Sir Stewart Eldon: the rules-based order

BRLSI’s Democracy Under Threat series invites you to pause and take stock by surveying the wealth of history and political thinking which underpins our long-held democratic systems and institutions. It explores the laying down of democratic principles from Ancient Athens to the present day, and takes in current scenarios in international geopolitics, while considering Britain as its own small island with its own set of political traditions.

BRLSI are delighted that in an upcoming talk Sir Stewart Eldon KCMG OBE, former UK permanent Representative to NATO will be with us to discuss how we best conduct our international relations. The effective conduct of international relations, he says,  is not predicated on how countries govern themselves internally.  Experience suggests that, allowing for national variations in culture and governance, democracies work better together to promote a common interest. The rules-based international order and the international organisations that underpin it provide an important scaffold for this and for how all countries work together. 

In today’s uncertain circumstances customary international rules and accountability are increasingly under threat from populist governments and autocracies. What are the implications for democracy, international security and organisations such as the UN and NATO?  What can be done to put the international system on a more secure footing? Join Sir Stewart Eldon and take your chance to put questions to him in our Q&A to follow.  

An engineer by training, Sir Stewart Eldon KCMG OBE spent thirty-four years in the Foreign Office, finishing in March 2010 as UK Permanent Representative to NATO. His career focused on the United Nations, NATO and the European Union but also included nearly four years as British Ambassador to Ireland.

A discount of 20% is on offer to all those purchasing five tickets or more from the series, excluding the conference on the 4th of July.

To learn more about Democracy Under Threat and the exciting range of speakers coming up as part of the programme, don’t forget to follow our Democracy Under Threat Webpage: https://www.brlsi.org/democracyunderthreat/