Ukraine, War and Peace
With war in Ukraine and democracy under threat from authoritarianism and militarism, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and three of her European counterparts, including Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets will join the Democracy Forum at TMU to assess the global response. Bring your questions about how countries can resist — and restore — security on the frontlines of Europe and around the world. Moderated by Toronto Star columnist and TMU Visiting Practitioner Martin Regg Cohn, this free event is sponsored by the Faculty of Arts and open to the public.
The Democracy Forum will be hosted in-person at the TMU Student Learning Centre (341 Yonge St., Toronto) and live streamed. A limited number of in-person tickets are available.
Panelists
The Honourable Mélanie Joly is Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister. Appointed in late 2021, she has acted as the government’s point person on the invasion of Ukraine. First elected as MP from Ahuntsic-Cartierville in 2015, her previous portfolios include Economic Development, Tourism, Official Languages and Canadian Heritage. She earned her law degree at the Université de Montréal and a Magister Juris at Oxford University.
Eva-Maria Liimets is Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Appointed in early 2021, she represents the Centre Party. A former Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Croatia, and Consul General in New York, she also headed the ministry’s International Organizations Office. She holds an MBA from the Estonian Business School and a degree in public administration from the University of Tartu.
Edgars Rinkēvičs is Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Appointed in 2011, he represents the New Unity Party. He previously headed the State President’s Chancery and was State Secretary for the Ministry of Defence. A former journalist, he holds Master’s Degrees in Political Science from the University of Latvia, and in National Resource Strategy from the U.S. Army’s Industrial College.
Gabrielius Landsbergis is Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Appointed in late 2020, he chairs the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats. A Member of the Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania since 2016, he previously served in the European Parliament. A former diplomat, he holds a Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy and a B.A. in history from Vilnius University.
Moderator
Martin Regg Cohn is a political columnist for the Toronto Star. A foreign correspondent for 11 years, he has reported from more than 40 countries. He was also Foreign Editor, a world affairs columnist and Parliamentary correspondent. A Visiting Practitioner in the Faculty of Arts and founder of the Democracy Forum at TMU, he is also a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs at U of T.
