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As attention descends on the United Nations General Assembly, some are wondering whether the world still needs this nearly 76-year-old organization. The UN's defenders point to its promotion of peace and stability in an increasingly fractured political landscape, its devotion to human rights, its addressing of climate change, its commitment to multilateralism, and its widespread delivery of humanitarian aid. But critics question its usefulness in addressing a radically different global environment, critique its promotion of globalism, and cite corruption and a lack of accountability with regard to the very populations the body is charged with helping. On September 17, in partnership with Foreign Affairs, nonpartisan debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. addresses these questions in a new debate on the motion "The United Nations Is Obsolete."
Arguing in favor of the motion are political scientist Rajan Menon and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher staffer Nile Gardiner. Arguing against the motion are former UN official Angela Kane and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania Mohammad-Mahmoud Mohamedou.
The debate will be released publicly via public radio, video and the Intelligence Squared U.S. podcast. However, there is a private preview screening on September 17 at 11:00 AM ET that will include a live roundtable Q&A with all four debaters following the debate. Media can email raypadgett@shorefire.com for press access.
FOR THE MOTION - BIOS
* Rajan Menon: Political Scientist & International Relations Professor Author, The Conceit of Humanitarian Intervention
Rajan Menon is an author and scholar who has held several esteemed teaching positions at Columbia University, the City College Of New York, Vanderbilt University, and others. He is the author of several books, including "The Conceit of Humanitarian Intervention," which offers a wide-ranging critique of the ideology underlying military intervention. Rajan has been a fellow at the New American Foundation, a senior adviser for the Carnegia Corporation, and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. His current work concerns American foreign and national security policy, international security, and globalization
* Nile Gardiner: Director, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation
Nile Gardiner is a British scholar and commentator currently serving as director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. He is a specialist on transatlantic relationships and has advised the U.S. government on a range of international security issues. He was also a researcher for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, assisting with her book "Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World." He was named one of the 50 most influential Britons in the U.S. by the London Daily Telegraph.
AGAINST THE MOTION - BIOS
* Angela Kane: German Diplomat & Former UN Official
Angela Kane is a German diplomat and served as the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs where she provided strategy and leadership on the U.N.'s multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation agendas. Prior to that post, she served as Under-Secretary-General for Management. She is now a distinguished fellow at the Nuclear Threat Initiative working to reduce global catastrophic biological risk by strengthening international coordination in preventing and responding to nuclear events.
* Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou: Scholar & Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania
Mohammad-Mahmoud Mohamedou is a scholar, author, and diplomat. He is currently a professor of international history and politics at the Graduate Institute of Geneva and has held academic posts at Harvard and the Ralph Bunche Institute on the United Nations in New York, among others. He is the author of several books and previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania.
ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) was founded to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Through its award-winning live debates and associated programming, the nonprofit company serves as a model for responsible media in a new age - fair, intelligent, nonpartisan - while restoring critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to public discourse. Recently recognized as "Best Podcast Event of 2020" by Adweek, Intelligence Squared U.S. reaches millions through multi-platform distribution, including public radio (the show airs in all top 25 markets that carry specials), podcasts, video live streaming, newsletters, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps including Roku and Apple TV. With over 190 Oxford-style debates and counting, plus additional podcast and video content, IQ2US has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics for over a decade. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated since 2008.
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