Simon gave a lecture on European development cooperation to the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies on 26 November 2009. The event was part of the "Kapuscinski Lectures" initiative of the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme. Experts from around the world delivered lectures on development and development cooperation at universities in 12 new European Union countries. The series is named “Kapuscinski Lectures” ,after Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish reporter and writer who covered developing countries.