Waterville Public Library

In partnership with the Camden Conference and the Waterville Public Library, the Mid-Maine Global Forum presents their Fall 2026 Speaker Series!

All events are free and open to the public. Saves the dates below and we hope you can join us!

Ezgi Yildiz
“Who Governs the Oceans? The Law of the Sea in a Shifting World Order”
Friday, Oct. 30th, 12pm

   This talk traces how the modern law of the sea took shape, what it has achieved, and why it now faces growing strain. That strain is in the headlines, from contested waters in the South China Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, to piracy off the Somali coast, to the emerging race for deep-seabed mining. The talk introduces each of these flashpoints and considers what it will take to keep the oceans peaceful, prosperous, and healthy in the decades to come.

   Ezgi Yildiz is an Assistant Professor of Government at Bowdoin College and a Research Associate at the Global Governance Center of the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland. She received her Ph.D. in International Relations and International Law from the Geneva Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland. Before joining Bowdoin, she held research and faculty positions at Harvard University, Boston University, and California State University, Long Beach.

Upcoming Speakers:
Rob Weisbrot
“The Cold War in History and Current Conflicts”
Friday, Nov. 20th, 12pm

Diana Elhard
“Negotiating our ‘Triple Planetary Crisis’: an Inside View of United Nations' Negotiations on Biodiversity, Pollution, and Climate Treaties”
Wednesday, Dec. 16th, 12pm

Presented in partnership with Camden Conference and Waterville Public Library

Founded in 1997, the Mid-Maine Global Forum’s mission is to cultivate curiosity and awareness about complex global issues among the Central Maine community. Learn more at www.midmaineglobalforum.org.