RfD | March: 🎙️ Opinions, 🛫 Planes, & 🤳 Platforms
To our Room for Discussion Community,
If there was anything describing this February, it was the image and sound of raindrops on windows - enjoyable when you are home, less so when you to bike somewhere.
It is the perfect time to stay inside and enjoy some insightful debates. This newsletter will look back at Room for Discussion’s interviews in February and update you on the upcoming events that will hopefully bring some brightness into your March.
Enjoy the treats!
Future Interviews
What’s coming up in March? 🎙️🛫🤳
Simon Hix -- 1st of March, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
The upcoming European Parliamentary elections are incredibly consequential. These will be the first without the UK, and come at a time of intense turmoil, war at the borders, and rising Euroscepticism. There is no one better to make sense of the current moment than Professor Simon Hix.
Join us on March 1st from 13:00 – 14:00 in the E-Hall to understand how growing support for populist radical right parties (like the PVV ) could shape the European Parliament and the future of the EU integration project. Simon Hix is the Stein Rokkan Chair of Political Science at the European University Institute in Florence and previously served as Vice-President at LSE. Hix is one of the most prominent academics studying EU institutions.
RfD Community Event -- 7th of March
Here you can sign up for a debate training organized in collaboration with the ASDV Bonaparte debate association.
The training will take place on the 7th of March at 19:00. We will start with a 45-minute training session in a classroom, after which we will move to Cafe Krater for an informal debating session alongside beers. Sign up here now!
Lustrum: Sir Nick Clegg -- 11th of March, 14:00-15:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
Nick Clegg went from being the Vice PM of the UK, to Facebook's Foreign Secretary, as President of Global Affairs at Meta Platforms. Now he heads the policy side of the company. As AI becomes more important, how does he see the role of Meta as media company in shaping the development of the technology? To get the answers to this and more, join us for our very first lustrum interview on the 11th of March, from 14:00 - 15:00!
Brian Klaas -- 12th of March, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
How do the decisions we make influence the world around us? Does everything happen for a reason or do things just happen? Brian Klaas, an American political scientist specializing in democracy and authoritarianism, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and associate professor in global politics at University College London, investigates these topics in his most recent book ‘Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters.’
In a world driven by randomness, our reliance on models and patterns increases systemic risks and reduces our resilience. To hear why we should open ourselves up to uncertainty and how growing interdependence impacts democracy, join us on the 12th of March from 13:00 to 14:00 in the E-Hall at the Roeterseiland Campus.
Lustrum: Marjan Rintel --14th of March, 14:00-15:00, Roeterseiland (English)
Is the future of KLM only clear blue skies, or is there turbulence ahead? On the 14th of March Marjan Rintel, the CEO of KLM, will be joining Room for Discussion to give her perspective on the airline’s business practices, sustainability goals and many other topics!
The world’s oldest airline is in a precarious position: it does not seem to agree with its biggest shareholder, the Dutch State, on their future. How does the airline plan to resolve these differences, and join the rest of the Netherlands in reaching carbon-zero in 2050? Train tickets, emission offsetting, airport shrinkings, tax benefits, or all of the above? To have the answer, join us for Room for Discussions’s first 15-year Lustrum interview in the E-Hall from 14:00 – 15:00 on Thursday, March 14!
Ingrid Robeyns -- 18th of March, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
No one becomes a multi-millionaire on their own merit. This is one of the arguments that Dutch political philosopher Ingrid Robeyns sets forth in her book ‘Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth’. To advocate for a cap on extreme wealth and a global limitarian mindset, Robeyns highlights the repercussions that inequality has for climate change, democracy, and societal welfare. Philanthropy is not the answer, and rising inequality is hurting the rich too.
We will be interviewing Professor Ingrid Robeyns on March 18th, 13:00-14:00 at the E-Hall of the Roeterseiland Campus. Join us for a conversation about the (un)fairness of the wealth cap, the feasibility of the approach, and the challenges standing in the way of reducing inequality.
Lustrum: Admiral Rob Bauer -- 26th of March, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
Recently, The Danish Minister warned that Russia could test Article 5 (the collective defense agreement) within the next 5 years. Tension for NATO countries are rising in Ukraine, the Artic and the Taiwan strait. Is the NATO ready for such a threat? How can NATO survive the increasing NATO opposition in the US? Which changes do member states need to make to guarantee their safety? To find out the answers to these questions and more, we are proud to host Admiral Rob Bauer, the Chair of the Military Committee of the NATO as part of Room for Discussion’s 15 year Lustrum activities.
Lieutenant-Admiral Rob Bauer is the CMC of NATO. Currently, he is overseeing the reinforcement in Eastern Europe and the Arctics and the integration of Finland and Sweden to the NATO forces. Before joining NATO he led the Dutch Armed Forces and the anti-piracy and anti-terrorism efforts in the Mediterranean and The Horn of Africa.
Join us on 26th of March at E-Hall from 13:00-14:00 to discuss the future of NATO with Lieutenant-Admiral Rob Bauer!
Past Interviews: What happened in February?
6th of February, 14:00-15:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
Our chair and vice-chair, Ella Otterbeck and Filippo Maria Talenti, had the chance to sit down with the former World Bank country director of China, Bert Hofman. During the interview, Mr. Hofman spoke widely about China’s economy. Of special interest was China’s current real estate crisis, with Evergrande’s looming liquidation. Mr. Hofman also had the chance to cover structural economic threats that China faces, and the difficulty in transforming an investment-driven economy to a demand-driven economy. On Taiwan, Mr. Hofman noted that the timeframe which is usually mentioned in American intelligence is likely overstated. Instead, he thinks that if China will invade Taiwan, it’s likely not for many years.
Special thanks to Professor Menno Pradhan for connecting us to Mr. Hofman!
14th of February, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
In February, we hosted Twan Huys, host of College Tour and Buitenhof to discuss his career and the art of interviewing. Twan discussed his background as a war journalist, his most memorable interviews and some interviews he regrets (The Dalai Llama was one because he was a "stubborn old man"). We're thankful that Twan could stop by to discuss our mutual love of interviewing.
29th of February, 13:00-14:00, E-Hall, Roeterseiland (English)
On the last day of February, Vattenfall's CCO joined us to discuss their sustainability claims, and the snags that come with those claims. One of the biggest energy companies of the Netherlands, Ms. Kroon discussed the changes that the company went through in the past few years, being faced with transformative crises and developments, both the energy shortage as a result of the war in Ukraine and the ongoing energy transition. She mentioned how just a few years ago, her friends would ask her why she was working such a "boring job", but lately, that has not been the case.
This year, Room for Discussion host special interviews to celebrate its 15th birthday. We are super excited and proud to with this newsletter invite you to our first Lustrum three interviews: with Nick Clegg, Marjan Rintel and Admiral Rob Bauer! There will be more to come!
We are looking forward to the upcoming season with lighter days and with interesting guests and debates, so stay tuned!
All the best, Room for Discussion Team