USF St. Petersburg is once again the co-organizer and host of the renowned St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs February 12-15. Now in its seventh year, the conference that brings together diplomatic, military, media and academic experts along with thousands of citizens will focus many of its panel discussions on the dizzying array of international issues in flux and impacting the world, from Brexit to trade wars to American foreign policy. As always, the event is free and open to the public.
“In a world racked by uncertainty and change, the conference is more important than ever,” said Dr. Thomas Smith, co-founder of the conference and professor of Political Science and director of USFSP’s Honors Program. “We hope our panels and other events will serve as beacons of insight and analysis for students and campus visitors alike. That is our sole agenda.”
The 2019 conference will include around 35 panel discussions and presentations on key issues – both international and domestic – designed to broaden and enhance perspectives on critical matters. Discussion topics this year will include:
- Saudi Arabia: is the Kingdom in our corner?
- To the UK: rethink Brexit!
- China: let’s rule the world together.
- Russia and Europe: friend and enemy, in that order?
- Why is America relinquishing its leadership role in the world?
- Women in global business
- St. Petersburg, FL. as an international dining destination.
“Local, national and international experts from a variety of fields and with distinct experiences will share their insights on complicated issues that have serious consequences to our lives,” said Smith.
Among the featured speakers is Chas Freeman, an eminent diplomat who has operated at the highest levels of the foreign policy establishment. He was the principal American interpreter during President Nixon’s path-breaking visit to China in 1972 and helped design a NATO-centered post-Cold War European security system in the early 1990s. Freeman is an expert on Saudi Arabia and China, having served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia and reestablished defense and military relations with China.
Other notable speakers include John Zogby, who has served as an on-air election analyst for NBC News, BBC and the CBC and is founder of the “Zogby Poll,” which remains among the most accurate through the past five elections; Prudence Bushnell, who was Ambassador to Kenya and led the community response to the 1998 Al Qaeda bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, earning her the Department of State Award for Heroism; and Yolande Morrison, a high school student from Jamaica who is presenting her film “Finding Home,” which recounts her story as a new immigrant and the challenges involved in finding a new home.
“Our institution fosters an inclusive community by encouraging dialogue about global issues and by connecting our students to the world. That is why organizing and hosting this conference for our city every year remains a high priority for USF St. Petersburg,” said Dr. Martin Tadlock, Regional Chancellor of USF St. Petersburg.
The St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs is sponsored by USF St. Petersburg, Raymond James Financial, the Tampa Bay Times, WUSF Public Media, the Open Partnership Education Network and the Sembler Company, with support from numerous other companies and organizations throughout the Tampa Bay community.
“This year we wanted to raise awareness of international issues beyond just the Conference by developing partnerships with local cultural institutions, restaurants and hotels as part of a new International Week being proclaimed for the first time by the city,” said Diane Seligsohn, President of St. Petersburg in the World, a non-profit that joins forces with USF St. Petersburg to organize the yearly Conference. “Additionally, there are panels that link the local with the international to promote and encourage attendees to be part of the dynamic making our city grow and become more focused on its place in the world.”
For more information, including full schedule and list of speakers visit: https://stpetersburgconferenceonworldaffairs.com. Parking will be available for Conference attendees at the Mahaffey Theater parking lot, located at 100 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
To register, send an email to info@stpetersburgintheworld.com and be sure to include your name, phone number and the number of people in your party. Walk-in seating will be available on a first-come, first-seated basis.