keynote lecture exploring Canada’s role in Arctic security, considering the implications of Russia’s nuclear presence and China’s ambitions. He will also examine the growing role of nuclear weapons in world politics, focusing on present military conflicts and modernization trends.

At the University of Ottawa. 0900-1730 ET. See link for registration. This in-person conference is free to attend but prior registration is required.
The Canadian Pugwash Group and the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa are pleased to host a public conference entitled “Security Options for a Troubled World”. The conference will feature Canadian experts addressing the following topics:
“Nuclear Nightmares: how to revive Arms Control & Disarmament”
“Countering the Danger of Autonomous Weapons and Managing the AI Effect”
“Constructing the Future of UN Peace Operations”
“How to Prevent War in Space”
“Curtailing the Global Arms Trade and promoting Common Security”
“Re-energizing Canada’s Security Diplomacy”

This year’s in-person edition of the Montreal Summit will be by-invitation only. This year, the event will have a limited number of complimentary seats reserved for students and members of the general public who are passionate about the intersection of climate change and security. See the link for registration.
The NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) and the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute are excited to announce the 3rd Montreal Climate Security Summit, which will take place on October 29th-30th, 2024 in Montreal, Canada.
The Montreal Climate Security Summit is an annual international meeting at the intersection of climate change and security, which brings together participants from across the NATO Alliance and beyond. This year, we are expecting an audience of 200 guests which will include high-level civilian and military practitioners, policy makers, decision makers, and seasoned researchers hailing from NATO member countries, multilateral and regional organizations, industry, think tanks, and civil society. The event will feature speakers from Canada, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Finland, Italy, Kuwait, the Netherlands, India, as well as NATO HQ, the European Union and the United Nations.
The first two editions of the Montreal Summit were led by the CDA Institute. With the establishment of the CCASCOE in Montreal in 2023, the two organizations are joining forces to build on previous efforts and generate a landmark venue to discuss climate security between NATO Allies and beyond.

Conference. Registration at link.
The modern battlefield requires dismounted soldiers to be agile, adaptable, and extremely skilled. With a particular focus on developments in equipment, urban and complex terrain and training approaches, International Dismounted Soldier (IDS) 2024 explores the changing environment of warfare and its impact on dismounted situational awareness. Highlighting advancements meant to enhance light forces' effectiveness, survivability, and mission success, the event brings together military leaders, soldier system experts and industry representatives to explore the latest developments, challenges and trends in dismounted soldier systems.
Across the globe, militaries recognise the value of infantry soldiers and marines adopting a lighter approach to ensure they maintain peak physical and cognitive performance while minimising the risk of injury. The third annual International Dismounted Soldier looks at technological developments which have enhanced the capabilities of infantry and marines and will deliver updates from a range of international perspectives regarding soldier system programs.

Hybrid event including Zoom - 1900-2030 EST. Registration at link.
In the early years of the Cold War, hundreds of soldiers, sailors, and aviators from Canada, Britain, and the United States trained in the outdoors near Fort Churchill, fighting the natural elements and perfecting Arctic techniques and tactics. Scientists and engineers also played an important role, using brainpower to study and improve military kit, weapons, and equipment for everyday use in the Arctic. In this talk, Matthew S. Wiseman will discuss his recent book, Frontier Science: Northern Canada, Military Research, and the Cold War, 1945-1970, highlighting the rise and fall of Fort Churchill to investigate the most challenging issue of Canadian defence in the postwar Arctic: the human body.

Ottawa - National Arts Centre. Registration at link.
Free for Military and Public Sector.
As a maritime nation surrounded by three oceans, Canada’s defence and ability to operate in the underwater domain, including the Arctic, is vital and of utmost national strategic interest. Deep Blue Forum provides government, military and industry with a platform to learn about new trends, discuss emerging and disruptive technology and forecast new developments in the underwater domain.
Deep Blue is more than a submarine event, it is about operation in the underwater domain in the Arctic and in Canada's coastal and maritime regions.

Online. 1200-1300. REgistration at link.
Join New America's Future Security Program as they welcome Frank K. Sobchak to discuss his book Training for Victory and the effectiveness of Special Forces advisory operations. Sobchak is a retired Special Forces colonel who served in various assignments in war and peace during a twenty-six-year military career. He is Chair of Irregular Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute, U.S. Military Academy and a Senior Fellow at the Global and National Security Institute, University of South Florida, and a Fellow (contributor) for the MirYam Institute.

In person only in Kingston, Ontario. Registration at link.
Human security in today’s international environment is a complex and pressing issue. Human security goes beyond traditional notions of state security and encompasses the well-being, dignity, and rights of individuals. In a world marked by rapid geopolitical shifts, global challenges, and emerging threats, ensuring human security requires a multifaceted approach covering a range of issues.
Due to the diversity of ongoing and future challenges to people’s safety and well-being, human security needs a holistic and synchronized approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of global issues and prioritizes the well-being of individuals and communities.

Hybrid conference. 0800-1700 hrs ET.
By Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
See link for more information.

Webinar - 1900 hrs EST. Registration at link.
In this presentation Tim Cook will discuss his new book, The Good Allies, a masterful account of how Canadians and Americans made the transition from wary rivals to steadfast allies, and how Canada thrived in the shadow of the military and global superpower. In exploring this complex and crucial dimension of the Second World War and its legacy, Tim recounts two nations’ story of cooperation, of sacrifice, and of bleeding together to save the world from the fascist threat....

In person at the University of Ottawa. 1000-1130 hrs ET. More info at link.
The post-World War II period is typically seen as a time of stark division, an epochal global conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. But beneath the surface, the postwar era witnessed a striking degree of international cooperation. The United Nations and its agencies, as well as regional organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, and private foundations brought together actors from conflicting worlds, fostering international collaboration across the geopolitical and ideological divisions of the Cold War.
Diving into the archives of these organizations and associations, Sandrine Kott provides a new account of the Cold War that foregrounds the rise of internationalism as both an ideology and a practice....

Conference. Registration at link.
The 12th annual Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace, Defence & Space will return to Bristol, in 2025. Join us to gain world-class expertise from leaders within the West of England’s aerospace, advanced engineering and digital manufacturing hub, such as Airbus, Boeing, GKN Aerospace, and Babcock.
As the UK’s largest aerospace cluster, with more AM users from the defence and space community, Bristol is once again the optimal location to bring all the stakeholders from the Advanced Manufacturing and 3D Printing ecosystem together to address the current challenges.
This year’s theme is implementing advanced manufacturing technologies to help continually optimise products and processes. Within this, the event will look at ways to improve production processes to increase efficiency and reduce risk. With the global aerospace and defence additive manufacturing market predicted to grow to USD 13.01 billion in 2028, and increasing demand for lightweight parts and components, the need for novel AM techniques is at an all-time high.