The Institute of Government and Public Policy is delighted to announce that Baroness Catherine Ashton will be delivering a talk on modern-day diplomacy on 14 February 2023.

The public talk accompanies the upcoming launch of her book, And Then What? Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy.

Catherine Ashton served as the European Union's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy between 2009 and 2014. On behalf of the UN Security Council, she coordinated negotiations that resulted in the nuclear programme agreement with Iran. Previously she was EU Commissioner for Trade, served as a Minister in the Departments of Education and Justice, and was Leader of the House of Lords and President of HM Queen's Privy Council. Ashton is Distinguished Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington D.C and senior advisor to the Geneva-based organisation, The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. She also holds an honorary degree from the University of East London.

As the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ashton faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent periods in living memory, leading historic negotiations such as the Serbia-Kosovo Accord of 2013 and the Iran nuclear negotiations. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action and political instability.

"From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An ‘honest broker’, she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability. Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn’t, and how it felt to be in ‘the room where it happened’. From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today."

In this talk, Ashton will take us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn’t, and how it felt to play a part in tackling some of the major international crises of our times.

When: 

Tuesday 14 February 2023, 17.00 - 18.00

Where: 

University of East London, USG.19/20, University Square Stratford, 1 Salway Place, London E15 1NF. 

How to register:

To register for this FREE event, click on the link below (opens in new window) or scan the QR code on the image above.

Catherine Ashton - Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy Tickets, Tue 14 Feb 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

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