Institute notes.

National Office and branch activities.

Angela Kane, the UN high representative for disarmament, delivered the NZIIA's annual Foreign Policy Lecture on 7 April at a meeting co-hosted with the UN Association of New Zealand. Her topic was 'Disarmament: The Balance Sheet. (The text of her address can be found elsewhere in this issue.)

The current holder of the Kippenberger Chair in Strategic Studies at VUW, Prof Rosemary Foot, gave a lecture on 'The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and its Evolution as a Global Norm' at VUW on 8 April.

On 16 April Prof Marek Belka (president of the National Bank of Poland) addressed a meeting at VUW on 'Should Poland (or Czech Republic, Hungary) Join the Euro?'

On 1 May Dr Alan Bollard (executive director of the APEC Secretariat) addressed a meeting at VUW on 'New Zealand's Economic Challenges in the APEC Region'.

A panel discussion was held at VUW on 29 May on the topic 'The European Union and New Zealand: Shared Values in a Complex World'. The panelists were Michalis Rokas (charge d'affaires, Delegation of the European Union), HE Vicki Treadell (British high commissioner in Wellington) and HE Beata Stoczyriska (Polish ambassador). This event was co-hosted with the Delegation of the European Union to New Zealand, the British High Commission, NZ European Union Centres Network and the Embassy of Poland.

The NZIIA's Annual Dinner was held on 18 June and the National Council the next day. A full report will be included in the September-October issue.

Auckland

The following meetings were held:

27 Mar Dr Ashok Sharrna (honorary research fellow, Politics and International Relations, Auckland University), 'India Votes: An Insight into the Indian Parliamentary Election 2014'.

3 Apr Angela Kane (UN high representative for disarmament affairs), 'Disarmament--Prospects, Possibilities and Potential Pitfalls'.

5 May Cleo Paskal (associate fellow, Chatham House, London), 'The New Battle for the Pacific: What the Fast-changing Geo-politics of the South Pacific Mean for New Zealand and the World'.

5 Jun Dr Ashok Sharma, 'India "MODF'fied: What Does it Mean for India and the World'.

Christchurch

The following meetings were held:

9 Apr Angela Kane (UN high representative for disarmament affairs), 'Disarmament: The Balance Sheet'.

3 Jun Dr Jane Buckingham (University of Canterbury History Department) and Associate Prof Biswamoy Pati (University of Delhi), 'India's Elections: Reflections on the Success of the BJP'.

Hawke's Bay

The...