Prague, Czech Republic, August 30th, 2024 – In its 19th year, the GLOBSEC Forum will take place in Prague for the first time, under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel. Scheduled from 30 August to 1 September, the event will continue its tradition of addressing pressing global issues, with a focus on the theme ‘Taming the Storm.’ The forum will bring together over 2000 opinion leaders and experts from around the world to navigate the challenges of an increasingly turbulent global landscape.
GLOBSEC Forum 2024 will welcome a number of prominent figures, including the recently elected President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. During the gala evening at the Prague Castle, these two prominent European politicians will be presented with the Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Award for their contribution to international cooperation.
This year’s main theme “Taming the Storm,” refers to the new and complex international situations that have arisen as a result of various military conflicts, and their wide-ranging global effects, including high inflation, rising energy prices, new waves of migration, hybrid warfare, and the rising influence of authoritarian regimes.
“Today, we face the biggest crisis of international order since the Second World War. Our institutions are being tested on many fronts. This storm has the potential to fundamentally weaken the foundations of our institutions, and we must prepare for it and strengthen the resilience of the international system and the institutions that guarantee our security and prosperity. Our aim is to open a space for debate and negotiation between the various political and non-political actors with an interest in strengthening international security. We are a values-based but opinion-open platform for promoting international dialogue,” said Róbert Vass, President of GLOBSEC.
“The GLOBSEC Forum is a very important event and a unique opportunity for the Czech Republic,” said Petr Kolář, Chairman of the GLOBSEC Forum 2024 Preparatory Committee. “It is a platform not only for politicians but also for experts, representatives of business and other areas to share their views on current challenges and their solutions. It is important to stress that the original security conference has, over the years, become a broad and diversified platform. Thanks to the GLOBSEC Forum, the Czech Republic will play an important role in shaping the debate on the future shape of the European Union,” added Kolář.
Czech politicians present at this year’s edition of the GLOBSEC Forum will include President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Speaker of the House of Commons Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Ministers for European Affairs Martin Dvořák, Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela, Regional Development Ivan Bartoš, as well as many other. Karel Havlíček, Deputy Chairman of the ANO movement, will also speak at the conference.
Establishment of the GeoTech Centre
During the Forum in Prague, the new GLOBSEC initiative, the GeoTech Centre, will be officially launched. Based in Washington, D.C., and led by General John Allen, the Centre aims to maximize the benefits of cutting-edge technologies. It will enhance technological collaboration between Europe and the United States, focusing on strategic technologies. The Center will build a network of top technology experts, policymakers, and specialists to align European and American approaches to advanced technologies and establish a continuous dialogue on the security implications of new technologies.
“We feel that the current changes in technology, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, are so dynamic that they have a major impact on our national security, on the functioning of standard democratic processes. The GLOBSEC 2024 Forum represents a unique opportunity not only for politicians but also for experts and representatives of the business community to share perspectives on current challenges and seek solutions that could shape the future of Europe and transatlantic cooperation,” said Róbert Vass.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, among other partners, participated in the organisation of the conference.