The economic fallout from COVID-19 has sparked the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression. It has also exacerbated existing inequalities in a devastating way. Is the world now headed for a period as tumultuous as the 1930s? Does history repeat itself or, as American humorist Mark Twain said, does it simply rhyme?

Gideon Rose thinks that we may have avoided the worst outcomes of the 1930s, but our belief in the natural progression of democracy has taken a hit. He pointed to how the pandemic inspired a further rise in nationalist sentiment. Jane Harman feels there wasn’t enough recognition of the fact that many people were left behind in the rush to streamline globalization. Senator Tim Kaine is certain that the best way to confront a pandemic is through international cooperation. Can the US get back on track as a global leader, despite the pandemic? Secretary Leon Panetta fears that the catastrophic handling of the pandemic in the US has raised questions both at home and abroad about America’s capability of handling a crisis. President Kersti Kaljulaid still hopes, however, that we will see some positive outcomes from the pandemic – specifically due to new technologies, new ways of working, and expanded supply lines.

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has changed the world forever and Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, had a sobering warning: COVID-19 hit the most vulnerable populations in Canada the hardest. If we aren’t careful, the next pandemic will do the same.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed HFX participants, to highlight Turkey’s commitment to protecting its national sovereignty and peace in the region. Speaking to the ongoing issues in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, he expressed thanks to the Russian Federation for their help in brokering a ceasefire in the conflict. He also addressed the conflict in Libya, and advocated the continuation of dialogue to encourage peace. Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s determination to pursue natural resources in the Mediterranean, and says Turkey has never closed the door on dialogue and diplomacy to do so.

With so many moving parts in the Middle East, nothing ever remains the same for long. This is especially true in a year like 2020. Over the past few months, we have seen a deterioration in relations between Greece and Turkey, even while alliances are improving between Israel and nearby Arab states. With regional debates over border lines and access to natural resources, there is no end to the diplomacy needed in the Middle East.

Véronique Roger-Lacan issued a forceful call for increased multilateralism in the Middle East. She said multilateralism is founded on the protection and promotion of individual human rights and freedoms and if every member of the international community respected those basic multilateralism principles, there would be less conflicts such as those in the Mediterranean to manage. Tzipi Livini sees positive new alliances forming between Israel and its neighbors. She was optimistic that they can continue to normalize relations with Arab and Gulf countries. Meanwhile, Tasos Chatzivasileiou hoped that President Biden will strengthen diplomacy and re-establish the United States as a badly-needed mediator between Greece and Turkey.

In a vast region, with many different priorities, the current global instability makes it more important than ever to have strong institutions that can encourage dialogue and democracy in the Middle East.

• Group Captain Carol Abraham, Chief, Defence Strategy Management, New Zealand Defence Force
• Colonel Katharine Barber, Wing Commander for the Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick Air Force Base Florida, United States Air Force
• Colonel Rejanne Eimers-van Nes, Commander, Personnel Logistics, Royal Netherlands Army
• Colonel Melissa Emmett, Career Manager General Staff, British Army
• Colonel Ivana Gutzelnig, MD Director, Military Centre of Aviation Medicine, Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic
• Colonel Dr. Stephanie Krause Commander, Medical Regiment No 1, German Armed Forces
• Lieutenant Colonel Lene Lillelund, Battalion Commander, Logistics Regiment, Danish Army
• Captain Rebecca Ore, Commander, Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, United States Coast Guard
• Major General Germaine Seewer, Commandant, Armed Forces College, Deputy Chief, Training and Education Command, Swiss Armed Forces
• Colonel Rebecca Talbot, Chief of Staff, Supply Chain Branch, Australian Defence Force
• Colonel Geneviève Lehoux, Director, Military Careers Administration, Canadian Armed Forces
• Colonel Valérie Morcel, Head, 54th Signals Regiment, French Army

Is Canada destined to be a middle child amongst greater powers? In a year marked by a rising China and struggling America, Canada’s top bureaucrat Ian Shugart thinks the biggest question his country must answer now is – How are we going to participate in the global order and what is the best contribution that we can make?

Rachel Kleinfeld believes that the time is now for countries like Canada to take on a leadership role on the world stage. Australia’s Angus Campbell is optimistic about the opportunity for middle powers to encourage other countries to join that effort. From Latvia, Artis Pabriks believes that the strength of the European Union is a positive example of middle powers coming together to create a political force on the world stage.

In dealing with global power struggles, a US leadership change and the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada cannot find its way alone. Canada’s Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan stated that middle powers can be united to face adversity and we should never underestimate the power of nations coming together.

In an international environment featuring great power tensions and complex new security challenges, do defense leaders spend enough time considering space as a domain of warfare? Should every nation create a Space Force? In this session, panelists discussed space as a hotly contested issue in global security.

General John Raymond is an impassioned advocate of America’s newly created Space Force, and the critical domain that it patrols. As other countries seek to weaponize space, the U.S. Space Force is determined to keep space a free, fair, and peaceful place. NATO also has a role to play, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach explained how satellites in space provide critical navigation, intelligence, and reconnaissance support for the Alliance. But it’s the partnerships with industry that make America a world leader in space exploration. Boeing’s Jim Chilton emphasized the industrial side of space, noting that his company will continue to provide new and high-quality space technology for both commercial and military use.

The panelists ultimately made it clear that if Western democracies want to support global peace and the rules-based international order, they must continue to invest in space technology through public-private partnerships, enhance diplomatic cooperation, and promote common rules for all countries to follow.

In the current global environment, space should be treated no differently than land, air, or sea.

Mr. Chilton framed space as a domain of opportunity, where research and innovation will help the $424 billion global space economy grow even larger. Acknowledging the widespread global interest in space, he noted that countries ranging from India and Australia to China are demonstrating greater interest and ambition.