Helen Clark — Evolving challenges in development

M S Swaminathan — Sustainable food security in an era of climate change

Suzy Castor — Haiti: Learning from history to build a strong nation

Margaret MacMillan — New powers and new types of power: Is history any help in understanding the 21st century?

Muhammad Yunus — Microcredit and social business for a poverty-free world

Romila Thapar — India's past and present: How history informs contemporary narrative

Rima Khalaf Hunaidi — Human development in Arab states: Entrenched hurdles and the road ahead

Joseph Wilson: The economic and governance challenges facing Pakistan
Legal expert Joseph Wilson provided an overview of the history that has shaped Pakistan’s economic environment and examined factors that continue to inhibit growth.

Paul Collier — The quest for prosperity versus an ethical approach to nature

The potential of open development for Canada and abroad
Watch the video recording of this public panel that explored how new technologies are transforming the ways we interact. Panelists included Michael Geist, Ron Deibert, and Yochai Benkler.

Namanga Ngongi: Early signs of a sustainable African green revolution
Agronomist Namanga Ngongi evaluated the promising initial results of Africa’s “green revolution,” including increased access to supplies, finance, and markets, as well as improved production.

Ramachandra Guha — Ten reasons why India will not and must not become a superpower

Xue Lan — China's engagement with Africa: Challenges or opportunities? For whom?

Vijay Kelkar: The Recent Evolution of Indian Federalism
In a public lecture, respected economist Vijay Kelkar explored the flexibility of India’s “cooperative federalism,” which he argues has provided strong national unity and economic progress while adopting innovative solutions to the contemporary challenges posed by the country’s social and economic transformation.

Mats Berdal: Building Peace After War — A Critical Assessment of International Peacebuilding from Cambodia to Afghanistan
International security and development expert Mats Berdal drew from his recent book "Building Peace After War" to explore the record of such interventions, from Cambodia in the early 1990s to ongoing efforts in Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Listen to the audio from this IDRC public lecture.

Colin Keating: The UN Security Council Today: Implications for Canadian Membership
In a public lecture, Colin Keating, a former New Zealand Ambassador on the Security Council and now head of a think tank in New York that is the leading commentator on the Security Council, discussed the challenges Canada faces and the risks and opportunities for elected members.

Audio and video from Africa's New Frontier

Gebisa Ejeta — Revitalizing agricultural research for global food security

Thant Myint-U — Rethinking Western Policy Towards Burma: Current Developments and Options for the Future
In a public lecture, writer, historian, and former United Nations official Thant Myint-U argued for a fresh approach to Burma's problems.

Getting the Word Out: IDRC’s Past, Present, and Future Discussed at Inaugural Public Meeting
Some 100 people attended the public forum where McDougall, IDRC President David Malone, and others fielded questions from the crowd and presented an overview of the Centre’s operations and contributions to the developing world.

Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development
Migration occurs both within and beyond national borders and has the potential to significantly improve human welfare, said David Morrison of the United Nations Development Programme during the launch of the 2009 Human Development Report co-hosted by IDRC and the United Nations Association in Canada.

Michael Doyle — Preserving Countries' Security in a Dangerous World
One of the United States' most prominent political scientists discussed the role of the state during a public lecture at IDRC’s head office in Ottawa on October 15.

Simon Chesterman — International Assistance Not Enough for State-Building
"States cannot be built from the outside," said law expert Simon Chesterman at a public lecture at IDRC's head office on October 21.

From Global Apartheid to Global Village
Adekeye Adebajo, a leading authority on Africa's international relations, discusses the United Nations' role in Africa over the past six decades.

Barbara Ibrahim — The Evolution of Philanthropy in the Arab World
The Middle East is benefiting from new ideas, ambitious initiatives, and creative approaches to social service, said sociologist Barbara Ibrahim during a public presentation at IDRC's head office in Ottawa.

James Traub — Rethinking America's "Freedom Agenda"
Respected American author and journalist James Traub muses on prospects to promote democracy under the presidency of Barack Obama.

Alka Acharya — India-China relations
Leading Indian sinologist Alka Acharya explores the promise and perils of India and China's evolving relationship

Anand Giridharadas — "The Slumdog Renaissance"
One of the youngest foreign correspondents in the history of the International Herald Tribune discusses how the recent Oscar-winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire, has become a metaphor for hope in India.

C.V. Madhukar — Distinguished Researcher Explains the Weakening of India's Legislature
In a public presentation at IDRC on March 27, Madhukar explained the systemic constraints that have weakened India's parliament in recent decades.

Isher Judge Ahluwalia — causes and outcomes of India’s transformation from a mixed economy to one that embraces free market principles
Leading Indian Economist Ahluwalia reflects on the causes and outcomes of India’s transformation from a mixed economy to one that embraces free market principles.

Justice Madan Lokur — India's Judicial Independence is Extremely Important
India's "unique" system gives its Supreme Court more clout and allows it to influence government in ways that many countries' cannot, said Delhi High Court Judge Madan Lokur at a public presentation at IDRC on June 29.

Pankaj Mishra — India's Challenge to Define a New Modernity
Intellectuals in "newly influential" countries like India have “moral and intellectual” challenges in a post-9/11 world and following the economic crisis of 2008, said author Pankaj Mishra, during a public discussion at IDRC's head office in Ottawa on November 2, 2009.

Pratap Bhanu Mehta — India's Great Transformation
IDRC Governor Pratap Bhanu Mehta explores the radical economic, social, and political changes that have revolutionized India in recent decades.

Rajeev Bhargava — Multiple Conceptions of Secularism
India's distinctive approach to the separation of Church and State could serve Western societies, argues Rajeev Bhargava. Listen to his presentation.

Rajiv Kumar — India's Possible Role in Evolving Global Governance
India needs domestic reforms before it can play an effective role in global governance, said Rajiv Kumar during a public lecture at IDRC.

Ramesh Thakur — The rise of India
Balsillie School head Ramesh Thakur delivers provocative analysis of India’s economic and political prospects.

Sam Pitroda — Prospects for Higher Education in India
Internationally respected inventor, entrepreneur, and policymaker Sam Pitroda traces India’s transformation into a knowledge society.

Shashi Tripathi — Indian Public Service Commissioner on the Potential of Young People in India
During a public presentation at IDRC on June 19, 2009, Shashi Tripathi reflected on how Indians between the ages of 13 and 35 will affect India's development.

Sir Adam Roberts — The Civilian in Modern War
In an IDRC public lecture, the renowned international security expert considered the changing roles and perceptions of civilians caught in the crossfire.

Stephen P. Cohen — India-Pakistan relations
Security expert Cohen discusses factors that reinforce the “toxic” relationship between India and Pakistan and prospects for stabilizing relations between the two states.

Suman K. Bery — The Indian Economy, the Global Financial System, and the G20
Renowned economist discusses the effects of the global economic downturn on India, and the role of the country’s intellectual community in helping India adapt to a new world order.

Amartya Sen — Nobel views on health, education, food, and water