Sydney Open Forum

Step into a sweeping historical journey at the Sydney Open Forum, tracing the arc of global transformation over the past six centuries—from the age of exploration to today’s emerging multipolar world.

Our speaker, Joffre Balce, Secretary of the Association for Good Government, brings over 35 years of graduate-level teaching and lecturing experience in the economic history of thought and development. With deep knowledge and a global perspective, Joffre connects long-term historical trends with the pressing realities of our present moment.

🌍 What the Talk Explores

Beginning with Magellan’s voyage in the early 16th century, this talk will examine how exploration, trade, empire, and evolving economic ideas reshaped the world—and how those forces continue to reverberate today.

Key themes include:

• The rise and transformation of global trade networks
• The evolution of economic thought and development models
• The historical roots of Western dominance
• The gradual shift toward a multipolar global order in the 21st century
• What long-term patterns reveal about the future of geopolitics and economics

Rather than focusing only on isolated events, Joffre offers a big-picture narrative, helping participants see connections across centuries of change.

💬 Open Forum Discussion

In true Sydney Open Forum style, the session will conclude with an interactive discussion, inviting attendees to question, challenge, and reflect on the ideas presented.How do historical cycles inform today’s global tensions?Are we witnessing a fundamental shift in world order?What lessons can the past 600 years offer for the decades ahead?All perspectives are welcome in a respectful and intellectually curious environment.

📍 Event DetailsFormat: Talk followed by open discussionAudience: Anyone interested in history, economics, geopolitics, or big-picture thinkingTone: Accessible, thought-provoking, and conversationalJoin us for an evening of deep historical insight and lively exchange, and gain a richer understanding of how the past six centuries have shaped the world we are living in today.

| Provide your feedback on BizChat |
| -------------------------------- |
|

A growing anti-government movement in Australia is challenging the authority of the courts, councils and cops.
Some call themselves sovereign citizens, others freedom fighters.

Supercharged during the COVID lockdowns, the movement’s rising influence and resolve has made it one of the judiciary's primary concerns.
They’re flooding the legal system with pseudolaw claims, staging their own “trials” and targeting officials with campaigns of harassment and intimidation. While they claim to be peaceful, many express the desire for an armed population, ready to act against what they see as an oppressive government.

In this 2025 Four Corners Report, reporter Mahmood Fazal embeds with key figures inside the movement to see how it operates. From “sheriffs” serving their own court orders to government departments, to local council meetings overrun by anti-vax activists.

Lawfare traces how the movement is trying to exert influence across Australia. Legal experts explain how this seemingly victimless civil disobedience can sometimes escalate into intimidation, violence and serious risks to public safety.

The investigation exposes a movement that’s testing the limits of Australian law and the institutions meant to uphold it.
It examines the human and institutional impact of the movement and the danger to our democracy if it’s not taken seriously.

Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers remains one of the most electrifying, unsettling, and politically charged films ever made. Shot in a documentary‑style realism so convincing it was once screened at the Pentagon as a counter‑insurgency case study, the film plunges viewers into the Algerian struggle for independence and the brutal machinery of French colonial rule.
For this Sydney Open Forum session, we’ll gather for a private screening followed by an open, reflective discussion on the film’s enduring relevance — from anti‑colonial resistance to state power, urban warfare, and the ethics of liberation movements.

### ⭐ Why this film still matters

The Battle of Algiers forces us to confront questions that remain painfully contemporary:

• How do oppressed peoples resist overwhelming military power
• What happens when states justify extraordinary violence in the name of “order”
• Why do liberation movements fracture, radicalise, or triumph
• How do media, myth, and memory shape our understanding of conflict
• What lessons — and warnings — does the film offer for today’s world

The film refuses easy answers, which makes it perfect for a Sydney Open Forum conversation.

### 🗓️ Format

1. Private screening of The Battle of Algiers (English subtitles)
2. Facilitated group discussion exploring historical context, cinematic technique, and political themes
3. Open reflections on colonialism, resistance, and the moral ambiguities of revolutionary struggle

All perspectives are welcome — the aim is thoughtful, respectful dialogue.

### 👥 Who should come

• Anyone interested in history, politics, or anti‑colonial movements
• Students and researchers in international relations, film, or political theory
• People curious about how cinema shapes public understanding of conflict
• Long‑time fans of the film and first‑time viewers alike

No prior knowledge of the Algerian War is required.

### 🌏 About Sydney Open Forum

Sydney Open Forum is a long‑running, independent space for public conversation. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and civic engagement.