How democracy ends (and begins again)

Ahmed Abdirahman is the founder and CEO of the Järvaveckan Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting inclusivity across social, economic, and political spheres. His foundation organizes Järvaveckan, a major democracy and political festival in Sweden’s political calendar that brings together over 300 organizations and attracts more than 60,000 attendees each summer. The event fosters connections among citizens, politicians, civil society, business leaders, and public authorities. Somali-born, Abdirahman previously served as a policy expert on social sustainability at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, focusing on advancing integration initiatives.

Lithuanian publisher Ūla Ambrasaitė has been on a mission to produce books that bring authors and readers together in a living social network. She founded the LAPAS publishing house in 2013 with a focus on architecture, humanities, arts and literature, providing opportunities for young authors and creating books that enrich the space around them. Ambrasaitė is a Board Member at the Lithuanian Publishers Association. In 2013 she founded the EDIT Street Art Festival, the first of its kind in Lithuania. As curator and director, Ambrasaitė attracted top international artists to the festival in Vilnius and Klaipeda. She continues to curate while exploring creative financial and philanthropic investments in cultural enterprises.

As Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality since 2022, Rebecca Buttigieg has spearheaded the Labour government’s efforts to tackle inequality and promote gender rights. Her work has included launching the National Strategy against Domestic Violence, promoting distribution of free menstrual products in schools, strengthening legislation on LGBTQ+ rights, and introducing a law to outlaw virginity testing. Before her election to Parliament in 2022, Buttigieg served as a spokesperson at Malta’s Economic and Home Affairs ministries. During Malta’s EU presidency in 2017, she was a policy officer at her country’s Permanent Representation in Brussels.

Malcolm Byrne is an Irish politician for the centrist Fianna Fáil party (ALDE) and served in local government before entering parliament. He is his party’s spokesperson on further and higher education, research, innovation and science. He speaks and writes regularly on regulating technology as well as the importance of the arts, sport and community volunteerism. He served on the Senate Brexit Committee. Previously, Malcolm worked as the head of communications and public affairs at the Higher Education Authority, the statutory agency in Ireland that allocates public funding to higher education and advises the government on higher education and research policy. Having worked for various lobbying and representative organisations throughout his career, Byrne was also the first commercial manager at myhome.ie, Ireland’s most successful property website. Outside of his professional career, he has completed 37 marathons, including another Dublin marathon last week.

Currently serving as Ireland’s Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers is also Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil and played a leading role in the party’s success in legislative elections held in November 2024. Previously, he was notably appointed as Ireland’s youngest Minister for Finance in over a century. A medical doctor, Chambers was first elected to Parliament in 2016 at 25, its youngest member. He has held ministerial positions in the departments of transport, defence, and environment, climate and communications, as well as serving in Government.

Maria Nefeli Vasiliou Chatziioannidou is a social entrepreneur and member of the Greek Parliament since 2023, representing the governing New Democracy party. In 2019, she created “Great Women” as the first online women’s community in Greece. It has grown to comprise 200,000 members across its platforms with a mission to empower women to take positive action in fields such as work, power, knowledge and skills, health and inequality. Chatziioannidou’s first social enterprise “Code it Like a Girl” (CLG), founded in 2013, focused on overcoming gender inequality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She collaborates with several organisations and start-ups on social innovation and entrepreneurship.

Lukasz is the CEO and Founding Partner of Montis Capital Fund. There, Lukasz oversees the formulation of financial and operational strategies. Previously, he was head of the Marguerite Fund office for the Central and Eastern Europe and member of the management board for the Marguerite Fund 2020 for Energy, Climate Change and Infrastructure in Luxembourg. He is also on the supervisory board of Pomeranka Development, InvestGas and Energa Operator in Poland, and of PZU Ukraine Insurance Company and Kredobank, also in Ukraine. Lukasz began his career as an adviser in the European Parliament, focusing on energy policy and security as well as EU relations with Russia and Ukraine.

Since 2021, Megi Fino has been Albania’s Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. She is at the forefront of advancing her country’s European Union membership process as a negotiator for the acquis Chapter 31. Fino has been engaged at the UN and regional bodies to promote support for Ukraine and regional cooperation. She was previously an Integrity Consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focused on local governance reform and worked as a regulatory expert at Vodafone Albania. A lawyer by training, she includes Chinese among her many languages.

Mary Fitzgerald is a researcher and analyst specialising in the Mediterranean region with a particular focus on Libya. She has consulted for a number of international organisations including in the areas of peacebuilding and civil society. She has worked with the International Crisis Group (ICG), the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) among others. She is a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, King’s College London and an Associate Fellow at ISPI in Milan. Mary has also worked on wider initiatives with UNESCO, the Anna Lindh Foundation, the British Council and other cultural organisations. Her writing has appeared in publications including Foreign Policy, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Financial Times and The Guardian.

In his current position as special advisor to the UK government under Boris Johnson, Luke works on fostering greater unity amongst the different countries of the United Kingdom. He was previously a member of parliament for the Conservative Party and served as the parliamentary private secretary to the Cabinet Office. Before entering politics, Luke worked in the private sector as an accountant for over a decade. Upon returning from five years abroad in China, Thailand and the United States, he campaigned for Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom. He also notably took on the role of finance director for Stronger In, the official Remain campaign during the Brexit referendum. 

Benjamin Haddad is a prominent leader in European and international affairs, known for his expertise in diplomacy, politics and transatlantic relations. Currently serving as France’s Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Haddad is a vocal advocate for Europe’s global role. He previously served in the National Assembly as a member of the Foreign and European Affairs committees, and chaired the French-Ukrainian parliamentary friendship group. As former director of the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., he was an advocate for a stronger and more responsible Europe in world affairs. A skilled communicator, Haddad regularly contributes to major media outlets and public debates, underscoring his commitment to informed, forward-thinking leadership that bridges diverse perspectives for a more united and resilient world.

Jasminko Halilović is a leading conflict researcher from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who compiled short recollections from people who experienced the Bosnian War as children into “War Childhood”. The award-winning book has now been translated into six languages. He went on to establish the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, the world’s only museum exclusively dedicated to childhoods affected by armed conflict. Awarded the Council of Europe Museum Prize, the museum aims to raise awareness of the specific experience through archived materials, from drawings to personal belongings, and motivate adults to consider the consequences of war. Halilović has developed the museum from a small local initiative into an international non-profit with offices in Sarajevo, Kyiv, The Hague and New York City. A serial entrepreneur since his teenage years, Halilović has co-founded several companies. His passion for peacebuilding and entrepreneurship has earned him spots as a keynote speaker and guest lecturer at universities and conferences in over 15 countries.

Marek Hattas is the Mayor of his hometown of Nitra. He sat in Slovakia’s Parliament from 2020 to 2023. Hattas’ victory in Nitra’s 2018 municipal election was a major upset. With little political experience and a largely self-funded campaign, the youthful activist defeated a longstanding incumbent from the nationalist Direction (Smer) party. Hattas built a groundswell of support in the city of 78,000 inhabitants: he organised anti-racism marches as a teenager; founded the popular Hidepark cultural space; and – as a keen cyclist – was a high-profile campaigner for green mobility. After a first term committed to community development, Hattas was re-elected in 2022.

Philipp Heimberger is a senior economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies. He leads research on fiscal policy and macroeconomic governance. His work is influential in EU fiscal reform debates, particularly regarding the impact of fiscal policy on economic and social outcomes. Heimberger regularly collaborates with European institutions, and he has been ranked among the top five most-influential economists on social media in Germany.

Maria Lucia is an internationally renowned fashion designer, who has seen her clothes worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez and Madonna. After working several years in Paris and Milan as a textile designer, Maria Lucia returned home to Romania to open her own shop with a modest 800 euros investment and two second-hand sewing machines. After gaining a substantial number of followers on social media and being discovered by Hollywood, she currently runs her renowned fashion brand with 70-woman employees from Bucharest. Additionally, Maria Lucia is a strong advocate for women’s rights and has publicly criticised the excessive consumerism upon which the fashion industry thrives.

Aslak Holmberg is a salmon fisher, teacher and former president of the Saami Council, an international body made up of nine Saami member organisations from Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. A former member of the Saami Parliament of Finland, Holmberg has for the past decade been involved in Saami activism, working with various processes dealing with indigenous Saami knowledge and rights. Holmberg is currently working with research ethics and has led the Saami Council’s work on biodiversity for several years. Safeguarding healthy and productive ecosystems and their sustainable use is essential for Saami culture and identity. He has taught North Saami language at the Saami University of Applied Sciences and holds an MA degree in Indigenous Studies from UiT, the Arctic University of Norway.

A Polish writer, speaker and activist, Leszek is the Editor-in-Chief of Liberté!, a journal which he founded over a decade ago to promote freedom, share ideas and counter populism. He is the co-creator of Freedom Games, an interdisciplinary event that gathers 4,000 attendees and 350 speakers to discuss the key challenges Western societies must face in the 21st century. Leszek is also the Founder and CEO of Bookme, an app which makes reading internet-friendly. He currently serves on the Council of European Forum for New Ideas and recently completed a policy fellowship at the European University Institute in Florence, where his work focused on how the narrative of change could counter the rise of populism in EU member states, overcome the European identity crisis and strengthen transnational governance.

Sarah is an Emmy award-winning journalist with a passion for explaining tough topics to young audiences. She films, edits, writes, produces and reports her own work. Sarah recently authored “A Kids Book About War” and now hosts the children’s news podcast, “Sarah Jones Breaks It Down”. Maintaining a large social media presence, she is among the most influential women on social media, specifically on conversations surrounding artificial intelligence, and has advised senior US and allied military and government officials on social technologies. Sarah has held fellowships at the International Women’s Media Foundation and International Reporting Project, where she reported on health and development in the Philippines. She has also previously worked for Al Jazeera America, CNN, Gulf News (Dubai) and ITN’s Channel 4 (UK). Most notably, she founded the international moment of silence to remember fall journalists, which reached over nine million people in its first year through in-person events held worldwide.

Daria Kaleniuk is co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian non-governmental organisation, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, an influential force behind Ukraine’s drive against graft. Founded in 2012, AntAC has played a key role in shaping the country’s powerful anti-corruption apparatus, including the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). AntAC has also been instrumental in adopting legislation on open property registers and electronic asset declarations. Such measures have been hailed internationally, and AntAC is credited with saving the state billions. In response to Russia’s 2022 invasion, Kaleniuk co-founded the International Centre of Ukrainian Victory to promote her country’s interests abroad.

Djarah Kan is an Italian-Ghanaian writer, feminist and cultural activist whose work sheds light on race, gender and social justice in Italy. Raised in the south of Italy, she gives voice to stories of marginalisation and resilience often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Kan is the author of “Ladri di denti” (Tooth Thieves), a celebrated collection of short stories addressing the impact of everyday racism and systemic inequality. Her writing appears in leading outlets like La Repubblica, L’Espresso and Jacobin Italia, and her participation in the International Writing Program underscores her commitment to decolonising cultural discourse and amplifying underrepresented perspectives.

Kosta Karakashyan is a Bulgarian-Armenian director, choreographer, writer and activist. Karakashyan’s work includes film, video, dance, theatre and immersive performances that often confront social issues including LGBTQ+ rights in Eastern Europe, mental health and the climate. His Studio Karakashyan made the award-winning documentary dance film “Waiting for Color” about LGBTQ+ persecution in Chechnya. He is the creator of Bulgarian LGBTQ+ community platform Out.bg. As a dancer and choreographer, Karakashyan has collaborated with singer Rita Ora, worked with clients from Calvin Klein to Disneyland, and performed on TV and stage around the world.

Min-Sung Sean Kim is a General Partner at NGS Capital, a Berlinbased venture capital fund, where he focuses on identifying and scaling transformative ventures in healthcare and cybersecurity. He is also the co-founder of 2hearts, a platform dedicated to empowering young European digital talents with migrant backgrounds. Kim’s international investment experience ranges from early-stage to late-stage. In his career, he was responsible for the Berlin office of the Samsung Catalyst Fund and helped in creating AllianzX , a corporate venture capital fund dedicated to late-stage investments in proven digital growth companies. Kim is passionate about building bridges in venture capital and beyond, creating opportunities for people, ideas, and innovation to thrive.

Hajdana Kostić is a painter, illustrator and graphic designer from Montenegro. Her work hangs on walls around the world, including in the private collections of stars like John Malkovich, Keanu Reeves and will.i.am. Kostić rose to national fame after winning Montenegro’s 2023 Red Bull Doodle Art competition. Recent projects include illustrations to adorn London’s Megaro Hotel; covers for Air Serbia’s in-flight magazine and an exhibition exploring boundaries between humanity and technology. Kostić’s clients include VISA and UNICEF; and her street art decorates Montenegro’s capital and coastal cities. She also uses art to raise funding for war victims and other charitable causes.

András Tivadar Kulja is a surgeon and digital-health expert who was elected to the European Parliament in June 2024 on the ticket of Hungary’s opposition Tisza Party. With 360,000 followers on TikTok, he has Hungary’s most widely-viewed health-education channel. Kulja used his high social media profile to counter disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired to enter politics after attending an opposition rally in April 2024, Kulja gave up his hospital posts to speak freely about Hungary’s healthcare problems. He is a Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Climate, and Food Safety and a member of the Committee on Public Health, where he advocates for a stronger EU role in promoting healthcare reform.

Nevenka Lastrić-Đurić has been State Secretary in Croatia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs since August 2024. Previously, she worked at the US Embassy in Zagreb as an advisor for legal policy across the Central and Eastern European region. She promoted international cooperation and delivered targeted training for judges, prosecutors and police to counter cross-border criminality and encourage institutional reform. LastrićĐurić focused particularly on strengthening cooperation in exchange of digital evidence, combatting cybercrime and fraud related to cryptocurrencies. In November, she became VicePresident of the Zagreb section of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) as it prepares to contest the 2025 municipal elections.

A political economist, advisor, and writer from Slovakia, Ivan joined the Slovak Ministry of Finance in 2012, where he initiated the creation of the Slovak Investment Holding (SIH). As its CEO from 2017 to 2021, he led this state-owned fund, with over EUR 1 billion in assets under management, to invest in strategic sectors and drive economic development across the country. During this time, he also served as a European Investment Bank Board Member (2016-2021). Ivan has held prominent roles in government, including Deputy Finance Minister and a leading part in negotiating the EU’s 2017 Budget on behalf of the EU Council during Slovakia’s EU Presidency. A keen writer, Ivan has published works ranging from a co-authored popular study on the 2008 Financial Crisis to a children’s book. His debut novel, The Topography of Pain, has been translated into English and will be published by Guernica Editions in 2024.

Born in Israel to an Italian mother and Libyan father, Liel Maghen has spent years exploring his identity, which has led him to his active involvement in peace building activities in the Middle East. After co-directing the Israel/Palestine Centre for Research and Information (IPCRI), a partnership-building NGO and think tank, he co-founded Elham – the Day After, bringing together Israeli and Palestinian artists to sow seeds of hope in a shared future. Maghen also acts as a consultant on programmes across the Middle East promoting community building, intercultural dialogue and non-violent communication. In 2022, he was awarded the IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East. He is currently making his first feature-length documentary to inspire hope in the war-torn region.

A Slovak parliamentarian, Vladimíra Marcinková, member of the Freedom and Solidarity parliamentarian club, is the vice-chair of the Committee for European Affairs. Under her leadership, the Committee for European Affairs was the first in EU member states to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and call for a unified EU response to support the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. A staunch supporter of human rights and the rights of the rights of minorities and other vulnerable groups, she has sponsored legislative initiatives to expand children’s rights and social assistance to mothers and families, as well as defended the expansion of the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Marcinková is also actively dedicated to improving the position of women and mothers in the labour market.

Bora Muzhaqi has been Albania’s Minister of State for Youth and Children since September 2021. She left Albania aged 17 to pursue her education in the United Kingdom but returned in 2013 determined to make a difference in her homeland. After five years in the private sector, Muzhaqi joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) working with the authorities to improve the business environment and develop a favourable regulatory framework for startups. She joined the Socialist Party of Albania. Upon becoming a Minister, she headed the first National Youth Strategy for Albania aimed at providing equal opportunities and support to young people. As Minister, she has sought to raise the profile of young people in political decision-making, promote youth employment and encourage the internationalisation of Albanian universities.

A Polish economist, Katarzyna is currently a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee for Future Studies Poland 2000 Plus. Her research interests include development, cultural and international economics, with a focus on East Asian markets. Katarzyna’s work also explores challenges to global development. Having lectured at universities across Asia, Africa and Europe, she has worked on several research projects for the European Commission and the National Bureau of Research in Poland, among other international institutions, as well as national and local governments. Her academic achievements have been recognised by numerous awards, including one for outstanding young scholars from Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education. Katarzyna has published numerous articles and books on issues relating to development, governance, integration and regional cooperation, most recently having co-edited “The Rise of Megacities: Challenges, Opportunities and Unique Characteristics”.

A local politician from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Uk Nihad currently serves as the Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton. Nihad envisions Sarajevo as a European metropolis that offers its inhabitants, especially young people a high quality of life. He champions forward-thinking transport, housing and education policies, and the promotion and enhancement of culture and art. Recent successes have included a project aimed at building Sarajevo’s first museum of modern art, as well as the provision of free textbooks for all primary school students and free public city transportation for all students.

Sophie is a multi-award-winning war reporter who has covered multiple conflicts and issues across the Middle East. Starting in 2011, she reported from inside Syria on the protests and the repression of the regime. Her work was awarded with Prix Bayeux-Calvados for War Correspondents in 2013, and the Prix Albert Londres in 2016, the most important journalism award in France. In June 2017, she was the first foreign journalist to film inside Raqqa with the Kurdish forces. In 2017, Sophie also reported from Central Africa on the civil war and from Zimbabwe on the end of the Mugabe era.

Claudia is the Founder and CEO of Stellar Capacity, a global educational platform, which trains and empowers leaders and professionals to drive digital change through various programmes on business and operational models, the impact of digital developments, as well as digital skills and productivity. The platform operates under Exponential AB, a global consultancy also founded by Claudia, where she previously served as CEO. Exponential AB specialises in strategic advice, analysis and progression development related to personal leadership and digital transformation. Claudia has helped governments and businesses alike understand the impact of new technologies and smart solutions in addressing global challenges. She authored the strategic innovation agenda for the Swedish steel and metal industry, as well as the Sweden 2030 Future Scenario for the Government of Sweden. Claudia has previously worked on issues related to healthcare access, having established and manages ACCESS Health International, a think tank which promotes access to high quality and affordable health care for all.

Hana Ostan-Ožbolt-Haas is a Slovenian art historian, curator and writer whose work connects art with social and cultural issues. Born in Ljubljana, and now living in Vienna, she directed the ULAY Foundation, where she organised exhibitions in collaboration with leading international art institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Her curatorial projects address intergenerational and socially relevant themes, fostering dialogue among diverse perspectives. Alongside her curatorial practice, she writes for international publications, including Artforum, Frieze and ArtReview, and contributes to shaping the field of contemporary art through her involvement in education, jury work for art awards and organisational leadership.

Joanna Patsalis, from Cyprus, is Co-Founder and COO of Direct Kinetic Solutions (DKS), a startup working on the cutting edge of Radioisotopic Power Sources (RPS) – batteries that run off tiny bits of nuclear material. “We bring nuclear power to the palm of your hand by combining the persistence and reliability of a power plant with the convenience and mobility of a battery”, Patsalis says. The company works to commercialise this revolutionary energy source that is light-weight, safe, powerful and just-about everlasting. DKS works closely with US government agencies including the Department of Defense, National Science Foundation and NASA to make this groundbreaking technology an everyday reality. The company has raised $17mn in non-dilutive and private funding, placing it on the top 100 list of the highest-funded MBA startups of 2024.

Péter Pető is a Hungarian political journalist, who currently works as the Editor-in-Chief of 24.hu. Previously, he was the deputy editor of the left-wing political daily Népszabadság until it was shut down following the publication of articles revealing scandals that implicated politicians close to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Soon after its dissolution, he was shortlisted for the Reporters Without Borders’ Prize of Independence. Having started his career in sports journalism, Pető became increasingly politically engaged as the country’s media landscape became growingly turbulent. He aims to uphold independent journalism through the preservation of traditional and the adoption of new approaches to journalism to reach diverse audiences. He has also authored eight books, including novels and political essays.

Czech multimedia artist Eliska Podzimkova has used humour, technical prowess and a unique design sense to forge an international career as a pioneering animator, illustrator and digital creator. Blending live-action photography, video and hand-drawn animation, she has produced award-winning films, music videos and marketing campaigns, including for Vogue Magazine and chef Jamie Oliver.  She illustrated a new Czech edition of “The Little Prince.” After a stint working at the New York Film Academy, she is back in Prague where her experience as a teenage cancer survivor inspired the “Baldies” project to support sick kids, from animated films to designer sneakers.

Andrei Popoviciu is an award-winning investigative journalist and foreign correspondent from Romania covering human rights, humanitarian crises, migration and conflict. He has worked across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Much of Popoviciu’s recent work has focused on allegations of human rights violations involving EU funds. His report exposing the “outsourcing” of European border enforcement to Africa won the Migration Journalism Award at the 2024 European Press PRIZE. Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, El Pais and Le Monde are among the international media featuring Popoviciu’s reporting.

As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popșoi has played a leading role keeping Moldova on its path towards European Integration and resisting Russian attempts to undermine his country’s democracy. He underscores the need for deep reform to transform Moldovan society, clean up corruption and reduce the influence of oligarchs in politics, economy and the media. His party’s campaign for a vote in favour of Moldova’s European future in an October 2024 referendum was successful despite widespread Russian interference. Popşoi previously served as deputy speaker in the Moldovan Parliament and Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

A Polish aerospace engineer with a passion for disruptive technologies, Paweł Radziszewski is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Nevomo, a deep-technology company that is developing the next generation of high-speed and freight railways. Radziszewski is responsible for the product, technical and intellectual property strategy, and system-level project supervision. Committed to the sustainable development of the mobility industry, Nemovo is the first company in the world to propose the phased implementation of hyperloop-inspired solutions for railways. Having led the development of Nemovo’s MagRail system that enables magnetic levitation vehicles propelled by a linear motor to operate on existing railroads, Radziszewski plans to take the technology further by developing hyperloop subsystems for the future market and applying the technology to other areas of the industry. He has won several international technology competitions, including the SAE Aerodesign West and Shell Eco-marathon, and is a two-time finalist of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition.

Jakub Skrzywanek, from Poland, is one of Europe’s most exciting theatre artists. His radical work spotlights social and political themes, from the rise of far-right politics, to homophobia, class inequalities and the adolescent psychiatric crisis. He made international headlines with a drama adapting language from Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” to highlight the creeping normalisation of extremist discourse. Uzbek authorities tried unsuccessfully to shut down the premiere in Tashkent of his drama “Underground Girls”, which focuses on the plight of refugee Afghan women. Among Skrzywanek’s most recent works, the “Death of John Paul II” and “Spartacus. Love in the Time of Plague” captured Poland’s top directing award.

Vasilisa Stepanenko is a Ukrainian video journalist and correspondent for the Associated Press (AP), based in Kyiv. Focused on human rights and social justice amid the war in Ukraine, she was one of the few international journalists to remain in Mariupol during its siege, capturing images that played a crucial role in urging international leaders to open a humanitarian corridor. Stepanenko and her team won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the reporting from Mariupol and investigations of war crimes in the city committed by Russia, making her one of the youngest recipients of the award. She was also the field producer of “20 Days in Mariupol”, a documentary exposing the human cost of the war, which won both an Oscar and a BAFTA for Best Documentary.

Natalija Stojmenović is a member of the Serbian Parliament representing the opposition Green-Left Front. She was previously a Belgrade city councillor and coordinator with the Don’t Let Belgrade Drown (Ne Davimo Beograd) movement, which was founded in 2014 to promote citizens’ engagement to promote reform, transparency and environment protection. Stojmenović’s election in 2023 came amid a surge of support for a proEuropean, anti-corruption coalition standing in opposition to the populist government which has ruled Serbia for over a decade. She supports grassroots politics to counter the power of vested interests and has worked in Parliament to promote women’s rights, affordable housing and improved public services.

Oana-Silvia Țoiu is a Romanian social entrepreneur-turned-politician, who currently serves as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies in the Romanian Parliament. She advocates for a more inclusive and entrepreneurial workforce, while championing youth and women. Having successfully passed laws that offer financial support for single-parent doctors during school closures, improved flexible work schemes for employees and housing rights for victims of domestic violence, Țoiu most recently put forward a start-up and private investment package. She previously served as the state secretary in the Romanian Ministry of Labour and Family. Prior to entering politics, she embarked on various social entrepreneurial ventures, including as a former executive at Mesteshukar ButiQ, a network of Roma artisans and international designers. She also co-founded Social Innovation Solutions, an accelerator that invests in educational and future-oriented solutions by engaging and connecting entrepreneurs, NGOs, academia, youth and policymakers throughout Europe.

Dragoș Tudorache is currently working in the European Commission as the diplomatic adviser to the Executive Vice-President Stephane Séjourné, and is responsible for economic security and technological sovereignty. He was previously a member of the European Parliament and vice-president of the Renew Europe Group, serving as the LIBE rapporteur on the AI Act and as chair of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Age. Tudorache began his career as a judge in Romania, and he has led legal departments at the OSCE and the UN missions in Kosovo. After working on justice and anticorruption at the European Commission Delegation in Romania, he joined the Commission and managed several units and strategic projects. In 2015, Dragos joined the Romanian Government led by Dacian Cioloș, serving as Head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Minister of Communications and Digital Society and Minister of the Interior.

Jan-Willem van Putten is a Dutch social entrepreneur and policy expert. He is co-founder of both The School for Moral Ambition and Training for Good, which focus on priming a new generation of leaders to confront pressing global challenges and make a lasting impact on society. Through his work, he strives not only to talk about a better world, but also to take action towards one. As Fellowship Director at The School for Moral Ambition, van Putten manages programmes that empower individuals to drive change in sustainable food production and tobacco industry control. Training for Good works to equip young European policymakers and journalists to recognise and reduce risks from emerging technologies.

Ruben van Zwieten is a Dutch pastor and social entrepreneur, well-known for building bridges between the financial sector and spirituality. As a pastor, he fills in for ministers, marries couples and baptises babies. As a Co-Founder of the Zingeving on the Zuidas project (finding meaning in the Amsterdam financial sector), he aims to discuss a more human and moral perspective on the financial sector with its employees. Recently he opened De Nieuwe Poort (The New Gate), a modern community house in Amsterdam and Rotterdam dedicated to philosophy, meeting people and building a kinder society. Van Zwieten is an advisor at Goldschmeding Foundation, sits on the board of the VUMC Foundation and serves as a member of the Dutch Monitoring Commission for banks.

Vlad Voiculescu is a member of the European Parliament, health policy expert and patient advocate, who until recently has served as the Romanian minister of health. After pursuing a career in finance, Voiculescu became active in public service, serving as the Romanian Finance Minister’s chief of staff before becoming the minister of health in the Dacian Cioloș government.  He has been involved in patient advocacy, both at the national and European levels for over a decade. Voiculescu is the founder of an international network of volunteers that helped over 2,500 cancer patients receive essential medicines that were missing in Romania, a story that featured in the HBO documentary The Network’. He is also the Co-Founder of MagiCAMP, which seeks to provide support to children diagnosed with cancer and other serious illnesses. For this work, the European Parliament awarded Voiculescu its ‘European Citizen’s Prize.’

Darya is an Irish entrepreneur and influential global pioneer of the role that ‘augmented reality’ (AR) can play in education. She recently created CleverBooks to provide personalised educational content for students by utilising three-dimensional AR technologies. Darya has been widely recognised for her work, having won the Digital Female Leaders Award in Entrepreneurship as well as being named an Innovator by the Irish Times and a Young Irish Entrepreneur. She has been featured in Inc.com, Forbes, CBS and many other global media platforms for her efforts to bridge the technology gap in classrooms around the world and boost student outcomes.

Anca Dragu has served as the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova since December 2023, bringing 28 years of experience in economics, finance, banking and public service. Previously, Dragu served as Speaker of the Romanian Senate and Minister of Public Finance. During her tenure, she launched initiatives such as the “Warm lunch in schools” programme, developed a public platform for budget transparency and reduced income tax for researchers. Dragu began her career as an economist at the National Bank of Romania, and previously worked with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs. In addition to her roles in economics, she is also an associate professor at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and has published several scientific papers in both national and international journals.

Ciprian Stanescu is the President and CEO of Social Innovation Solutions, an organisation supporting sustainable development and foresight in Central and Eastern Europe. He leads education programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises in five countries and coordinates the Climate Change Summit. Previously, Stanescu worked for over a decade with international organisations including Ashoka and the Aspen Institute. He is a board member of Rethink Romania and a member of the Romanian Business Leaders community. He also hosts the sustainability talk show “Pro Verde” on Știrile Pro TV and teaches foresight and sustainability at The Entrepreneurship Academy in Bucharest.

Dragos Stanca is a serial entrepreneur, tech startup investor and advocate of ethical technology with a focus on digital media. He co-founded the media network Thinkdigital and launched Upgrade 100, a content and events platform that drives initiatives such as IQ Digital (hands-on tech education for Romanian SMEs), Go Global (an international accelerator for Romanian tech startups) and Digitalination (a program pushing for the digitalization of Romania’s public services). On the NGO side, he founded the Ethical Media Alliance, a non-profit that provides funding and guidance to newsroom startups focused on public-interest journalism. Since 2018, he is President of BRAT- the Romanian Bureau for Transmedia Audit- which ensures transparent, accurate audience metrics across media sectors. He also hosts a podcast and radio show and writes a Substack newsletter.

In her current role at NATO, Irene Fellin facilitates the implementation of the 2021-2025 NATO / Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which promises to further advance gender equality and integrate gender perspectives in NATO’s work. Concurrently, she is the Co-Founding President of Women in International Security (WIIS) Italy and a visiting lecturer on gender and security at Durham University. Having previously worked as a senior gender advisor with WIIS, the International Affairs Institute (IAI) in Rome and NATO HQ in Brussels, she has also served as an international consultant for UN agencies and several national institutions.