Taylor, who was thrust into the international limelight after he helped six American diplomats escape from Tehran during the Iranian hostage crisis in 1980, will be giving the final address at the World Conference on Disaster Management, to be held June 6”“9.

The trade issues that sparked demonstrations in cities like Seattle and Genoa have largely been replaced by regional or national disputes, Taylor says, pointing to the current unrest over the debt crisis in Greece. Even one of the most difficult and often violent political issues of our time, the Middle East, has not polarized public opinion as much, for example, as did the war in Vietnam.

“I don’t sense that there’s going to be the same degree of public protest,” he said. “There just doesn’t seem to be the mood.” As well, he adds, the protesters may not see the summit as the best place to get their point across. “And I think they may wonder if, in the past, they did in fact have any effect.”

This is a crucial year for the G20, Taylor says. The public is becoming more doubtful that international meetings can accomplish anything, especially after the disappointment of the Copenhagen conference on climate change. But, because it is more representative than the G7 and G8, many people still hope the G20 can make some headway.

“Unless the G20 comes up with something that is understandable to the public, it will soon be viewed just as another meeting ”¦ with a conclusion already written up before the meeting’s finished,” he says.

In his address, Taylor will speak on the nature of leadership in times of crisis. While the sheer complexity of problems, technological change and globalization have made it more difficult for leaders to take decisive action, he says, it is still possible — as long as they have a healthy dose of skepticism and self-confidence. And they need to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and be willing to make decisions on their own.

“Oftentimes, the leader will have to be careful, keeping some part of his intentions to himself, rather than reaching a so-called democratic decision. Participation is fine, but sometimes it just doesn’t work. It’s the same with public diplomacy, with respect to some negotiations and discussions,” he says.

The conference, which is in its 20th year, brings together international experts in fields ranging from public health to business continuity to help businesses and communities better prepare for major crises. There are some 80 seminars and workshops, covering topics such as workplace violence, security at the 2010 Winter Olympics, pandemic planning and lessons learned from the 2009 Australian bushfires.