Experts from across the globe came together at the 麻豆原创 to discuss the United States鈥� relations with rising powers such as Brazil, Russia, India and China.
鈥淎merica and the Rising Powers,鈥� held Oct. 28, focused on America鈥檚 evolving international role among emerging global leaders.
Hosted by the 麻豆原创 Global Perspectives Office, about 250 students, faculty, staff and members of the community, attended the event. The conference was part of a yearlong series of presentations on global peace and security.
Robert Sutter, a visiting professor of Asian Studies at Georgetown University鈥檚 School of Foreign Service, discussed the evolving relationship between the United States and China. Sutter said both governments can benefit from positive interaction and engagement, and that both countries are dependent on each other.
Shubhro Sen, co-founder and executive director of the Massachusetts-based Conscious Capitalism Institute spoke about India on the global stage. He said this millennium appears to be India鈥檚 time to shine.
鈥淚ndia wants a return to its place in the world, and many in India view it as a return to global primacy,鈥� Sen said.
Jo茫o Castro Neves, a founding partner of and analyst for CAC Political Consultancy, a Brazil-based political strategy and consulting organization, highlighted the country鈥檚 global ascent and its ties with the United States. He said Brazil and the United States have a sort of 鈥渂enign indifference鈥� to one another, but will have to deal with each other more substantially in the near future.
The United States鈥� relationship with Russia with an emphasis on arms control was discussed by Jack Mendelsohn, a member of the Arms Control Association鈥檚 board of directors.
In recent years, relations between the two powers have grown cold, he said. However, last year the two countries set to rebuild their relationship. A new nuclear agreement between the two countries to reduce nuclear weapons, 鈥淣ew Start鈥� is a 鈥渒ey component to U.S. and Russia relations,鈥� Mendelsohn said.
The conference鈥檚 keynote speaker, Paul Wolfowitz, former president of the World Bank, concluded the conference with a talk on the importance of peace.
Wolfowitz, who also served as Deputy Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush, spoke about the role economic prosperity plays in stability. And although disagreements may arise among the powers, it鈥檚 important they be resolved calmly.
鈥淭here is no reason to repeat the sorry history of the past century,鈥� Wolfowitz said. 鈥淲e can maintain peace.鈥�
The conference was co-hosted by the National Conference of Editorial Writers and the Global Connections Foundation.
Other sponsors included 麻豆原创鈥檚 Student Government Association, Nicholson School of Communication, Global Peace and Security Studies Program, Diplomacy Program, Terrorism Studies Program, Political Science Department, International Services Center and China-Taiwan Cross-Strait Program. Additional sponsors are the India Program at 麻豆原创, 麻豆原创 LIFE, the Sibille H. Pritchard Global Peace Fellowship program, the Orlando Area Committee on Foreign Relations, C.T. Hsu International (Group) Co., Lawrence J. Chastang and The Chastang Foundation, The Anil and Chitra Deshpande Foundation and Larson Allen L.L.P.