Australian politicians to join UK and Israeli colleagues in dialogue
The event – now in its 12th year – will take place online due to COVID-19, with speakers and panellists joining from Israel, the UK and Australia, as well as the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Founded by businessman and philanthropist Albert Dadon, the Leadership Dialogue Institute is a private diplomatic channel fostering closer cultural ties between Australia, the UK, and Israel. Since its inception in 2009, the Leadership Dialogue Institute’s yearly roster has included: Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Tony Blair, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Olmert, Salam Fayyad.
In welcome comments ahead of the Leadership Dialogue 2020, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, “Today and in the future it is critical that like-minded liberal democracies work together in a common cause because in our view common hope is best served by the common values we share. Our collective efforts can make a big difference and the UK and Israel are crucial partners for Australia.”
Other well-known Australians involved in the dialogue include Christian Porter, Richard Marles, Mitch Fifield, Michael Easson, Tony Abbott, Christopher Pyne, Stephen Conroy, Matthew Guy and Michael Danby.
Founder and Chairman of the Australia UK Israel Leadership Dialogue Albert Dadon said, “Today’s world is facing enormous challenges. The need for clear, strong and principled leadership is perhaps greater than ever before. This Dialogue is a crucial opportunity to build even stronger relations between three of the world’s most vibrant democracies – Australia, Israel and UK. As such, it allows the decision-makers and opinion formers in these countries to tackle global issues together.”
Key discussions on Monday 7th, include a roundtable with former Israeli and Australian Prime Ministers Ehud Olmert and Tony Abbott. In a later session, Abbott will then be joined by the UK’s Stephen Crabb MP and former MP Joan Ryan to discuss post-Brexit uncertainty in the COVID-19 era.
Among sessions on Tuesday, a panel on the future of the United Nations will feature Australia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, former Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, former minister, Theresa Villiers MP and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer. There will also be a special panel focussing on different policies towards tackling COVID-19 with among others, Israel’s former Health Ministry Director General, Moshe Bar Simantov.
On Wednesday, a discussion on the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran will feature former British Minister of Defence, Dr. Liam Fox, Australian Senator David Fawcett, Advisor to Israel’s Prime Minister and former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev, Baroness Meta Ramsay, and Israeli journalist Yossi Melman.
On the last day of the conference, there will be a special discussion on the Abraham Accords with Israeli MK Avi Dichter, leading academic and regional expert Amos Gilead, Director of the Policy Planning Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jamal Al Musharrakh, together with the Ministry’s Director of Strategic Communications, Hend Al Otaiba, and Director General at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research Dr. Sultan Mohammed Al-Nuaimi.
The dialogue will be broadcast on YouTube
