A one-day conference previewing the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, organised by The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and the Department for International Relations at the University of Malta, will be held on Tuesday 24 November at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus.
Programme
09:00 – 10:30 Opening Session I: Malta – Crossroads for the Commonwealth?
Chair: Dr Michael Frendo, Speaker Emeritus of the Parliament of Malta
Remarks: Professor Alfred J. Vella, Pro- Rector, University of Malta
Remarks: Stuart Mole, Chairman, The Round Table
Keynote Address: Dr George Vella, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malta
10:30 – 11:00 Refreshment break
11:00 – 12:30 Session II: Security, identity and radical Islam – what is the Commonwealth’s contribution?
Chair: Professor Paul Clough (University of Malta)
Speaker: Dr Joseph Cassar (Author; Former Ambassador to Libya)
Speaker: Terry Barringer (Wolfson College, University of Cambridge)
Speaker: Ranier Fsadni (University of Malta)
Rapporteur: Debbie Ransome (Website Editor, The Round Table)
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 15:15 Session III: The Commonwealth and small states – a changing global agenda?
Chair: Dr Rosemarie Azzopardi (University of Malta)
Speaker: Professor Godfrey Baldacchino (The Round Table / University of Malta/ University
of Prince Edward Island, Canada)
Speaker: Dr Nicholas Watts (Senior Research Associate, Free University Berlin, Germany)
Speaker: Professor Lino Briguglio (University of Malta)
Rapporteur: Dr Isabelle Calleja (University of Malta)
15:15 – 15:45 Refreshment break
15:45 – 17:30 Session IV: Reassessing the Commonwealth’s commitment to democracy and human rights
Chair: Professor Godfrey Pirotta (University of Malta)
Speaker: Ms Maja Daruwala (Executive Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative)
Speaker: Carl Wright (Secretary-General, Commonwealth Local Government Forum)
Speaker: Dr Michael Frendo (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta)
Rapporteur: Dr Carmen Sammut (University of Malta)
17:30 – 18:00 Session V: Conclusions and Recommendations
Chair: Mark Robinson (Treasurer, The Round Table)
Rapporteurs:
- Debbie Ransome
- Dr Isabella Calleja
- Dr Carmen Sammut
18:00 Reception