OCTOBER 17
Resilience and Resistance: The Power of Art, Music, and Culture in Times of War
Venue - Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga, Zigfrīda Annas Meierovica Boulevard 10 Central District, Riga, LV-1050
Through the contributions of artists, musicians, and athletes, societies can create symbolic and practical forms of resistance that transform battlefields, offering hope, fostering identity, and galvanizing entire populations during the most challenging times. Such practices go beyond mere survival mechanisms; they become powerful acts of societal mobilization, embodying collective resilience and unity. Salient examples are Baltic states’ independence movements which after five decades of communist assimilation were fueled by profound cultural expressions – particularly through mass singing events in Baltics and the revival of ethnographic traditions, especially during the Folklore festival BALTICA. These acts, rooted in cultural identity and spirit, proved mightier than military power alone. As former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga aptly stated, “To be strong, there is a need for the strength of conviction and the power of the written and spoken word, and the means for expressing it freely.”
10:00 - 11:00
SIDE EVENT
Gen Kaspars Pudāns, Commander of Latvia’s National Guard
Heidi Solba, President and Head of the Global Network at Let's Do It World and World Cleanup Day
Dana Bjorka, Board Member at Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre
Andrejs Osokins, Pianist, Head of Piano Department in Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Founder and Artistic Director of the Osokins Freedom Festival for Ukraine
Moderator: Dr Solvita Denisa – Liepniece, Senior Program Manager of IREX
Fortitude in the Face of Conflict: Lessons on Urban Resilience from War Experiences
Venue - Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga, Zigfrīda Annas Meierovica Boulevard 10 Central District, Riga, LV-1050
Urban environments, when engulfed in war, become epicenters of not only physical destruction but also profound social and cultural upheaval. From the Peloponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta to the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, and the ongoing Ukrainian resistance against invasion and occupation, urban communities have mobilized in extraordinary ways to preserve social cohesion, cultural identity, and the rhythms of daily life. As Thucydides wrote during the Peloponnesian War, “The secret to happiness is freedom… and the secret to freedom is courage.”
11:30 - 12:30
SIDE EVENT
Linda Ozola, Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council
Dr Eyal Frucher, Psychiatrist
Andrii Yurchenko, Head of the Rubizhne City Territorial Community and Rubizhne City
Jasper de Jonge, Specialist in Strategic Project Development at the City of Tampere
Moderator: Paul Taylor, Senior Fellow for Peace, Security and Defence at Friends of Europe
Gender and Conflict – Women’s Perspectives and Experiences
Venue - Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga, Zigfrīda Annas Meierovica Boulevard 10 Central District, Riga, LV-1050
From frontline fighters and peace negotiators to caregivers and community leaders, women play indispensable roles during times of war and conflict. This panel will also confront the harrowing reality that violence against women is often weaponized in warfare, with sexual violence and exploitation systematically deployed to terrorize and destabilize populations. Gender-based violence is not merely a byproduct of war, but a tool deliberately used to humiliate, dehumanize, and break the spirit of civilian populations. Unfortunately, we are not immune to this plague even today. Russian aggression against Ukraine is just another example where violence against women was applied and currently is investigated by international community.
13:00 - 14:00
SIDE EVENT
Brig Gen Geraldine Janet George, Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Liberia
Ariela Blätter, The President of the Women in International Security
Olena Suslova, Founder of Women’s Information Consultative Center, Ukraine
Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador of Special Tasks of the Secretariat of the Candidate of Latvia to the UN Security Council
Moderator: Patricia Nguyen, Alumni of the Rīga Conference Future Leaders Forum 2023
E10 @ UNSC
Venue - Latvian National Museum of History, Castle Square 3, Central District, Riga, LV-1050
Latvia has put forward its candidature for an elected seat of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the global institution tasked with upholding international peace and security. Amidst the UNSC’s failure to respond to Russia’s ongoing full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, three main questions stand at the core of this special event. First, why strive for the UNSC elected seat when the UNSC demonstrates an inability to take decisions and act? Second, what does it take to get elected to the UNSC – what constitutes a successful election campaign? Third, how can the membership term be used most effectively? In a nutshell: how to get there and do your best?
14:00 - 15:00
SIDE EVENT
Dr Gunda Reire, Director of the Center for International Studies, Head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia
Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York of Estonia (2015 to 2022)
Amb Alejandro Alday Gonzalez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States to the Republic of Latvia
Dirk Stockhausen, Head of Division, UN Policy, German Federal Foreign Office
Moderator: Andrejs Pildegovičs, Ambassador of Special Tasks of the Secretariat of the Candidate of Latvia to the UN Security Council
Multi-domain Operations on the Eastern Flank
Venue - Latvian National Museum of History, Castle Square 3, Central District, Riga, LV-1050
This panel will interrogate the readiness of the Eastern flank nations to perform multi-domain operations and to deter effectively against them. The panel will address the following aspects: lessons learnt from Ukraine, multi- domain threats facing the Eastern flank of the Alliance, and regional responses: the Baltic Defence Line and Eastern Shield.
14:30 - 15:30
SIDE EVENT
Marcin Zaborowski, Distinguished Fellow for Future of Security Programme, Globsec
Lieut Gen (Ret) Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General of US Army Europe
Martin Sklenár, Former Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic and Distinguished Fellow, Globsec
OCTOBER 18
Societal Resilience and National Identity: Lessons from Ukraine for Baltic States
Venue - Latvian National Museum of History, Castle Square 3, Central District, Riga, LV-1050
The discussion will explore to what extent Ukraine's national identity contributed to its robust response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Experts will specifically analyze the key components of Ukraine’s national identity and how these factors may have influenced and strengthened societal resilience. The discussion will focus on adapting these insights to the similar contexts of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The session will examine the similarities and differences between the factors shaping societal resilience in Ukraine and the Baltic States and potential policy solutions for the region. Additionally, the panel will address methods for measuring and quantifying the relationship between national identity and societal resilience.
08:30 - 09:30
SIDE EVENT
Dr Rihards Bambals, Director of Strategic Communications at the Government Office of Latvia
Dalia Bankauskaitė, Non-resident Senior Fellow with CEPA's Democratic Resilience Program
Mykola Nazarov, Security Analyst at the Globsec
Dmitri Teperik, Senior Policy Expert on Societal Resilience, FIMI, Disinformation, Crisis Communication and Civil Security
Sigita Struberga, Secretary-General of the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation
Moderator: Dr Shota Gvineria, Lecturer at the Baltic Defence College, Senior Fellow at the Economic Policy Research Center
OCTOBER 19
Securing the Future of Energy
Venue - Latvian National Museum of History, Castle Square 3, Central District, Riga, LV-1050
As the world grapples with energy shortages, rising demand, and the need to transition to cleaner energy sources, new energy technologies are emerging, and some, such as nuclear energy, which had been set aside, are re-emerging as critical components of global energy security. This discussion will explore the role of a stable and safe energy supply in reducing dependence on fossil fuels and ensuring long-term economic sustainability. Furthermore, it will examine how clean, renewable energy sources can contribute to environmentally friendly energy security by providing a reliable, low-carbon alternative to volatile oil and gas markets.
09:00 - 10:00
SIDE EVENT
Kaspars Melnis, Minister for Climate and Energy
Dr Kalev Kallemets, CEO, Co-founder, Fermi Energia
Alan Riley, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council
Moderator: Charlotte Flindt Pedersen, Executive Director of the Danish Foreign Policy Society
Discussion on Sanctions
Venue - Latvian National Museum of History, Castle Square 3, Central District, Riga, LV-1050
Sanctions have long been used as a tool for addressing geopolitical conflicts, pressuring authoritarian regimes, and deterring aggression, but what is their true effect on state and societal behavior? This panel will delve into the complexities of economic and political sanctions, exploring their successes, limitations, and unintended consequences. What lessons have we drawn from historic cases of Western sanctions against authoritarian regimes? What constitutes a realistic objective for sanctions policy?
09:00 - 10:00
SIDE EVENT
Dr Iikka Korhonen, Head of the Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies
Toms Platacis, Head of Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia
Elina Ribakova, Director of the International Affairs Program and Vice President for Foreign Policy at the Kyiv School of Economics
Moderator: Linda Stucbartova, Founder of the Diversio