This is a past event. Registration is closed. View other Australian Institute of International Affairs Victoria events.
Stefan Romaniw OAM (Ukrainian World Congress)

Stefan Romaniw OAM

Ukrainian World Congress

Stefan Romaniw OAM is the First Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and Co-Chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO). He currently holds the position of Executive Director of Community Languages Australia. He has served terms as Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission under both Governments in Victoria. He has also served as Chairman of the Victorian Government’s Australia Day Committee (Victoria).

Senator David Van

Senator David Van

Senator David Van is a Liberal Senator for Victoria, elected to the Senate in 2019. He is Deputy Chair of the Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs and Aid of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade as well as Deputy Chair of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation. He is an active member of several committees including the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties and the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories. Senator Van’s commitment to international relations is reflected in his membership of several Parliamentary Friendship groups, co-chairing Parliamentary Friendship Groups of Ukraine, Spain, Mexico, Thailand and the Pacific Islands. Having made a visit to Ukraine in 2022, he is believed to be the only western parliamentarian to have been to the Donbas region in the last year. He holds a Master of International Relations degree from Monash University and is undertaking a Master of Strategy and Security degree at UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

Petr Kuzmin (Russian-Australian anti-war activist)

Petr Kuzmin

Russian-Australian anti-war activist

Petr Kuzmin is a Russian-Australian anti-war activist and one of the founders of a grassroots pro-democracy movement Svoboda Alliance AU&NZ that sprang up organically in Australia and New Zealand in the wake of protests that swept Russia in 2021 upon Alexei Navalny’s return and arrest. This movement has adopted a strong anti-war stance and is conducting ongoing solidarity rallies to emphasise strong cultural and human links between the people of Ukraine and Russia.

Richard Iron CMG OBE (AIIA Victoria)

Richard Iron CMG OBE

AIIA Victoria

Richard Iron CMG OBE is the President of AIIA Victoria. He served for 37 years in the British Army in a wide range of theatres and was a visiting fellow to the Changing Character of War Programme at the University of Oxford. He was the lead editor and contributor to “British Generals in Blair’s Wars”.