In today’s globalised economy it is important to have a grasp on more than one language – you may study abroad or have colleagues working overseas. Regardless of the reason, learning another language will enable you to communicate with people from different cultures around the world. This year the Young Professionals Network of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (WA) will be running a series of language classes to provide participants with an opportunity to learn the basics of some of the world’s most widely spoken languages and associated cultures and customs in a relaxed setting. Our second class will be on Spanish and will be taught by Rafael Baro, the founder and director of Oniria Language Studio. Tapas and drinks will be served. Booking and prepayment are essential. Ticket sales will end on Friday 15 September 2017.  Please advise of any dietary requirements to ypnwa@internationalaffairs.org.au 

The Persian Gulf is a region in which great powers continue to vie for control and influence over territory and crucial, yet diminishing, resources. Progress continues to fail as decision makers seem to ignore the realities that confront them. At our August Event, Dr Ben Rich will explore some of the factors that currently affect security in the Gulf, with focus on the hegemonic rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US, the drive to modernise the Saudi economy, the conflict between Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the ongoing war in Yemen. Dr Rich will investigate the factors underlying these phenomena and question whether they represent continuity with, or departure from, historical trends.  About the Speaker: Dr. Ben Rich Lectures in International Relations at Curtin University.  His research is focused on Middle Eastern affairs, political violence, insurgency and international relations.  His research interests include terrorism, CVE, insurgency, COIN and politics in the Middle East.  To find out more about Dr Ben Rich click here 

UPDATE: This event is now fully booked. Please email ypnwa@internationalaffairs.org.au to add your name to the waitlist.The Young Professionals Network of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (YPN) in partnership with Young Australians in International Affairs invites you to the second event in the 2017 Careers Without Borders series, ‘Speed Dating with Professionals in International Affairs’. Are you interested in pursuing a career in international affairs? At this event you will have the opportunity to speak to professionals with experience in a variety of internationally focused industries including defence, policy, research, law, business and development. You will have the chance to find out how you can get started forging your own career in international affairs.You will have the opportunity to network with six professionals in an intimate setting. Our speakers will share their experiences in developing successful careers across varied functions within the field of international affairs and the challenges they have encountered along the way.Doors open 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start.Light catering to be provided.SPEAKERS INCLUDE:Sergeant Tara Beckett (Federal Agent, Australian Federal Police)Dr Sandy Chong (Vice-President elect, United Nations Association of Australia)Mr Joe James (Political-Economic Officer, US Consulate-General)Ms Nicole Matrai (Principal Policy Adviser, Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth)Mr Mervyn Piesse (Manager of the Global Food and Water Research, Future Directions International)Mr Alisdair Putt (Migration Agent and Lawyer, Putt Legal)ABOUT THE SPEAKERSSergeant Tara BeckettTara Beckett completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Relations and Political Science from the Australian National University. After deciding to discontinue post graduate studies, Tara joined the AFP in 2007 in Forensics.As an unsworn member Tara held roles in Quality Assurance and Legislative Compliance. In 2009, Tara completed recruitment training and was posted to the Sydney office. During her time in Sydney, Tara worked on child protection matters, and drugs, proceeds of crime and fraud investigations. Additionally, Tara was out-posted to the Department of Human Services for two years to assist and upskill staff in Centrelink and Medicare in respect of investigations defrauding the Commonwealth.Between 2015 and 2017, Tara worked in the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team. Tara was involved in major national security investigations of domestic and international significance. In late 2016, Tara was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and in February 2017, joined the AFP Perth office. Tara runs one of the two Crime Operations Teams in Perth which investigate crimes against the Commonwealth including drug importations, and fraud and victim based crimes such as human trafficking, sexual servitude and slave and indentured labour. Dr Sandy ChongA Harvard Alumnus, Dr Sandy Chong is the winner of the State Government's Western Australia Multicultural Recognition Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement (2016), Outstanding Volunteer Award (2016), Curtin Alumni Achievement Award for Community Service (2015), and Singapore Management Consultant of the Year Award (2015).Other than leading a consultancy practice in Singapore that helps trade agencies and businesses in international expansion, Dr Chong also serves on the Advisory Board at Curtin University looking at international student engagement and promotion of women in higher education.A strong advocate for youth education and economic empowerment, Dr Chong dedicates her time to mentoring female entrepreneurs and youth start-ups internationally. Her passion in connecting businesses with philanthropic activities has seen her serving on the United Nations Women IWD Organising Committee for three years and is currently the Vice-President elect of the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAAWA).Mr Joe JamesJoe James is the first Political-Economic Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Perth. He covers political and economic issues in WA. Previously, he served as an Environment, Science, Technology and Health (ESTH) Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Prior to this position, he served as a Vice Consul in the consular section of the embassy. Joe’s first assignment in the Foreign Service was at the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France where he served as the Trade and Agriculture Advisor for the Mission. Before joining the Foreign Service, Joe spent six years working in the credit union industry performing market research and economic analysis. Joe is an economic-coned officer in the Foreign Service. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Cornell University and pursued graduate study at Georgetown University. He is originally from Saint Marys, Pennsylvania and currently lives in Perth with his wife Caroline and daughters, Elisabeth and Lauren.Ms Nicole MatraiNicole Matrai is a career public servant, having spent the last 17 years in both Commonwealth and state governments. Starting from a graduate position in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Nicole represented Australia at the World Trade Organisation. At state level, Nicole has worked on water, and trade and investment policies. Nicole currently works for the WA Minister for Housing, Veterans Issues and Youth.Mr Mervyn PiesseMervyn Piesse is the Research Manager for the Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme at Future Directions International (FDI), a not-for-profit research institute based in Perth. He previously worked as a Research Analyst covering Indonesia for FDI’s Indian Ocean Research Programme. He has a Bachelor’s Degree with honours in International Relations from Curtin University and a Masters of International Relations from The University of Western Australia. Mr Alisdair PuttAlisdair Putt was first admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 1995. After 14 years of working in the Federal Attorney General’s Department, Alisdair gained international experience working in the Office of Prosecutor for International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia. Alisdair has also held positions in the Office of the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court; Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of State Director of Public Prosecutions (WA).Alisdair has undertaken a number of short term international law training assignments for the United Nations and European Union in Iraq, Pakistan and recently served in Afghanistan for 9 months with AusAID.Alisdair received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from The University of Western Australia, a Bachelor of Laws from University of Technology, Sydney, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Masters of Law at the Australian National University, and a Graduate Diploma in Migration Law and Practice from Murdoch University. Currently Alisdair is completing a Masters of Military Law at Australian National University. 

Thank you for your interest, but the venue at the WA Club has been booked to maximum capacity. The Australian Institute of International Affairs WA (AIIA WA) will be holding an intimate breakfast at the Western Australian Club with Ambassador Tesch, where he will present on the topic Putin Russia into Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities for Australia.Price: Members: $40. Guests: $45A set breakfast will be included in the cost of tickets and seats are strictly limited, so please register with the WA Club directly by calling (08) 9481 7000 or email events@waclub.com.au

The Australian Institute of International Affairs Young Professionals Network and the Curtin International Relations Society invite you to a seminar on getting published in International Affairs.A portfolio of published articles will give you a head start when looking for employment after university. But getting work published for an academic journal, think tank, or even a blog can be highly competitive.   At this seminar, our presenters will share their insights on:Selecting a topicAdjusting  an article for different readershipsApproaching a target organisationOur presenters include:Anne-Marie Balbi, PhD Candidate, Curtin University, Department of Social Sciences and Security Studies                                               Helen Clark, Freelance Journalist and Contributor to the The Lowy Institute, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, The Diplomat,South China Morning Post and the Asia TimesFlavia Bellieni Zimmermann, PhD Candidate UWA Centre for Muslim States and Societies AIIA WA,  the Commissioning Editor for Australian OutlookSpace is limited so registration is essential.

At our July event we will screen The White Balloon following a discussion on the Cannes Film Festival and its implications for international relations.Tom Vincent, Film Program Manager for the Perth International Arts Festival, will describe how the Cannes film festival has grown from its origins in 1939 as the “festival of the free world” to its present status as a significant global player at the intersection of art, commerce and geopolitics. Tom’s talk will highlight examples of national cinemas that have been elevated by selection at Cannes, and he will describe the festival’s ongoing role in mediating cultural ‘otherness’.The White Balloon, directed by  Jafar Panahi, won the Cannes festival’s Camera d’Or for best first feature in 1995.  It was Iran's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 68th Academy Awards, but became the subject of international controversy.About the Speaker Before joining Perth International Arts Festival in 2014, Tom worked as a curator of cultural cinema and teacher in England, and a teacher of English in Japan. He has worked for the UK’s National Media Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Leeds College of Art, The University of Bradford, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Screenwest and the University of Western Australia. Tom currently programs PIAF’s UWA Somerville and ECU Joondalup Pines screens, and curates several other screen-based programs within the festival.

In today’s globalised economy it is important to have a grasp on more than one language – you may study abroad or have colleagues working overseas. Without knowing the basics, you might starve! Regardless of the reason, learning another language will enable you to communicate with people from different cultures around the world.This year the Young Professionals Network of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (WA) will be running a series of language classes, to provide participants with an opportunity to learn the basics of some of the world’s most widely spoken languages and associated cultures and customs in a relaxed setting over dinner. Our first class will be on Mandarin and will be taught by a professor from the Confucius Institute of The University of Western Australia. As food is involved, bookings and prepayment are essential. Ticket sales will end on Wednesday 12th July  2017.  Please advise of any dietary requirements to ypnwa@internationalaffairs.org.au 

The AIIA WA in partnership with the Centre for Muslim States and Societies is proud to host a Fellow's Lecture by well-known ABC presenter Geraldine Doogue titled Foreign Affairs as a water-cooler conversation – the challenge awaiting us.Geraldine is a West Australian with a long and prestigious career in both public and commercial media.  She can be heard every Saturday morning on ABC Radio National’s Saturday Extra where a wide range of current international issues is discussed with experts from Australia and around the world.  Geraldine received a United Nations Media Peace Prize as well as two Penguin Awards for excellence in broadcasting from the Television Society of Australia. In 2003, she was recognised as an Officer in the Order of Australia for services to the community and media. Geraldine tackles a wide range of subjects with rigour, optimism, humour and warmth.In 2016 Geraldine was made a Fellow of the AIIA for her distinguished contribution to the field of international relations in Australia. She accepted our invitation to deliver her Fellow’s Lecture at the AIIA in WA in June, and will travel to Perth specially for this event.  The lecture will be followed by a light supper and ticket sales will raise funds for the AIIA WA Bursary for Studies in Asia program which enables young West Australians to undertake educational experiences in Asia.Because food is involved, bookings and prepayment are essential and tickets sales will end on the 26th of June. A $10 donation at the door will also be warmly appreciated.

Since its inception in 2013, China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) strategy has become President Xi Jinping’s flagship international initiative.  This initiative comes at a time when the world is still on a learning curve when trying to understand the intricacies of modern China itself.The aim of OBOR is the economic integration of Eurasia, largely through investment in infrastructure and transport projects.  The core idea behind it is to revive the ancient land-trade route in the framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt in conjunction with the sea-trade routes of the Twenty-first Century Maritime Silk Road. Experience has shown that large international infrastructure projects can give rise to expensive and lengthy legal disputes involving various stakeholders from many countries.  For parties involved in OBOR, and for those interested in becoming involved, there are many lessons that can be learned from those experiences.  At our May event, Mr Jun Wang will share his insights from managing some cutting-edge infrastructure project disputes arising from the initial phases of OBOR implementation. About the speakerMr Jun Wang is the founder and director of Hong Kong-based award-winning boutique arbitration and dispute management firm Capital Alliance ADR Advisory Services (Capital Alliance). He also serves as a part-time Senior Instructor at the Legal Practice Education Centre of Macau University of Science and Technology Faculty of Law. Jun is the first ever China-born individual appointed as an Honorary Fellow by the University of Western Australia Faculty of Law. Jun is also the co-producer of Chinese version of ACICA Arbitration Rules (2016). He splits his time between Greater China and Australasia and frequently travels to Singapore and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region to work with his clients.Prior to setting up Capital Alliance, Jun has had extensive experience working with leading Chinese and UK/US international law firms in China, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong where he worked on Chinese, Australian, English, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwanese, New York, Brazilian, Saudi, Thai, Indian and EU law matters for 17 years. Jun has also served as Deputy Registrar of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) between 2009 and 2010 where he played a lead role in supervising all arbitrations filed with the SIAC and was involved in the interpretation of Singapore’s International Arbitration Act (Chapter 143A), and  the drafting of the SIAC Arbitration Rules 2010.Jun is experienced in advising clients on China/Asia-related arbitration matters under various arbitration rules. He has been involved in the representation of multinational companies and high net worth individuals to conduct legal proceedings through court systems in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, Canada and the European Union. He is also well versed in international investment and trade law disputes. Jun was admitted as an attorney-at-law in China in 2001. He was admitted as a Lawyer in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and as a Barrister and Solicitor in the High Court of Australia in 2006. Jun was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2009. Jun was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in the High Court of New Zealand in 2014.

We hope that this event will be the first of many in this new format for the CBD.We have sold the maximum number of tickets for this venue, and bookings for this event are now closed. We value your support and hope to see you at future events in the CBD and at our regular monthly events at St Catherine's college in Crawley.Thank you for your support.Panel discussion with Australia’s Ambassadors to Brazil,Mexico, and ArgentinaBrazil and Mexico are the largest economies in Latin America.Brazil is one of our major investment partners, with Australian investment in Brazil reaching $11 billion and over 100 Australian companies operating there.  It is also our largest source of international students outside Asia and a significant market for tourism to Australia. The partnership between Australia and Mexico is strong and growing. Both countries work closely together in multilateral forums such as APEC, the G20, and MIKTA. The stock of Australian investment in Mexico increased twenty-five fold between 2009 and 2014 to $5.3 billion.Join AIIA WA in the city for a panel discussion with Australia's ambassadors to three of these important states and emerging markets in Latin America.Please note: This venue for this event is very small and numbers are strictly limited.  Bookings are essential.About the Speakers:Australia’s Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil is Mr John Richardson.He has previously served as Australia’s Ambassador to Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (2008 - 2011), and as Deputy Head of Mission in Bonn, Berlin and Bangkok where he was also Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.Prior to taking up his current appointment, Mr Richardson was State Director, Victoria, for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has held a wide range of Canberra-based positions including as Assistant Secretary responsible for Canada and Latin America; Diplomatic Security; North-East Asia; and Trade Strategy.Mr Richardson has studied Japanese, German, Spanish and Portuguese.Australia’s Ambassador to Mexico is Dr David Engel.He a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Until recently, he was Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, where he had earlier served as First Secretary. He has also served as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington.In Canberra, Dr Engel has served as Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Policy Planning Branch and Assistant Secretary of the Global Issues Branch. He previously served in the Office of National Assessments as Assistant Director-General for Southeast Asia.Dr Engel holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of New South Wales. He speaks Spanish and Indonesian.Australia's Ambassador to Argentina is Mr Noel D. Campbell.Mr Campbell is Australian Ambassador to Argentina with concurrent accreditation to Paraguay and Uruguay – a position he has held since December 2014. Prior to this he was Assistant Secretary, International Organisations Branch, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has also served as Official Secretary to the Governor of New South Wales (2009-2012) and as Australian Ambassador to Spain (2006-2009), the United Arab Emirates (2002-2005) and the former Yugoslavia (1994-1997).From 1998 to 2002 he was Chef de Cabinet to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In this capacity he advised the Director General on a range of international political, legal and strategic issues relevant to the mandate of the Agency.He graduated from the Australian National University with a B.A. in Political Science in 1972 and an LL.B (Hons) in 1974. He subsequently received an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma. 

As the world comes to terms with the implications of Brexit and the recent US presidential election, attention is focussed on the upcoming presidential election in France. Will French voters follow the trend set in the UK and US and elect the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen? Or will they resist the populist trend, as voters in the recent election in the Netherlands have done, and choose the charismatic Justin Trudeau-like Emmanuel Macron instead? Please join us to discuss the upcoming landmark election and hear our panelists elaborate on the implications that the result may have for France, Europe and the world. About our speakers:   Patrick Kedemos Patrick Kedemos has over 22 years of experience, including 16 years in increasingly senior roles within the international industrial, medical and environmental gases industry at Air Liquide and Wesfarmers. Patrick started his career as the founder of Action Plus, a company providing Marketing Research to a number of industrial customers. He later joined Air Liquide, a Fortune 500 Company and one of the largest industrial groups in Europe, within which he gained a wealth of experience from various roles in France, Greece and Australia, operating across various geographies and industries. These included roles as General Manager, Sales & Marketing Manager, Strategy Manager and Financial Controller. More recently, Patrick was the Managing Director of AnaeCo, a publically-listed Australian technology Company. Patrick is currently the Managing Director of Avanguard Capital, a global capital group with extensive international capital raising capabilities and investments in resources, retail, financial services and information technology. Patrick also sits on a number of boards. Patrick is a French, Lebanese and Australian citizen. He is a graduate of the INSEAD MBA, holds a Master of Science from NEOMA Business School and is fluent in English, French, German, Greek and Arabic and is learning Italian and Spanish. He was the Honorary Consul for France in Western Australia between 2011 and 2017.   Carine Bougnague Carine Bougnague has over 20 years of experience in Senior positions within public organisations, local governments, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Alliance Française network. She started as an economic developer attracting inward investments and setting up businesses for the region of Montpellier in France, known as a leading place for High-tech and innovative companies in Europe. She later became Head of Companies Development, Set-up and Business Infrastructure Programming before she became Head of International Relations for the City of Montpellier. In this role she developed partnerships and cooperation programmes with major cities around the world in fields such as the Culture and the Arts, Education, Tourism, Sports, Hospital Cooperation and Public Health Carine is currently the Managing Director of the Alliance Française de Perth, a non-profit incorporated Australian association, part the international Alliance Française network, whose goals are to promote the French language and Culture in WA and to foster the links between WA and France. The Nedlands-based Alliance Française teach to a large audience from 18 months old and organises 50 cultural events throughout the year. She is involved in the French elections process as President of the Perth polling station.   Associate Professor Roderic Pitty Roderic Pitty teaches international politics at the University of Western Australia with a focus on global governance, international relations in Europe, Russia, and nuclear weapons.  He has a PhD in Russian foreign policy from ANU, has taught at Sydney and Deakin Universities, and worked as a historian for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Roderic is also a past president of the Australasian Association for the Study of Post-Communist Societies.  He has published articles on Russia, Australian politics, international relations, and the United Nations.  He also wrote the chapter on Australia and UN reform for the book Australia and the United Nations edited by James Cotton and David Lee, published in 2013.  

AIIA WA, together with the Perth USAsia Centre, have the pleasure to invite you to a Pop-Up panel event to discuss the controversy surrounding President Trump and his alleged connections to Russia. Despite repeated attempts by President Trump to dismiss any such accusations as ‘fake news’, often while deliberately undermining the role of the US intelligence community, evidence has been mounting.  The former National Security advisor, Michael Flynn, was the latest in succession of Trump administration figures forced to resign due to their dealings with Russian officials.  Our panel of experts on US politics, the intelligence community, and Russia will discuss the Trump administration's alleged connections with the Kremlin as well as President Trump's hostility towards the US intelligence community.  They will explore how these may impact US national security and foreign policy, as well as possible implications for Australia.  The panel will elaborate on the daily news and scandals associated with the Trump administration and the President's contradictory responses. The Panel Speakers include: Professor Gordon Flake, CEO Perth USAsia Centre Dr Daniel Baldino, Discipline Head of Politics and International Relations program, Notre Dame University Dr Alexey Muraviev, Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Security Studies, Curtin University   Professor Gordon Flake Professor L. Gordon Flake is the founding CEO of the Perth USAsia Centre, a position he assumed in January of 2014. He was previously Executive Director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, a Senior Fellow and Associate Director of the Program on Conflict Resolution at The Atlantic Council of the United States and prior to that Director for Research and Academic Affairs at the Korea Economic Institute of America. He has authored numerous publications on policy issues in Asia and is a regular contributor to the press on Asia issues. He serves on the Board of the United States Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (USCSCAP) as co-Vice Chair of the Board of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea on the Advisory Council of the Korea Economic Institute of America, and on the International Advisory Board of the David M. Kennedy Center at Brigham Young University. Mr. Flake was born in Rehoboth, New Mexico. He received his BA degree in Korean with a minor in international relations from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He completed his MA at the David M. Kennedy Center for International and Area Studies, also at B.Y.U. He speaks both fluent Korean and Laotian.   Dr Daniel Baldino Dr Daniel Baldino is a political scientist specialising in Australian foreign, defence and security policy including counter-terrorism, intelligence studies and government and politics of the Indo-Pacific at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. In 2000, he was a Research Associate at the Library of Congress, Washington DC. In 2009 he was a visiting scholar within the Security and Governance Program, East-West Center, Hawaii, USA. In 2015, he was a visiting scholar at The Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies, University of Carleton, Ottawa.  He has also provided education and professional development programs at the University of Fiji. He has produced numerous books and articles. His edited book (with Langlois, A and Carr, A) Controversies in Australian Foreign Policy: the core debates, published by Oxford University Press, was the winner of the Australian Institute of International Affairs' inaugural publication grant.  He is currently the Western Australian chapter convener for Australian Institute for Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO).   Dr Alexey Muraviev Dr Alexey D. Muraviev is Head of Department of Social Sciences and Security Studies at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. He is a Coordinator of the International Relations and National Security programs and the founder and Director of the Strategic Flashlight forum on national security and strategy at Curtin. He has published widely on matters of national and international security. His research interests include problems of modern maritime power, contemporary defence and strategic policy, Russia’s strategic and defence policy, Russia as a Pacific power, transnational terrorism, Australian national security, and other. Alexey is a member of the Australian Member Committee, Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region (AU-CSCAP); member of Russia-NATO Experts Group; member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London; reviewer of the Military Balance annual defence almanac; member of the Advisory Board, Australia Public Network, member of the Research Network for Secure Australia, and other organisations and think tanks. In 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts has nominated Dr Muraviev as an “expert of international standing”. He advises members of state and federal government on foreign policy and national security matters and is frequently interviewed by state, national and international media.