The Institute of World Politics

On June 10, The Institute of World Politics welcomed Andres Kütt, Head Software Architect, and Liina Areng, Head of International Relations, both of the Estonian Information System Authority to speak on the state of cyber security globally, as well as their country’s pioneering transition to electronic governance. Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng generously offered their time and expertise to inform the IWP community about the importance of a rapidly changing cyber landscape.

Mr. Kütt told the audience how there is a constant war being waged between the governments, corporations, and organizations that secure private data and the rogue criminal hackers who seek to steal it from their databases. In reality, he said, there is not a guaranteed method of securing online data in this modern era. Rather, there are differing levels of coding sophistication and mathematical formulas by which cryptographers and cyber attackers engage in their web-based warfare.

Mr. Kütt explained how, essentially, this worldwide data conflict is driven by secure codes and encryptions that protect data and the efforts by rogue states or actors to disrupt them. Time, he says, is the worst enemy of cryptographers, as their electronic battlements are constantly under siege. The most effective way to mitigate the risk of cyber attack, he noted, is to hire the most talented pool of cyber defenders.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng informed the audience that governments are at the forefront of the cyber challenges that face the 21st century. The Republic of Estonia in particular has been a global leader in so-called “E-governance,” transforming their Baltic nation of 1.3 million into a cyber powerhouse. Estonia, they report, has been highly successful in its endeavor to render the services and obligations of government into electronic models. For example, Estonia is the only one of its kind in the world to have institutionalized E-voting in national elections. This kind of groundbreaking civic engagement, the speakers emphasized, is dependent on a high degree of trust in its accuracy and incorruptibility.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng explained how the Estonian government relies on its advanced corps of citizen-cryptographers. The Cyber Defense League was established in 2010 as a response to the unprecedented cyber attacks on the country years earlier. This organization of volunteer cryptographers serves the national cyber defense by donating their talents in service to Estonia.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng went on to explain the interconnectedness of the digital ecosystems that populate the Internet. What affects one facet of the web is sure to translate into tangible consequences for the other. Further, the immense difficulty in identifying the origins of a cyber attack means that a coherent, reliable encryption is increasingly the only viable avenue of defense.

On June 10, The Institute of World Politics welcomed Andres Kütt, Head Software Architect, and Liina Areng, Head of International Relations, both of the Estonian Information System Authority to speak on the state of cyber security globally, as well as their country’s pioneering transition to electronic governance. Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng generously offered their time and expertise to inform the IWP community about the importance of a rapidly changing cyber landscape.

Mr. Kütt told the audience how there is a constant war being waged between the governments, corporations, and organizations that secure private data and the rogue criminal hackers who seek to steal it from their databases. In reality, he said, there is not a guaranteed method of securing online data in this modern era. Rather, there are differing levels of coding sophistication and mathematical formulas by which cryptographers and cyber attackers engage in their web-based warfare.

Mr. Kütt explained how, essentially, this worldwide data conflict is driven by secure codes and encryptions that protect data and the efforts by rogue states or actors to disrupt them. Time, he says, is the worst enemy of cryptographers, as their electronic battlements are constantly under siege. The most effective way to mitigate the risk of cyber attack, he noted, is to hire the most talented pool of cyber defenders.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng informed the audience that governments are at the forefront of the cyber challenges that face the 21st century. The Republic of Estonia in particular has been a global leader in so-called “E-governance,” transforming their Baltic nation of 1.3 million into a cyber powerhouse. Estonia, they report, has been highly successful in its endeavor to render the services and obligations of government into electronic models. For example, Estonia is the only one of its kind in the world to have institutionalized E-voting in national elections. This kind of groundbreaking civic engagement, the speakers emphasized, is dependent on a high degree of trust in its accuracy and incorruptibility.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng explained how the Estonian government relies on its advanced corps of citizen-cryptographers. The Cyber Defense League was established in 2010 as a response to the unprecedented cyber attacks on the country years earlier. This organization of volunteer cryptographers serves the national cyber defense by donating their talents in service to Estonia.

Mr. Kütt and Ms. Areng went on to explain the interconnectedness of the digital ecosystems that populate the Internet. What affects one facet of the web is sure to translate into tangible consequences for the other. Further, the immense difficulty in identifying the origins of a cyber attack means that a coherent, reliable encryption is increasingly the only viable avenue of defense.

On April 16, 2015, IWP U.S. Army War College Fellow CH (COL) William E. Godwin-Stremler gave a lecture on the topic of "Cultural Incompatibility: National Psyches as Keys to Ideological Conflict."

This presentation is based on a paper that CH Godwin-Stremler prepared for the US Army War College as a part of his IWP fellowship.

On April 16, 2015, IWP U.S. Army War College Fellow CH (COL) William E. Godwin-Stremler gave a lecture on the topic of "Cultural Incompatibility: National Psyches as Keys to Ideological Conflict."

This presentation is based on a paper that CH Godwin-Stremler prepared for the US Army War College as a part of his IWP fellowship.

On April 16, 2015, IWP U.S. Army War College Fellow CH (COL) William E. Godwin-Stremler gave a lecture on the topic of "Cultural Incompatibility: National Psyches as Keys to Ideological Conflict."

This presentation is based on a paper that CH Godwin-Stremler prepared for the US Army War College as a part of his IWP fellowship.

This panel discussion featured practitioners in humanitarian affairs who commented on realistic, on-the-ground solutions to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Albert Santoli, professor at The Institute of World Politics and founder and president of Asia America Initiative, moderated the panel. Other panelists were Dr. Michael Dziedzic, Colonel, (ret.), who is a Fellow at the World Engagement Institute and editor of "Overlooked Enemies of Peace: Subduing Criminalized Power Structures," and David Weiss, President & CEO of Global Communities.

This presentation is part of an event entitled "Beyond Crisis Management in the Middle East: Peace and Stability in the Post 2015 Development Framework" which was held at The Institute of World Politics on May 21, 2015.

The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Region, IWP, Global Communities, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

This panel discussion featured practitioners in humanitarian affairs who commented on realistic, on-the-ground solutions to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Albert Santoli, professor at The Institute of World Politics and founder and president of Asia America Initiative, moderated the panel. Other panelists were Dr. Michael Dziedzic, Colonel, (ret.), who is a Fellow at the World Engagement Institute and editor of "Overlooked Enemies of Peace: Subduing Criminalized Power Structures," and David Weiss, President & CEO of Global Communities.

This presentation is part of an event entitled "Beyond Crisis Management in the Middle East: Peace and Stability in the Post 2015 Development Framework" which was held at The Institute of World Politics on May 21, 2015.

The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Region, IWP, Global Communities, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

This panel discussion covers the international response to the Syrian refugee crisis, and includes an overview of international mechanisms to build peace, governance, and civil society in affected areas.

Colonel Christopher Holshek (ret.), co-Chair of the UNA-NCA Peace & Security Committee and Senior Fellow, Alliance for Peacebuilding moderated the panel. Other panelists were John Filson, Senior Policy Manager at Alliance for Peacebuilding and Dr. Stefania Piffanelli, Deputy Director of the United Nations Information Center.

This presentation is part of an event entitled "Beyond Crisis Management in the Middle East: Peace and Stability in the Post 2015 Development Framework" which was held at The Institute of World Politics on May 21, 2015.

The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Region, IWP, Global Communities, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

This panel discussion covers the international response to the Syrian refugee crisis, and includes an overview of international mechanisms to build peace, governance, and civil society in affected areas.

Colonel Christopher Holshek (ret.), co-Chair of the UNA-NCA Peace & Security Committee and Senior Fellow, Alliance for Peacebuilding moderated the panel. Other panelists were John Filson, Senior Policy Manager at Alliance for Peacebuilding and Dr. Stefania Piffanelli, Deputy Director of the United Nations Information Center.

This presentation is part of an event entitled "Beyond Crisis Management in the Middle East: Peace and Stability in the Post 2015 Development Framework" which was held at The Institute of World Politics on May 21, 2015.

The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Region, IWP, Global Communities, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

Dr. Shelly Pitterman, Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – Washington, gave keynote remarks at an event entitled "Beyond Crisis Management in the Middle East: Peace and Stability in the Post 2015 Development Framework" which was held at The Institute of World Politics on May 21, 2015.

This event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association of the National Capital Region, IWP, Global Communities, and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.