Playing with Fire: What Scenarios in the Middle-East Tinderbox

​Join Diplosphere's timely discussion on the current tensions in the Middle East.

• ​What are the possible scenarios for escalation and de-escalation?

• ​How to defuse the tinderbox?

• ​What does this mean for New Zealand?

​Speakers:

• ​H.E. George Azer Saleeb Tardos, Egyptian Ambassador to NZ

• ​Dr Rouzbeh Parsi, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs

• ​Jonathan Curr, Divisional Manager, Middle East and Africa, MFAT; former NZ Ambassador to Türkiye

• ​Heidi Coetzee, Chief Executive, Save The Children NZ

• ​Additional speaker TBC

• ​Dr Eric Jeunot, ex Head of Mission in Yemen at Médecins Sans Frontières, Visiting Scholar at Victoria University of Wellington

​Chair: Maty Nikkhou-O'Brien, Co-founder & Executive Director, Diplosphere

​Proceedings

• ​5:15pm-5:45pm: Mix & mingle with a complimentary drink on arrival

• ​5:45pm-6:45pm: Discussion

​Dress code: Business attire