Vilnius University Conference
This year marks the notable 700th anniversary of Vilnius. We believe it is an appropriate opportunity for international meetings in our city aiming to explore and share deeper perspectives on issues and challenges impacting our region, Europe, and the wider global community.
On the 4th of July, Vilnius University will host a distinctive assembly of experts, intellectuals, and opinion makers from various fields. This international conference is conceived as an intellectual preamble to this year’s NATO summit, also held in Vilnius.
The focal point of the conference will be the ramifications within our region stemming from Russia’s aggression and Ukraine’s effective resistance. This encompasses changes in geopolitical and global security frameworks, as well as their cultural, historical, psychological, and philosophical implications. Beyond simply reflecting on past events, the conference aims to serve as a platform for engaging dialogue on potential future scenarios.
July 4th (Tuesday)
9:30 Registration and welcome coffee.
10:30 Opening ceremony and welcome speeches.
- Gabrielius Landsbergis – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
- Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas – Rector of Vilnius University
Leaders’ discussion. How has the war in Ukraine changed the world?
- Dalia Grybauskaitė – former President of Lithuania
- Toomas Hendrik Ilves – former President of Estonia
- Egils Levits – President of Latvia
- Moderator – Linas Kojala (Director of Eastern Europe Studies Centre)
12:00-13:20 Networking reception at the Grand Courtyard of Vilnius University. Refreshments and food being served.
13:30-15:00 How does the war in Ukraine changes idea of Europe?
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Jovita Neliupšienė – Head of the European Union's mission to the United States
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Rasmus Brun Pedersen – Associate Professor of International Relations at the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
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Antero Holmila – Professor of History at the University of Jyväskylä
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Moderator – dr. Vilius Bartninkas (Vilnius University)
15:00-15:30 Coffee break
15:30-17:00 What would be understood as a Ukrainian victory or Russian defeat?
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Andrius Kubilius – former Prime Minister, current Member of the European Parliament
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Andrzej Nowak – Professor at Jagiellonian University and the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw
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Kristian Gerner – historian, author, expert on Eastern Europe, and Professor of History at Lund University
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Janis Sarts – Director of NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence
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Moderator – Prof. Margarita Šešelgytė (Director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University)
17:30 Dinner hosted by Vilnius Univeristy Foundation.