March 23, 2016
 
 
To members and friends of the Providence Committee on Foreign Relations (thepcfr.org; pcfremail@gmail.com)

It was gratifying to see such a large crowd on Tuesday, March 22,  when the very distinguished Andrew A. Michta, professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College and an adjunct fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (Europe Program), talked to us about resurgent Russia and NATO/E.U. fecklessness.

Big stories internationally now include  the bombings in Belgium, the Ziki virus and economy worsening in Brazil;  the effects of Obama’s trip to Cuba; the North Korea regime  threatening a “pre-exemptive’’ nuclear strike on South Korea; China continuing to militarize the South China Sea; the partial Russian military exit from Syria; the start of the British debate on leaving the European Union; gains by right-wing parties in Germany, and preparations for the G7 Summit in May, to be held in Japan.
 
Our next speaker comes on Tuesday, April 12,  when celebrated author, TV documentary maker and former foreign correspondent Hedrick Smith will join us. He’s the author of The Russians and Who Stole the American Dream?

Thanks very much to those who have already let us know! The Hope Club needs good estimates no later than the day before a PCFR dinner.

Dues and dinner cost information may be found at: thepcfr.org. Other membership information may be found there, too.  (A member asked if (the modest) duesand dinner fees for this nonprofit educational and civic membership organization aredeductible for business purposes. Ask your tax adviser.)

On Wednesday May 11, comes the internationally known expert on cities around the world, Greg Lindsay.
 
Look at:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Aerotropolis-Way-Well-Live-Next/dp/0374100195/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279805811&sr=8-1
 
He is a contributing writer for Fast Company, author of the forthcoming book Engineering Serendipity, and co-author of Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next. He is also a senior fellow of the New Cities Foundation — where he leads the Connected Mobility Initiative — a non-resident senior fellow of The Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative, a visiting scholar at New York University’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management, and a senior fellow of the World Policy Institute.
 
  
On Tuesday, June 7, Michael Soussan, former UN whistleblower; acclaimed author; widely published journalist; NYU writing professor, and women's rights advocate, will speak. His satirical memoir about global corruption,  Backstabbing for Beginners: My Crash Course In International Diplomacy (Nation Books / Perseus) is being adapted  for a feature film, starring Ben Kingsley and Josh Hutcherson

He will speak about the subject of his next book TRUTH TO POWER: how great minds changed the world. A brief history of thought leadership.
 
Evan Matthews, a key thought leader at the North Atlantic Ports Association and director of the Port of Davisville, has very kindly offered to talk to us on Wednesday, June 22, on changes in world shipping, including the widening of the Panama Canal and other changes of huge interest to New England ports. 
 
Suggestions are appreciated.
We look forward to seeing you.