This public panel will explore the evolving relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans, focusing on whether the EU still serves as a transformative power in the region. Given the growing skepticism about the EU’s ability to fulfill its promises, the discussion will examine both immediate and long-term actions needed to bridge the gap between EU aspirations and regional realities.

We want to debate the actual content and role of the law of armed conflict, the prohibition of genocide, and international law as a whole: How humanitarian is humanitarian law in the context of self-defense? What is at stake for the International Criminal Court, and how can it enforce its verdicts once confirmed? Why do we need IHL and ICL, and how important would the depoliticization of conversations be for the purpose and objectives of these institutions?

In this public panel, we want to look at the impact of the EU in its neighbourhood and discuss the steps that are needed to strengthen the global role of the Union starting in its vicinity. To refer back to the title: are the current crises enough to awaken the sleeping potential of the EU on the global stage? 

Images of wounded soldiers killed by drones, emaciated Prisoners of War and no end in sight: military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady has recently been to the frontline in Ukraine.

The terrorist attack by the extremist Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the military offensive in the Gaza Strip have presented the region and European societies with new challenges.

In this workshop, we will learn about what peace tech in easy-to-understand language, how it is deployed and what it looks like in practice. Participants will also have the opportunity to participate in a series of activities to share their thoughts on the pros and cons of the idea.

Das International Institute for Peace (IIP) lädt Sie herzlich zu folgender Veranstaltung ein: Diskussion zu Frieden und Sicherheit

With the European Union deciding on whether to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina in May, a sense of optimism has been detectable among politicians in both Brussels and Sarajevo.

With the elections in both Austria and Hungary this year as well as the 2024 European Parliament elections approaching, right-wing populist parties seem to be on the rise across Europe.

Especially in the last decade tensions between the West and China rose along different thematic issues. The perception of China as a rising global power alarmed the US which sees its unique position in the world in danger whereas many states in Europe are interested in maintaining the status quo, namely increasing their economic relations with China, while staying in the security alliance with the US.

Der Wunsch nach weltweitem Frieden ist ebenso redlich wie verständlich. Doch er führt auch dazu, dass uns aufflammende Konflikte und Kriege in Schrecken versetzen – ganz besonders, wenn sie in geografischer Nähe auftreten, wie es seit dem russischen Angriffskrieg in der Ukraine der Fall ist.

Es ist der schwerste militärische Konflikt in Europa seit Jahrzehnten, und seine Folgen sind kaum absehbar. Der Krieg Russlands in der Ukraine ist auch ein Konflikt, der die Welt spaltet: geopolitisch, etwa zwischen China und den USA, und ideologisch, was gerade die hitzigen Debatten über die Militärhilfe für die Ukraine in Europa zeigen. Doch Ideologie ist fehl am Platz, wenn man verstehen will, wie es zu diesem Krieg kam und wohin er führen wird. Der renommierte Russland-Experte Gerhard Mangott analysiert präzise und verständlich Hintergründe, Folgen und die Frage, ob in Russland ein Massenumsturz von unten oder eine Palastrevolte gegen Wladimir Putin denkbar ist – und was das für Russland, für Europa und für die Welt bedeuten würde.

Azerbaijan’s takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh in September appears to have ostensibly resolved the protracted conflict by force. Upon closer examination, however, the region is as far from peace as ever. Almost the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh has fled to Armenia, fearing further violence by Azerbaijani forces. The previous negotiation efforts facilitated by the EU and the US, which aimed to find non-military solutions to the two countries’ disputes, have been rendered effectively irrelevant. What does the new reality in Nagorno-Karabakh mean for the future of the conflict and the South Caucasus region? This panel of eminent experts will attempt to answer these and many other questions surrounding the deep-rooted conflict in this part of the European neighborhood.

Recent events in different parts of the world seem to indicate that war is becoming routine as a result. 2022 has already been the deadliest year in terms of armed conflict since the Rwandan genocide in 1994, with some two billion people affected by armed conflict and over 100 million forcibly displaced. 2023 is bound to present an even worse picture.

How can Kosovo ensure its survival of the state in the midst of geopolitical turmoil? How can it strengthen its commitment to democracy and the rule of law under these challenging circumstances? A further question is how the Kosovar society is able to develop a healthy national consciousness without succumbing to nationalism and chauvinism, which are widespread burdens in the Western Balkans, but also in other parts of Europe.

Wie erleben Menschen in der Ukraine den Krieg? Welche aktuellen Entwicklungen gibt es? Und wie könnten mögliche Zukunfsszenarien aussehen? Die Gemeinde Wartberg ob der Aist in Oberösterreich lädt zu einem informativen Abend ein. Stefanie Fenkhart (International Institute for Peace) gibt einen Überblick über die Geschehnisse und ordnet sie historisch und politisch ein. Konrad Fenzlhoff (Jugend Eine Welt) berichtet aus der Perspektive einer Hilfsorganisation, was ein Krieg für Menschen vor Ort bedeutet, und wie humanitäre Hilfe derzeit wirkt. Begleitet wird der Abend von ukrainischer Akkordeon Musik, gespielt von Tetiana Bykova und Ivan Bykov.

This panel will discuss the results of the election as well as its significance for the EU in terms of Poland’s ambitions to shift power to the east and the EU’s own external policies, especially regarding its Eastern Neighborhood. Finally, the experts from Ukraine and Belarus will respectively analyze Polish-Ukrainian and Polish-Belarusian relations as seen by Poland’s interlocutors from these two countries.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is not only reshaping the Western-led international order. It has raised new questions about the EU's ambition to become a geopolitical power with strategic autonomy, at least in the short and medium term. But it has also brought into focus the necessary inclusion of new actors – labelled collectively under the rather misleading term of the Global South – into processes of strengthening elements of international order but also of building peace in Europe. The continent is not anymore the stable exception in a disorderly world, but part of a global struggle, in need of stabilising efforts from outside.

The topic of the event will encompass Karcic’s research on the genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the presence of far-right symbols, and the nationalism/extremism in the Southeastern European region, with a particular focus on its implications for the European Union (EU). This discussion will delve into the complex dynamics shaping the region and the EU, shedding light on the historical context of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian genocide, the resurgence of right-wing extremism, and the overall political situation. Moreover, the event will explore how these factors affect the broader European landscape, emphasizing the EU's role and its interests in Southeastern Europe.

Am 9. Juni wäre der 180. Geburtstag der österreichischen Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Bertha von Suttner. Suttner kämpfte zeitlebens für Abrüstung und Frieden, aber auch gegen überholte Konventionen und die Unterdrückung von Frauen. Mit der Rückkehr des russischen Krieges gegen die Ukraine hat sich die grundlegende Annahme, dass Kriege zwischen Staaten in Europa der Vergangenheit angehören, wieder radikal verändert. Welche Gedanken zu Krieg und Frieden herrschen heute? Was hat sich verändert, was bleibt gleich? Welche Rolle kommt heute Frauen in Konflikten zu? Was müssen wir für die Zukunft beachten? Was können wir lernen?

Der russische Angriff auf die Ukraine hat nicht nur die Sicherheitspolitik in Europa sondern auch die Diskussion in Österreich auf den Kopf gestellt. Im Zentrum steht dabei der Umgang mit der Neutralität. 

The North Caucasus is a region within Russia that includes Chechnya. It is a complex region that would require many volumes to address comprehensively. However, despite its complexity, the region is vital for Russia in terms of security due to its proximity to Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Furthermore, given its vast oil reserves, it also allows Russia access to the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Azov Sea, which is essential to Russia’s energy supply.

Am 10.03.2023 verkündete Saudi Arabien und der Iran eine baldige Wiederaufnahme diplomatischer Beziehungen, zudem laufen bereits seit längerer Zeit direkte Gespräche zwischen den Huthis und Saudi Arabien. Besteht also Hoffnung auf eine baldige Beendigung dieses schrecklichen Konfliktes?

The Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Europe is an inclusive Institution that comprises all European States, the US and Canada. It is designed to monitor and prevent conflicts. It could not prevent the Russian invasion in Ukraine, however. How can the OSCE be revitalized? Should it learn the lessons from its predecessor’s CSCE-Helsinki-document of 1975, which reduced tensions during the height of the Cold War?

Israelis are celebrating their country's 75th anniversary in a time of turmoil. From domestic political disarray to new regional dynamics, the country is experiencing unprecedented challenges.

To better understand these issues, our two guest experts will explore the tectonic shifts that have occurred in Israeli society and politics, and examine how these changes have given rise to the current state of affairs. In addition, the panel will discuss the transitions between old and new forces and how they interact, as well as the country's social trends alongside regional and international policies under the current right-wing government.

After a period of tensions in 2022, Kosovo and Serbia supported by the EU have achieved an agreement on the Implementation Annex of the Agreement on the normalization of relations in March 2023.

This opens up opportunities for further stabilization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and, indeed, also for a path of more intensified cooperation with the EU for the entire region of the Western Balkans. Nevertheless, various challenges remain. Is this indeed a major breakthrough or will this be another small step in a long-term reconciliation process? Will this put Serbia and Kosovo on the path of European integration or are we likely to experience setbacks?

July 2022 was an important date in the history of North Macedonia: accession negotiations with the EU were opened. However, an important condition has to be met for the talks to continue. According to the negotiating framework agreed by all 27 member states and an EU brokered agreement between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the country is obliged to amend its constitution to recognise the Bulgarian minority. This constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in the national parliament and thus the approval of at least of parts of the right-wing nationalist opposition, which opposes the deal. Although the issue of minority rights is not controversial in itself, memories of the Prespa Agreement, when North Macedonia was already promised the start of the accession talks, are still fresh and make it all the more difficult to forge democratic majorities for another constitutional amendment.

In einem Gespräch mit Stephanie Fenkart wird Werner Wintersteiner das Buch „Edgar Morin – Von Krieg zu Krieg“ vorstellen und diskutieren. Das Werk wurde von ihm – gemeinsam mit Wilfrid Graf – herausgegeben und übersetzt.

With Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic Serbia kickstarted its transition to democracy with the final goal of becoming a member of the European Union and the democratic world. It seemed realistic for Serbia to achieve those goals by the year 2010. Nevertheless, 20 years later, Serbia finds itself partly isolated, ruled by politicians who were once close allies of Slobodan Milosevic, and not even close to full EU integration. Corruption, state capture, and crime are on the rise, while media freedom, democratization, and liberalization experience a downfall. What went wrong? How come such an ambitious and great start to the democratization process ended this way? What could have been done differently? How do people nowadays reflect on Djindjic’s era? Does Djindjic’s legacy have the ability to motivate and kickstart a new wave of reforms in the political and social system? Those questions and more will be tackled by our speakers!