East Tennessee State University’s Department of Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences will host a two-day Diplomacy Forum on Monday, Jan. 30, and Tuesday, Jan. 31. All activities are free and open to the public.
The first forum event will feature a panel discussion, “World Trade and Upper East Tennessee,” with representatives of business on one panel and another presenting diplomatic aspects of the topic. The panel will begin at 7 p.m. in the Millennium Centre on State of Franklin Road.
The business group will include Andrew Burke, president of the Tri-Cities Economic Development Alliance; Catherine Hansen, chief of protocol for the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, N.C; and an executive from the U.S Department of Commerce.
Those addressing diplomacy will be First Secretary and Consul Dr. Mark Pace of the Embassy of Malta, Dr. David Funderburk, former U.S. ambassador to Romania, former U.S. Congressman from N.C., honorary consul for the Republic of Albania and John Butler, honorary consul for the United Kingdom.
The moderator for the evening will be Jerry Brock, consultant with Leadership Technologies.
Tuesday’s schedule consists of presentations of interest to students and members of the public, all held in the ETSU D.P. Culp University Center Forum Room.
At 9 a.m. moderator Dr. Ken Mijeski of the Department of Political Science will preside at “Introduction to Democracy: The Role of Diplomats in a Globalized World,” with panel members Pace, Funderburk and Butler.
“The European Union: Its Role Now and Prospects for Its Future” will be offered at 10 a.m., with Dr. Stephen Fritz of the Department of History as moderator and featuring Nikolaos Zaimis, counselor and Head of Trade Section of the Delegation of the European Commission, as well as G. Bruce Shine, Esq., e visiting fellow in European Union Employment Law, with the International Maritime Law Institute in Malta, who is also honorary consul for the Republic of Malta for Tennessee and North Carolina.
At 11:15 a.m., “Globalization: Challenges in a Shrinking World,” will see Pace, Funderburk and Butler return with Catherine Hansen, who will offer ways the city of Charlotte, N.C., is responding to the current greater international emphasis.
The moderator will be Dr. Joel Ryman of the Department of Management and Marketing in the College of Business and Technology.
After a lunch break from 12:15-1:30 p.m., the day will conclude with a discussion of “Careers in Foreign Service” with Ambassador Sylvia Stanfield, Diplomat in Residence in the International Affairs Center at Spelman College and an agent with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Douglas Haidle, of the U.S. State Department’s Office of Diplomatic Security in Atlanta.
The moderator will be Dr. Rebecca Pyles, dean of ETSU’s Honors College.
For further information or assistance for those with disabilities, contact Dr. Sam McKinstry of ETSU’s Department of Political Science at 439-6632.

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