Multilateral Czechia
The annual flagship conference of the IIR, co-organised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, will take place on 15 - 16 May 2023, and its goal, as always, will be to reflect upon the priorities of Czechia in relation to current European and global events. The conference will begin with the public discussion The World in Change at Kampus Hybernská on May 15th, the main programme will continue at the Czernin Palace on May 16th.
16. 5. 2023 (9:30)
Language: English, Czech Černínský palác, Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí ČR, Loretánské nám. 5, 118 00 Praha 1 - Hradčany
The symposium “Multilateral Czechia” will discuss the most current problems of international relations for this year, which Czech foreign policy must deal with in various areas of its operations and interests. The main theme remains the urgent question of the influence of the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the arrangement of forces within the European Union and NATO, but also their common future with the post-war Ukraine.
For that reason, our high-level panel will focus on a fundamental debate that is now being held across the entire transatlantic community: the debate on the question of whether the “East” will become the new centre of gravity in Europe. Our guests will examine this question from different perspectives, both by engaging in discussions with each other and the audience during an open debate. The main topic will be whether the Central and Eastern European states really have sufficient capacities and willpower to shift the focus of European politics to the east.
The keynote speech will be delivered by our special guest Nathalie Tocci. In her speech and the following discussion with the audience, she will discuss the challenges of today’s war in Ukraine for the internal coherence and future prospects of the European Union.
The closed morning part of the symposium is dedicated to acute issues of Czech foreign policy. The closed roundtables will welcome representatives of the government, the journalist community, the academic sphere, and think-tanks, as well as political representatives. The discussed topics will include strategic communication of foreign policy, the activities of Czechia in Africa, the question of whether the unanimous vote in the EU provides advantages, and, last but not least, scenarios for ending Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
You are also invited to the discussion held on the eve of the main programme (working language: Czech), namely on Monday, May 15th. It will include a presentation of the key publication Svět v proměnách (The World in Change) and a subsequent discussion.
Day 1 16/05/2023
Closed Policy Roundtables
By invitation only
Registration
Keynote Speech: The remaking of Europe in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, the European Union was thrown into yet another existential crisis. The perennial question that lies at the core of European integration surfaced in full force once again: would the EU and its member states stick together and succeed in transforming the crisis into an opportunity for their decades-long integration journey? Over a year into the worst war on the European continent since WWII, where does the EU stand? (Working language: English)
Coffee Break
HIGH-LEVEL PANEL: WILL THE EAST BECOME THE NEW CENTRE OF EUROPE?
The Russian aggression against Ukraine has shaken up the European geopolitical order as we knew it. The future arrangement of political and economic relations within and outside of Europe is currently something that we can only make uncertain predictions about. One such case is the transatlantic discussion about the possible transfer of the focus of interest and power in Europe to the East. This discussion opens up a series of questions that include but are not limited to the following: Does this debate have a real basis in the real capacities and greater determination of Central and Eastern European states? What influence would such a transfer have on the relations between the Western and Eastern European allies within the EU and NATO? How would the relations between Europe and the United States subsequently change? What role should Czechia play in it? (Working language: English)
Organizer
Co-organizers
The conference is co-organised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
