2025 International Speaker Series
Resilience of Global Partnerships in an Uncertain Era
Thursday, July 10, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Virtual
About the Event
The Vermont Council on World Affairs’ 2025 International Speaker Series will examine how shifting policies and priorities will influence the role the United States plays in global affairs, from technological advancements and economic resilience to trade dynamics and diplomatic strategy.
This session is part of a four-part series that will bring together thought leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore how the new administration will impact key global issues and what these changes mean for Vermont and the world.
In a rapidly shifting geopolitical and economic landscape, global partnerships are being tested like never before.
This session will explore how the new administration’s policies and diplomatic decisions are reshaping international alliances, trade agreements, and multilateral cooperation. As nations navigate economic uncertainty, shifting power dynamics, and emerging challenges, we’ll examine what these changes mean for global stability and collaboration.
Speakers
Ambassador Peter Galbraith
Former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia
Peter W. Galbraith has held senior positions in the US Government and the United Nations. Galbraith served as the first US Ambassador to Croatia, where he negotiated the 1995 Erdut Agreement that ended the Croatia War. In 2000 and 2001, he served as a senior official in the UN mission in East Timor and concurrently as a cabinet minister in East Timor’s first government with responsibility for negotiations on issues resulting from East Timor’s independence.
Currently, he is the Senior Diplomatic Fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and his most recent work focuses on the war in Syria.
Dr. Pablo Bose
Professor of Geography, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, University of Vermont
Dr. Pablo Bose is a Professor of Geography and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the University of Vermont. He directs the Global and Regional Studies Program and is a Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment. Dr. Bose's research focuses on refugee resettlement, migration, and urban sustainability, with an emphasis on small and mid-sized communities in North America and Europe. His work integrates community-based approaches to explore how global mobility and climate change intersect with local development and equity.
Moderated by:
Michael Igoe
Senior Reporter, Devex
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet.
Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.