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Dr. Matteo Legrenzi, Associate Professor of International Relations School of International Relations, Ca Foscari University of Venice speaking on ‘Identification of Security Priorities at Global and Regional Levels’ in his presentation tried to seek a broader definition on the term, ‘Security’ as it has now crossed all conventional borders and there exists a paradigm shift..jpg)
Presenting his views on ‘Transnational Challenges, Disasters, ‘State Vulnerabilities in Southern Asia: Role of Armed Forces from an Indian Perspective,’ Dr. W. Lawrence S. Prabhakar, Professor of Strategic Studies and International Relations, Department of Political Science, Madras University, India said that with the rise of different terrorist threats looming large, governments, militaries, society and common well-being are under enormous pressure from all fronts..jpg)
The opening session on the final day (Sept 2) in the Defence Seminar 2015 witnessed an elaborate presentation on ‘Emerging Aviation Threats; Challenges to National Security’ where Air Vice Marshal Sumangala Dias, Director Logistics spoke at length and explained about the possible aviation threats in the future after submitting a detailed account of the series of experiences Sri Lanka and other nations underwent. .jpg)
Touching on the subject of Geo - Economics and World Order, Lady Olga Maitland, President, Defence and Security Forum (UK) said that making the world a safer place for all is a responsibility that comes on to all the nations, be they are rich or poor. In her presentation she talked of The role of the US, NATO versus Russia, Impact of the drop in oil price, Terrorism, Seismic shift in power with drop in oil price, Corruption and national governance covering a wide spectrum of global issues..jpg)
The Day-2 session of the ‘Defence Seminar - 2015’ at Colombo Galadari Hotel, chaired by General G.H De Silva (Retd), kicked off focusing on the theme ‘Non-Military Threats to National Security’ with the participation of three panelists, Ms Viviana De Annuntiis, Chief Coordinator, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Asia Pacific Region), Air Vice Marshal D.LS Dias, Sri Lanka Air Force and Rear Admiral D.M.B Weththewa, Sri Lanka Navy. .jpg)
India’s former representative in the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific presenting his views on the sub theme ‘Emerging World Order - Indian Perspective’ at the ‘Defence Seminar’ sessions said that India remains a key player in the transformative world order as a rising power and the world faces a shift in balance of power..jpg)
Giving an analytical review to the historic and current perspectives on the evolution of security and threat perceptions, Prof. Rashed Uz Zaman, Dept. of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh enlightened the ‘Defence Seminar’ participants on the subject of ‘Challenges and Implications to National Security: West Asian Perspective’ told the gathering that threats of all forms need to be given due assessment before methodologies are to be introduced to tackle them.
The visiting Land Force Commander, General Eid Bin Awad Al Shalwari of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of attending the ongoing “Defence Seminar” at Colombo, paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva at the Army Headquarters in Colombo on Tuesday (2).
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The Session 3 of the Day 1 at the ‘Defence Seminar’ sub themed ‘Terrorism and Challenges to National Security’ drew the attention of all the participants in a big way as presentations of Major General B.A Perera, Mr Yasantha Kodagoda, Dr Ajai Sahni and HE Yi Xianliang, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka took the centre stage with several interesting queries and explanations. .jpg)
HE the Ambassador of China Yi Xianliang, making an elaborate presentation ‘Threats in the Coming Decades and Challenges to National Security’ during the final session at the Defence Seminar on Tuesday (1) spelt out a number of perceptions in regard to the Chinese Government’s foreign policy and its relations with countries bordering China and elsewhere. 
