Candidate Profile

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EXPERTISE
History - Military
Politics & Current Affairs
World Affairs
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH:
BIOGRAPHY
Sir Andrew Burns is a British diplomat who has been at the heart of foreign policy making for 50 years, both in London and as High Commissioner to Canada, Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macau, Ambassador to Israel and most recently the UK Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues.

He has been a BBC Governor, University Chair, legal services regulator, non-executive director of investment trusts and chair of charitable bodies. For the last twenty years Sir Andrew has spoken widely on World Affairs, with a focus on the latest Global Challenges (such as the resurgence of China and India, crises in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, global warming, antisemitism and the emergence of a new world order to challenge the structures laid down after WWII), as well as the history and culture of destinations in Asia, the Middle East, North America and the Baltic.


PRESENTATIONS
Sir Andrew lectures on World Affairs, ie contemporary and historical, cultural and foreign policy subjects, in a way that illuminates the geographic region and international context of each cruise (eg Indian Ocean, Canada and the Arctic, South-East Asia, Middle East). He draws on his own experiences as a diplomat with an eye for the humorous incident and involvement of world leaders. His focus is on the major global challenges ahead, how we are positioned to deal with them and the likely changes in how the world is run.

Global Challenges: The Resurgence of China
China’s emergence as a superpower, its appeal to the global south, its ability to compete with the West and the implications of its looming population collapse.

Global Challenges: The Inexorable laws of Physics and the Irresponsibility of Technological Advance
What are our grandchildren asking us to do about Global Warming, Biodiversity Loss, Artificial Intelligence?

Global Challenges: The critical role played by the USA in preserving world order
Is this changing? What would a new world order look like? Will the USA remain outward looking or turn back to isolationism.

Global Challenges: Facing up to History
Why, 80 years on, do we still need to remember and teach the Holocaust. And what this means for how we handle other aspects of our past.

Global Challenges: Russia’s uneasy borders
Russian imperialist ambitions and the Consequences for NATO, the EU and transatlantic security

Global Challenges: Change in India
Does the rise of Hindu dominance mean the end of “socialist, secular and democratic” India? Will India become a superpower?

Sir Andrew is also happy to talk about the history of Indian Art, the Silk Road and Spice Route, the East India and Hudson Bay Companies, the search for peace in Israel and the Middle East, the history and art of Canada and the Arctic, and the diversity of immigration into the US and Canada.
CRUISE HISTORY / EXPERIENCE
Over fifteen years of talking about World Affairs and Diplomacy on, drawing on long experience over 50 years as a senior British diplomat and policy-maker, with a particular focus on South and South-East Asia, Far East, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Baltic, US and Canada.
RECENT PAST CRUISES COMPLETED
The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.
SHIP REF CRUISE DESCRIPTION NIGHTS SAILING FROM DEPARTURE DATE
Crystal Symphony CSY-013-231108 Asia 13 Mumbai Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Balmoral L2323 North American Waterways and Canadian Fall 34 Southampton Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Crystal Symphony OCS191011-14 Costa Rica & Panama Canal Cruise 14 Puerto Caldera Friday, October 11, 2019
Viking Orion OR181007 Far East Discovery 14 Hong Kong Sunday, October 7, 2018
Crystal Serenity V8305 Across the Bay of Bengal 18 Singapore Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Viking Sky SK170311 Cities of Antiquity & the Holy Land 14 Civitavecchia (for Rome) Saturday, March 11, 2017
Viking Star ST160821 Viking Homelands 14 Bergen Sunday, August 21, 2016
Crystal Serenity V6307 Glacial Grandeur 22 Anchorage/Seward, Alaska Thursday, April 14, 2016