Freedom Games 2025

Freedom Games

About the event

ELF HUB at Freedom Games 2025 is a meeting of individuals open to new ideas. The strategic goal of the project is to reinforce European dialogue from the liberal perspective. All leading topics constitute the key areas where Europe has been struggling in respective EU member states or as a whole. As such, it is vital to start a debate on these issues, as only a comprehensive and inclusive dialogue may foster a way forward on an equal footing for all European states, regardless of geopolitical or historical implications. 

Program

Saturday, 25.10.2025 

10:00-11:00 Europe’s common security and defence policy 

Introduction: Adam Szłapka Polish Minister for European Union Affairs (confirmed)

Speakers:

Beate Meinl-Reisinger Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, NEOS TBC

Adam Szłapka Polish Minister for European Union Affairs (confirmed) 

Troels Lund Poulsen Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Denmark, Radikale Venstre TBC 

Hanno Pevkur Estonian Minister of Defence, Reform Party TBC

Joakim Strand Minister of European Affairs, The Swedish People’s Party of Finland (SFP) TBC

Moderator: Bartosz Wieliński Polish publicist, political scientist, and journalist for Gazeta Wyborcza TBC 

11:15-12:15 EU Competitiveness and Draghi Report 

Speakers:

Ignacy Niemczycki Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (confirmed) 

Gérard Pogorel Professor of Economics, European Liberal Forum

Borys Budka Chair ITRE TBC

Jeannette Baljeu European Liberal Forum Board Member (confirmed)

Astrid Arndt Chief People Officer at Zalando SE TBC

12.30-13.30 Chinese global expansionism 

Speaker:

Alicja Bachulska policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (confirmed) 

Silvia Mercado Vice-President, The Liberal Network for Latin America TBC

Bogdan Góralczyk Polish political scientist and sinologist (TBC) 

14:45-15:30 BUFFET LUNCH 

15:30 – 17:00 The threat of foreign interference 

Speaker:

Michał Kobosko Member of the European Parliament (confirmed)

Eerik-Niiles Kross Renew former head of intelligence, Estonia (confirmed)

Sabina Fati Deputy editor of the Bucharest daily, writer (confirmed) 

Witold Jurasz Polish journalist and diplomat (confirmed) 

Moderator: Miłosz Hodun President at Projekt: Polska, the treasurer of the European Liberal Forum (confirmed) 

19.00-21.30 BUFFET DINNER 

Sunday, 26.10.2025 

10:00-11:00 Violence against women 

Speaker:

Katarzyna Kotula Polish Minister for Equality (confirmed)

Disa Jironet Public prosecutor, author TBC

Petra Stienen former D66 Senator, human rights advocate, former member of Council of Europe TBC 

Tamara Wittes President, National Democratic Institute TBC 

Iliana Balabanova President of the European Women’s Lobby (confirmed) 

Moderator: Ola Rymaszewska Project and Digital Transformation Office, European Liberal Forum (confirmed) 

14:45-15:30 BUFFET LUNCH 

15:30 – 16:30 Strategic Foresight: Future of Democracy 

Speaker:

Kalypso Nicolaïdis Professor at University of Oxford TBC

Alberto Alemanno Jean Monnet Professor of European Union Law and Policy at HEC Paris TBC 

Fabrizio Tassinari Executive Director and Berggruen Fellow at the EUI’s School of Transnational Governance TBC

Moderator: Ricardo Silvestre Researcher and expert in the field of political science (confirmed) 

Leszek Jazdzewski Vice-President, Liberte! Foundation (confirmed) 

19.00-21.30 BUFFET DINNER