SUNDAY, JUNE 22

2:30 pm-3:00 pm Registration

3 pm-3:30 pm Introductions 

3:30 pm-5:45 pm Introductory Colloque: The Big (E)U-Turn – Global Geopolitical Perspectives 

Chair: Ferenc Miszlivetz (iASK, Hungary) 

Keynote speech: Loïc Simonet (Austrian Institute for International Affairs) – The ‘Geopolitical’ EU: Navigating the storm

Panelists: 

H.E. Katalin Bogyay (UN Association of Hungary), Jody Jensen (iASK, Hungary), Elira Luli (Luarasi University, Albania; iASK), Gergely Németh (Defence Innovation Research Institute of Hungary)

6:00 pm Premier of Bartók – Binder: For Children by Binder Trio (Venue: Synagogue, Várkör 38.)

7:30 pm Reception (Venue: Festetics Palace, Chernel str. 10.) 

MONDAY, JUNE 23 

9:30-10:00 am Registration 

10:00-10:30 am Welcome speeches: Béla Básthy (Mayor of Kőszeg), Ferenc Miszlivetz (iASK, Hungary)

10:30-10:55 Keynote speech: Gergely Németh (Defence Innovation Research Institute of Hungary): Taking the long view: Major trends and implications in a changing world

11:00-1:00 pm Panel 

Challenges for the UN and the European Union in a Rapidly Changing World 

The panel examines the ongoing challenges the European Union faces with the global community, through the unique international organization, the United Nations, which consistently fails to adequately address current security challenges. What are the causes of the UN’s paralysis that has existed since its inception but has never been as severe as it is today? Did the Charter, repeatedly violated by its signatories, become obsolete? Is the Security Council veto power the obstacle to successful crisis management? Should the UN be reformed, replaced or rebooted? Should the EU step in as the U.S. seems to move away? Will the U.N.’s founding principles prevail? 

Chair: András Nagy (iASK, Hungary) 

Keynote speech: H.E. Katalin Bogyay (UN Association of Hungary) – UN’80

Panelists:  

H. E. Christian Thorning (Ambassador of Denmark to Hungary and to the Republic of Slovenia) 

Boglárka Koller (Ludovika University, Hungary) 

Comments: André Erdős (Former Ambassador of Hungary to the UN), Andor Nagy (Former Ambassador of Hungary to Israel and Austria), Judy Kuriansky (Columbia University, USA) 

1:00-2:30 pm Lunch break 

2:30-4:00 pm Panel 

Global Economies and Geopolitical Tensions in the Trump Era  

The increasing role of Asia in the global economy and politics in the 21st century positions the continent higher on the global stage. President Trump’s Liberation Day announcement introduced a new era of deteriorating global governance in international trade, neglecting the World Trade Organization by enacting protectionism against the whole world. These changes reconfigure supply chains, and access to critical materials which are pivotal assets in the contest for technological and economic dominance. Geoeconomics merges with geopolitics in an unstable, uncertain world. New trade alliances are sought for, and East-Southeast Asian countries are looking for solutions.  

Chair: Péter Krekó (iASK, Hungary, ELTE, Hungary)  

Keynote speech: Veronika Wittmann (Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria) – Old Concepts and New Worlds. 21st-century Global Political Challenges

Panelists:  

H. E. Mladen Andrlić (Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Hungary) 

H. E. Kyu Dok Hong (Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Hungary) 

Tamás Pesuth (Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary) 

4:30 pm-4:45 pm Coffee break 

4:45 pm-6:30 pm Panel  

Breaking the Rules: Geopolitical Rivalries and the Making of a New Global Order 

This panel explores the shifting global power dynamics marked by the erosion of the post-Cold War, rules-based international order. It addresses the complex dynamics of European rearmament and the emerging geopolitical challenges confronting the European Union. As traditional frameworks of global governance weaken, new geopolitical fault lines emerge, driven by strategic competition among major powers, particularly the U.S., China, and Russia. How are these rivalries reshaping global alliances, security architectures, and influence over key regions? From increased militarism to resource diplomacy, the session considers how new frameworks are being negotiated and imposed in an increasingly fragmented international system. By bringing together insights from security studies and international relations, the panel seeks to map the contours of a world in transition. 

Chair: Ferenc Miszlivetz (iASK, Hungary) 

Panelists:

Emil Brix (Diplomatische Akademie Wien) (TBC)

Isotta Ricci Bitti (APROPOS Group, Open European Dialogue)

András Hettyey (Andrássy Universität Budapest)

Sean Cleary (Strategic Concepts, South Africa) online

6:45 pm “Geometry in the stable” – Exhibition of Judit Nemes. Opening speech: Gábor Ébli, hab. associate professor, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (Venue: Festetics Palace, Chernel str. 10.) 

7:30 pm Reception (Venue: Festetics Palace, Chernel str. 10.) 

TUESDAY, JUNE 24 

9:30 am-10:00 am Registration 

10: 00 am-12:00 pm Panel 

Beyond the Barricades: Civic Imagination and Resistance in Southeast Europe

This panel examines the shifting terrains of activism, civic resistance, and public engagement across Southeast Europe. In a region shaped by unresolved pasts and democratic uncertainty, grassroots actors are reimagining the contours of public space, citizenship, and collective action. Through diverse case studies—including political dissent, civil society organizing, and creative approaches to peacebuilding—the panel explores how resistance is practiced, narrated, and networked in both digital and physical spaces. Emphasizing local perspectives while engaging broader regional dynamics, the discussion reflects on the evolving role of civic actors in shaping political futures from below.

Chair: Jody Jensen (iASK, Hungary) 

Keynote speech: Ryszard Praszkier (University of Warsaw, Poland) – The Magic of the Network Effects and How to Measure It 

Panelists: 

Ivana Stepanovic (iASK, Hungary) 

Caleb Waugh (NGO Aktiv, Kosovo) 

Aleksandra Bulatović (Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, Serbia) 

12:00-1:30 pm Lunch Break 

1:30-3:00 pm Panel  

Pivotal Choices for 2030: The Future of EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans 

This panel explores the EU and Western Balkans, examining the promises and ‘Pivotal Choices’ for 2030. The European Union has been committed to integrating the Western Balkans for over two decades. However, the process has been delayed due to internal EU crises and structural challenges in WB. Recently, geopolitical shifts – particularly the war in Ukraine – have brought enlargement back onto the EU’s political agenda. Currently, Montenegro, Albania, and potentially North Macedonia are considered the frontrunners, aiming to conclude accession negotiations by the end of 2026 and 2027, respectively. What is the perspective for the other WB states? Yet, the pace of progress remains closely tied to advancements in key areas such as the rule of law, accountability, and effective governance. At the same time, the region continues to grapple with high levels of youth emigration, democratic backsliding, external interference, and unresolved bilateral disputes—factors that threaten EU credibility and regional stability. Looking ahead to 2030, and in light of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, two possible scenarios emerge: fatigue and disengagement, where enlargement fades into a broken promise; strategic recalibration, with the EU adapting its priorities, policies, and instruments to a new political and global reality, both internally and in its neighborhood.  

Chair: Elira Luli (Luarasi University, Albania; iASK) 

Keynote speech: Robert Austin (University of Toronto, Canada) – Does the Past Really Matter? Democracy, Reconciliation and Transitional Justice in the Western Balkans

Panelists:  

Başak Alpan (Middle East Technical University,Turkey) 

Afrim Hoti (University of Prishtina, Kosovo) 

Besa Kadriu (Southeast European University, North Macedonia) 

Mirela Metushaj (Aleksander Moisiu University, Albania) 

Branislav Radeljic (Goldsmiths, University of London, UK) 

3:00–3:30 pm Coffee Break

3:30-5:00 pm Panel 

Rethinking Political Imaginaries in the Contemporary Balkans: Power, Fragmentation, Continuity, and the Challenges of EU Integration 

This panel examines the political imaginaries that shape, disrupt, and sustain the contemporary Balkans, a region where the legacies of empire, socialism, and violent dissolution continue to inform present-day governance, identity, and international positioning. It moves beyond static or deterministic analyses of nationalism and EU integration to offer critical reflections on how political power is imagined, performed, and contested across fragmented state structures, hybrid regimes, and transnational networks. Particular attention is paid to the evolving narratives and ambivalences surrounding EU integration—its promises, disillusionments, and role in reconfiguring both domestic politics and regional relations. The panel explores how rupture and continuity co-exist in political discourse and practice, from populist governance and securitization to civic resistance and emerging forms of regional solidarity. By drawing on interdisciplinary approaches, it seeks to rethink the Balkans not merely as a site of persistent crisis or delayed transition, but as a terrain where multiple and competing political futures are actively negotiated. 

Chair: Rubin Zemon (iASK, Hungary, Center for Advanced Researches, North Macedonia) 

Panelists: 

Dimitar Nikolovski (Eurothink-Center for European Strategies, North Macedonia) 

Dzenita Siljak (iASK, Hungary) 

Danijela Vukovic-Calasan (University of Montenegro, Podgorica) (online)

Selma Muhič Dizdarevič (Charles University, Czech Republic) (online)

Kristian Nielsen (Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary)

5:30 pm Speech by Asztrik Várszegi OSB (Bishop of Culusi, Archabbot Emeritus of Pannonhalma, Hungary) – “Seek peace and pursue it!” (Regula Benedicti)

Followed by the Festive vespers on the feast of St. John the Baptist – Liturgical improvisation. Celebrant Asztrik Várszegi OSB (Venue: St. Imre Church, Jurisics square)

6:45-7:45 pm Walking tour in Kőszeg with Mónika Mátay (iASK, Hungary) and Zoltán Mizsei (iASK, Hungary) (Meeting point: Europe House, Chernel str. 14.)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 

9:30-10 am Registration 

10:30-12:00 pm Panel  

Lingering Pasts, Blurred Futures: Memory Politics and the Role of Narratives in Shaping International Relations 

The current state of memory cultures and international relations is marked by a complex interplay of historical narratives and contemporary geopolitical challenges. Nations in Europe grapple with their pasts, particularly regarding colonialism and totalitarianism, as these memories shape national identities and influence foreign policies. Collective memory has become increasingly important in fostering reconciliation and understanding, yet disagreements over historical interpretations can exacerbate tensions. As memory cultures evolve, they play a crucial role in shaping diplomatic relations and responses to global crises, reflecting how history informs present actions and future aspirations.  

Chair: Izabella Agárdi (iASK, Hungary) 

Keynote speech: András Nagy (iASK, Hungary) – Contradictions and dilemmas, when historical experiences, traumas, and hopes shaping collective identity and creating international institutions.

Panelists: 

Afrim Hoti (University of Prishtina, Kosovo)

Astrea Nikolovska (Czech Academy of Sciences)  

  Zala Pavsic (iASK, Hungary, CEU Democracy Institute, Hungary)  

Rubin Zemon (iASK, Hungary, Center for Advanced Researches, North Macedonia) 

12:00-1:30 pm Lunch break 

1:30-4:00 pm 

Are WE capable of achieving enduring peace within the emerging new world order? 

The YOU(R) TURN panel aims to establish an open and diverse forum for the critical examination of the challenges and opportunities presented by the emerging new world order. Participants will collaborate to explore pathways to peace and cooperation using the conceptual framework of a global parliament or peace parliament, with a focus on the role of the European Union. The discussion will build upon themes introduced in preceding panels, which participants will analyse from multiple perspectives to foster a richer and more nuanced dialogue. 

Participants will be divided into structured working groups to conduct a thorough and systematic investigation into global cooperation, cultural diversity, and the role of the EU Peace Convention in peacebuilding efforts. Researchers from iASK will act as mentors, providing academic guidance and facilitating the development of well-founded arguments and constructive discourse. Participants should form 3-4 person groups (maximum of 4 groups) to argue for and against the given statements. Two rounds of debate will be held. 

You(R) TURN Panel – Statements: 

• The re-militarisation of Europe is a necessary response to new geopolitical threats, even if it challenges the EU’s traditional peace narrative. 

• Reforming global governance structures, including the Security Council (UN), is essential to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and to build trust in multilateral institutions. 

• The EU’s renewed push for enlargement is driven more by security imperatives than by democratic values — reinforcing geopolitical buffer zones while risking the creation of second-class members and sacrifice zones for resource extraction. 

6-9 pm Hungarian and Roma Folk Dance House with Kanizsa Csillagai (Venue: Zwinger Old Tower, Chernel str. 16.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 

9:30-10:00 am. Registration

10:00-12:00 pm Participants teamwork – Preparing for the Presentations (Venue: Library, Jurisics square 7.)

12:15-1:45 pm Lunch break

2:00 pm Excursion near Kőszeg

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 

9:00-9:30 am Registration 

9:30-11:00 am Participants presentations and discussion – Coordinated by Kivanç Ulusoy and János Bogárdi

11:00-11:15 am Coffee break

11:15 am-12:15 pm Closing Remarks by Ferenc Miszlivetz and Certificate Award Ceremony