Waterloo – More than 200 global economic thinkers from around the world will gather at The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) for its annual international conference. The purpose of the event is to define and debate issues of critical global importance, and identify innovative practices that can assist in meeting global challenges. This year’s event will examine systemic impacts of the global economic crisis.

Towards a Global New Deal, which is set for October 2-4, 2009, will bring together researchers, policy makers, business executives and journalists, who will address two broad themes: (1) The impact of the current global economic crisis on the evolution of various governance systems and (2) the future role of financial regulators, the shifting role of the state in economic governance, and views on whether globalization should be furthered or better harnessed in light of the crisis.

On October 3, internationally renowned American economist Paul Krugman will give the dinner keynote. A prolific author, columnist and blogger, he is a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University, as well as an op-ed page columnist for The New York Times. In 2008, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity.

The other distinguished keynote speakers are:

Economist Jagdish Bhagwati will give the dinner keynote address on October 2. He is a professor at Columbia University and senior fellow in International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. His long distinguished career includes posts as the special adviser to the United Nations on Globalization, and external adviser to the World Trade Organization. Dr. Bhagwati is well known for his advocacy of free trade.

The Right Honourable Paul Martin, former prime minster of Canada, will open the proceedings on October 3 with the breakfast keynote address. In September l999, as Canada's finance minister, Mr. Martin was named inaugural chair of the G20, an international group of finance ministers and Central Bank governors, composed of the G7 nations and emerging market nations. He is respected internationally for his leadership in working to forge a new global financial order.

The final day of the conference features keynote speaker Roberto Mangabeira Unger, a Brazilian contemporary social theorist, politician and law professor at Harvard Law School, who is widely regarded as one of today’s leading social thinkers. Dr. Unger has long been active in Brazilian and Latin American politics, as a candidate, political activist and as an advisor to world leaders. He also taught U.S. President Barack Obama while he was at Harvard University.

Besides the keynote speakers, there will be high-level panel presentations by internationally recognized speakers. Topics of discussion include: the effects of the global economic crisis on global finance, trade and investment, food security and poverty, as well as environmental challenges.