Map of Power II. International ConferencePontszerző: 3 pont

Wednesday Sep 23, 2026, 8:00 AM → 5:30 PM Europe/Budapest

1. emelet-100. Széchenyi Díszterem/Ludovika Főépület (Ludovika Főépület)

 

Map of Power II

Europe in Transition

Alliances, Influence and the New Centres of Power

23 September 2026
Széchenyi Hall, Ludovika University of Public Service

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08:00–09:00

Working Breakfast

By invitation only

A closed-door discussion bringing together senior policymakers, diplomats and experts ahead of the official opening of the conference.

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09:00–09:30

Registration

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09:30–09:45

Opening Remarks

Dr Gergely Deli
Rector, Ludovika University of Public Service

Liliana Śmiech
Director General for International Affairs, Ludovika University of Public Service

Dr Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi TBC

Minister of Defence, Hungary

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09:45–10:15

Opening Keynote

Arthur Milikh TBC

Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, US Department of State

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10:15–11:15

Panel I

America is Back? - How the United States is Reshaping Global Alliances?

The United States is once again reshaping the transatlantic relationship and the wider international balance of power. The discussion will examine what this means for Europe, NATO and the future of global alliances.

Speakers

Dr Tamás Magyarics
Former Ambassador of Hungary to Ireland

Dr Gábor Csizmazia
Senior Research Fellow, John Lukacs Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service

Anna Hardage TBC

Deputy Director, American Security, America First Policy Institute

 

Márton Hajdu TBC

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hungarian National Assembly

 

Amb. Réka Szemerkényi TBC

Director of International Affairs, Equilibrium Institute

Former Ambassador of Hungary to the United States of America

 

Moderator

Liliana Śmiech
Director General for International Affairs, Ludovika University of Public Service

 

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11:15–11:45

Coffee Break

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11:45–12:45

Panel II

Western Europe at a Crossroads

Western Europe faces growing pressure to reconcile competitiveness, strategic autonomy and economic security with rapid technological and geopolitical change. The panel will consider whether Europe has the political and economic tools needed to strengthen its global position.

Speakers

Gergely Prőhle
Programme Director, John Lukacs Institute for Strategy and Politics, Ludovika University of Public Service

Bruno Maçães

Former Secretary of State for European Affairs, Portugal

 

Guillaume Klossa
President, EuropaNova

Witold de Chevilly

Executive Director, New Direction

 

Moderator

Csaba Zalai

Professor of Practice, Ludovika University of Public Service

Former Deputy State Secretary for European Affairs

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12:45–13:30

Networking Lunch

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13:30–14:30

Panel III

From the Baltic to the Black Sea - Emerging Centres of European Influence

As defense spending across the Baltic–Black Sea axis reaches historic highs, the region is transitioning from NATO’s eastern flank into a primary driver of European security policy. This panel will examine how countries along this corridor are actively defining the continent's strategic posture; from building robust national deterrence and expanding defense-industrial capacity to leading regional intelligence sharing and hybrid threat response.

Speakers

Aleksandra Palkova

Senior Lecturer,  Rīga Stradiņš University

 

Ambassador (Ret.) Gheorghe Magheru

Member of the Scientific Council, New Strategy Center

 

Dr András Rácz TBC
Deputy Director General for Research and Scientific Affairs, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs

Klára Breuer

State Secretary for Bilateral Relations, MFA (TBC)

Moderator
Dr Réka Zsuzsánna Máthé

Research Fellow, Europe Strategy Research Institute, Ludovika University of Public Service

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14:30–15:00

Coffee Break

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15:00–16:00

Next Generation Policy Forum

The session will present the three best essays submitted as part of the Map of Power II Student Essay Competition.

The selected students or teams will present the main arguments, conclusions and policy implications of their essays before a jury composed of academics and practitioners.

Following the presentations, members of the jury will provide feedback and discuss the ideas presented. The jury will then select the winning essay, which will be announced at the end of the session.

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16:00–17:00

Closing Reception