Having served as Ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan and Ambassador of Canada to Syria, Vice-Admiral Glenn Davidson joins the University of Alberta’s WIRTH Institute and the Canadian International Council’s Edmonton Branch for an evening of personal insights and analysis of the events currently unfolding in Syria.

Speaker’s Biography
Vice-Admiral Glenn Davidson was born in Truro Nova Scotia and graduated from Dalhousie University – King’s College, in Halifax. He was Ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan from May 2012 until July 2013. From September 2008 until March 2012 he served as Ambassador of Canada to Syria, a period which included the beginning of the Arab Spring and Syria’s descent into civil war.

Prior to his appointment to Syria, Ambassador Davidson was a career naval officer for almost 38 years, retiring in 2008 as a Vice-Admiral. He was Canadian military representative at NATO Headquarters in Brussels from 2004-2008 and commanded Canada’s Maritime Forces Atlantic from 2002-2004. His previous appointments include destroyer and squadron commands in the Pacific, Canadian Forces Attaché at the Canadian Embassy in Japan, head of personnel for the Navy and chief of staff for the Personnel Group of the Armed Forces.

Since his return from Afghanistan in 2013, Admiral Davidson has been called upon by DFATD to serve as Charge d’Affaires in Nairobi Kenya, to conduct a comprehensive review of security governance in the Department, and to brief outgoing Ambassadors on crisis management. He is a frequent commentator on Syrian issues in the national media.

Admiral Davidson was appointed a Commander of the Order of Military Merit in 2002, and awarded an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Law by the University of King’s College in 2007. He is a member of the Board of Governors of King’s College, a Director of the Canadian International Council and a Fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

He and his wife Petra have one daughter, Eleanor a journalism student at King’s and make their home in Halifax NS.

Event Partner
University of Alberta WIRTH Institute

Date and Time
Monday February 22, 2016
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Venue
University of Alberta
Telus Centre Auditorium
11104 87 Avenue
Edmonton, AB  T6G 0X8

Registration
Reserve your spot by emailing edmonton@thecic.org. Walk-ins welcome pending seating availability.

Event Contact
Kara Sherwin | kara.sherwin@gov.ab.ca | (780)940-6926