Right after Albert Serra’s talk, come to celebrate the Day of the Book & Rose, a Catalan Cultural and Literary Festival, coinciding with the anniversary of Shakespeare’s and Cervantes’ death. There will be books, roses, and live recital of Catalan poetry!

Catalan Cultural Festival. Sponsored by the Iberian Studies Program at The Europe Center, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures, Modern Thought & Literature, and The Stanford Catalan Association.

Claiming that Contemporary Cinema is currently in its most interesting creative moment since the 60s, laureate Catalan filmmaker Albert Serra will discuss its evolution throughout the 21st Century in terms of form, methodology and perception, as well as its future possibilities.

Catalan Cultural Festival. Sponsored by the Iberian Studies Program at The Europe Center, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures, Modern Thought & Literature, and The Stanford Catalan Association.

Vera Zakem has been leading work at CNA Center for Stability and Development on how Russia and other actors use propaganda and disinformation to influence and target populations in Europe. She will highlight how Russia and other actors exploit internal sources of vulnerabilities and instability to target vulnerable populations in Europe via disinformation and influence campaigns. Vera's work includes conducting in-country field work in many of the countries in the region.

Vera Zakem specializes in developing innovative solutions, analytics, and partnerships in assessing root causes of conflict and instability for vulnerable populations, information warfare, social media, and disinformation, and civil-military operations. She incorporates development, diplomacy, and civil-military operations in assessing today’s security environment. She currently leads CNA’s work in assessing internal vulnerabilities to vulnerable populations, Europe and Russia, disinformation and propaganda, technology, and influence.

Zakem has conducted in-country fieldwork in the Balkans, Baltics, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Earlier in her career, she has collaborated multinational and government organizations in analyzing and assessing human security. She taught adversary, futures analytics and red teaming at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University. Throughout her career, Zakem has worked with diverse sectors in promoting the role of women in security and development.

Zakem has an M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins University, a B.A. in Politics and Economics from the University of San Francisco and has also spent a year at Tel Aviv University in Israel. She speaks Russian, Spanish, and Hebrew. She is a Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations.