The President’s Dialogue Series is an initiative started by KPU President, Dr. Alan Davis. This ongoing series welcomes speakers to KPU who are leaders in the private and public sectors, both locally and globally.
Visiting speakers exemplify a commitment to the values of KPU and help bring about the following key elements of KPU’s polytechnic vision:
- Inspiring educators
- All learners engaging in campus and community life
- Open and creative learning environments
- Relevant scholarship and research
- Authentic external and internal relationships
Events are free and open to the public.
Upcoming Events
President’s Dialogue Series with Gwynne Dyer: Backsliding Furiously -- Are we heading back into the Bad Old Days?
Many people fear that whatever progress we may have made in the past half-century in dealing with our climate problem and avoiding major war is slipping away, and that the future will be worse than the past. Is that really true, or is it just a media mirage?
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
Time: 1:00pm – 2:45pm PST
Location: KPU Richmond, Melville Centre for Dialogue, Room 2550
Note: Light refreshments will be served at 1:00pm
Speaker Bio
GWYNNE DYER has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for most of his adult life, but he was originally trained as an historian. He was born in Newfoundland and received degrees from Canadian, American and British universities, finishing with a Ph.D. in Military and Middle Eastern History from the University of London.
He served in three navies and held academic appointments at the Canadian Forces College, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford University before giving up the day jobs in favour of a twice-weekly column on international affairs that is published in more than 20 countries.
His first television series, the seven-part documentary 'War', was aired in 45 countries. One episode, 'The Profession of Arms', was nominated for an Academy Award. His more recent television works include the Gemini Award-winning series 'The Human Race'. This year he will have spoken at seven Canadian universities, including Guelph, Saskatchewan, Kwantlen Polytechnic and Waterloo/Balsillie.
He has written eleven books (most of them Canadian best-sellers) on war, international politics and climate. The most recent ones are ‘The Shortest History of War’ (2022) and 'Intervention Earth' (March 2024).
Dr Dyer lives in London. In 2010 he was made an officer of the Order of Canada.