A galaxy of world-wide defence partners, strategists, policy-makers, security experts and analysts, capable of collectively evaluating fast changing global concerns and exploring ways and means of challenging such issues have already confirmed their presence at the invitation of the Army, the Army media unit said.Adding a new dimension to the sessions, many intellectuals, political heavyweights, opinion makers and retired veterans of the field would share their views with similar counterparts in separate panel forums on the second day of the parley before their recommendations are read out.
This year’s seminar sessions would mainly shed light on ‘Demographic Transformation & Implications on Security’, ‘Technological Disruptions’, ‘Human-Induced Climate Change’ and ‘Political Extremism’ themes with close focus on ‘Human Factors & Homeland Security’, ‘Global Challenge of Internal Displacement’, ‘Urban Security in the 21st Century’, ‘Cyber Conflicts & Future Power’, ‘Social Media & Authenticity: Global Security Challenges’, ‘Artificial Intelligence & Autonomous Weapons’, ‘Role of the Military in Response & Mitigating Strategies (Regional Perspective)’, ‘Role of the Military in Response & Mitigating Strategies (Global Perspective)’, ‘Climate Geo – Engineering: Challenges & Opportunities’, ‘Role Played by Violent Non – State Actors’, ‘Ideological Polarization’, ‘Destabilizing the International System’, ‘Diaspora Communities Amidst & Conflict’, ‘Technological Creativity: Challenges to Armed Forces’, ‘Climate Change: Future of Warfare’ and ‘Leadership in Mitigating Violent Extremism’.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has been invited to deliver the keynote address after the opening remarks by Kapila Waidyaratne, Secretary Defence during the inaugural ceremony.Among the host of distinguished invitees and contributors to the Seminar include High Commissioners, Chiefs of Defence Staff, Commanders, Security Advisers, Foreign Secretary, Senior Lecturers, Directors, Senior Researchers, Senior Tri-service Officers, Political Advisers, Under Secretaries, Administrators, Telecom Experts, Analysts on Terrorism and Scholars representing more than 40 countries.
This year’s topic, ‘Security in an Era of Global Disruptions’ underlines the importance of contemporaneous security issues that appear to be increasingly interconnected and unpredictable in the wake of a multitude of threats looming large against respective statecraft and national security concerns.
By third week of August 2018, representatives from Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, Chile, Canada, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Maldives, Mozambique, Netherland, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, UK, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe have confirmed their participation
