Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference

“Sustainability and Sovereignty: Global Security in a Resource-Strained World”

Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, April 13-15, 2015

By George Giakoumis ‘16

This past April I had the great pleasure of representing Adelphi University at the 2015 Naval Academy Foreign Affairs
Conference in Annapolis, Maryland. My brief time at the academy provided me with an experience I will not soon forget.

The conference, which sought to examine potential linkages between sovereignty and global resource sustainability, delivered
a platform for dozens of esteemed scholars, entrepreneurs and government officials to discuss and debate how to best attain global security in a resource-strained world. After attending these inspiring and educational panel discussions each morning, we students divided into specialized roundtables to further discuss the multitude of sustainability
issues facing the different regions of the world today. Roundtable discussions were characterized by passionate intellectual
debate and discussion, and ultimately, proposed solutions to issues of global stability and security. Needless to say,
I learned a great deal about the global challenges that lie ahead not only from the venerated speakers but also from my
student colleagues.

In addition to a remarkable academic experience, NAFAC 2015 provided me the opportunity to see unique sights and
historic landmarks, as well as meet countless bright and very interesting people, many of whom I am still in touch with.
Walking the celebrated grounds of the Naval Academy with the midshipmen themselves was a sincerely moving experience.
From the tomb of US Navy founder John Paul Jones, to the magnificent stained glass windows of the campus
chapel and the incredibly poignant memorial building commemorating all of the navy’s fallen heroes, the pristine Annapolis
campus was truly breathtaking. Finally, the four-day hiatus gave me the opportunity to explore the unique setting and
culture of Annapolis. The city’s uniquely tight bond to the United States’ navy and to the academy itself, which is plainly
evident even in the shortest of explorations around town, make it an inimitable vacation spot for anyone interested in our
nation’s history. Attending NAFAC 2015 was one of the best decisions I have made in my entire academic career, and I
cannot begin to thank Adelphi University’s gracious and generous political science department enough for this wonderful
opportunity.