This event is run in conjunction with the Canberra Writers Festival 2018. The West is in decline; Europe faces further fracturing; the rise of China threatens peace in our region. At a time of unprecedented global change, our experts try to make sense of a world in turmoil. Join us at the National Press Club for a world-class panel session featuring Gwynne Dyer, (London based Canadian journalist, syndicated columnist and military historian); Afua Hirsch (British writer, broadcaster, barrister of Ghanaian, British, Jewish heritage); Greg Sheridan (Australian Foreign Affairs journalist and commentator) moderated by Chris Uhlmann, journalist and television presenter, Political Editor of Channel 9.
Gwynne Dyer Gwynne Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. Born in Newfoundland, he received degrees from Canadian, American and British universities, finishing with a Ph.D. in Military and Middle Eastern History from the University of London. He served in three navies and held academic appointments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford University before launching his twice-weekly column on international affairs, which is published by over 175 papers in some 45 countries. In Canada, Dyer’s column appears regularly in about sixty newspapers while in the United States in more than 20 newspapers. Outside North America, papers that use Dyer’s column regularly include an additional 35 outlets globally.
Greg Sheridan Greg Sheridan is a foreign affairs journalist and commentator. He joined The Australian in 1984 and worked in Beijing, Washington, and Canberra. He has been the foreign editor of The Australian since 1992. He is active across radio and television, specialises in Asian politics and has written four books on the topic.
Afua Hirsch Afua Hirsch is an author, journalist, broadcaster and former barrister. Having studied and worked across 15 countries in West and Central Africa on international law and development, Afua became the West Africa Correspondent for The Guardian, establishing the paper’s first ever regional bureau in Ghana. She is also the former social affairs editor at Sky News, and the author of the Sunday Times bestselling book Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging (2018), winner of the Royal Society for Literature Jerwood Award. Afua appears on regular current affairs debate shows on Sky News, CNN, the B.B.C, writes a column in the Guardian, and broadcasts, writes and speaks widely on identity, diaspora, socio-economic developments and social justice.
Moderated by Chris Uhlmann Chris Uhlmann is political editor for Nine News. In 19 years at the ABC he co-hosted Canberra’s top rating breakfast program and the national broadcaster’s flagships: AM, 730 and Insiders. Chris spent a decade leading the ABC’s political coverage across all platforms, winning a Walkley for broadcast interviewing and the Gold Quill for the Four Corners-Fairfax investigation of Chinese Communist Party influence in Australia. With Steve Lewis he co-authored The Marmalade Files, Mandarin Code and Shadow Game which were made into the Logie winning mini-series Secret City.
