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📅 24 November 2026, 9:00 - 15:00🏫 Charles University, Carolinum, Patriotic Hall, Ovocný trh 5, Prague 1 - Old Town
💎 Format: High-level diplomatic and academic conference
🌐 Language: English, Czech
✅ Participation is free of charge. Prior registration is required: https://forms.gle/7KfymLPmx4J6wkT46
📄 Full conference program: https://cz.mfa.lt/en/news/66/high-level-conference-will-mark-35-years-of-restored-lithuania-czech-republic-diplomatic-relations:950
In 2026, Lithuania and the Czech Republic mark the 35th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations. The anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the past achievements and to consider the future of the bilateral partnership.
In 1991, Czechoslovakia recognized Lithuania’s restored independence, and the two countries re-established diplomatic relations. At the time, both countries were undergoing profound political and economic transformation. Today, the geopolitical environment in which they operate has been profoundly changed. As members of the EU and NATO, Lithuania and the Czech Republic share a strong commitment to strengthening European security.
In this context, this high-level conference will bring together policymakers, diplomats, academics, security experts, economists and business leaders from both countries to reflect on the evolution of bilateral relations, examine shared strategic priorities, and explore opportunities for cooperation in the decades ahead.
PROGRAM SUMMARY
09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Welcome Coffee
09:30 – 10:00 | Opening Ceremony
- Welcome addresses
🎤 H. E. Rolandas Kačinskas, Ambassador of Lithuania to the Czech Republic
🎤 Prof. RNDr. Jiří Zima, CSc., Rector of Charles University
- Keynote reflections: 35 years of partnership – achievements, turning points, and the road ahead
🎤 Marie Chatardová, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
🎤 Lina Rukštelienė, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
10:00 – 11:00 | Panel I. Historical Identities and Statehood: Foundations of the Lithuanian–Czech Partnership
- A Witness to History. Opening testimony by Česlav Okinčic, Signatory of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
Panelists:
🎤 Česlav Okinčic
🎤 doc. dr. Dalia Bukelevičiūtė, Faculty of History, Vilnius University
🎤 doc. PhDr. Luboš Švec, CSc., Institute of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
🎤 Štefan Füle, former European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, diplomat
Moderator: H. E. Rolandas Kačinskas
11:00 – 11:30 | Strategic Conversation
- Lithuania as a NATO Ally: A View from the Eastern Flank
🎤 In Conversation with General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Chief of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania
Moderator: Prof. Margarita Šešelgytė, Director, Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University
11:45 – 12:35 | Panel II. At the Heart of Europe: Shared Priorities for a Changing Europe
- Lithuania’s 2027 EU Presidency: Priorities and Perspectives
🎤 Address by Lina Rukštelienė, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
Panelists:
🎤 Lina Rukštelienė
🎤 Monika Ladmanová, Head of the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic
🎤 Milena Hrdinková, State Secretary for European Affairs, Government of the Czech Republic
Moderator: Viktor Daněk, European analyst, Český rozhlas Plus / Senior Research Fellow, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy
12:35 – 13:30 | Panel III & Closing Remarks. Beyond the Horizon: Building the Future of the Lithuanian–Czech Partnership
Panelists:
🎤 Eglė Coppa, PhD., Head of International Relations Division of the Bank of Lithuania
🎤 Prof. Margarita Šešelgytė, Director, Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University [TBC]
🎤 PhDr. Jan Růžička, MBA, Chief External Affairs Officer, PPF Group
🎤 doc. Mats Braun, Ph.D., Director of the Institute of International Relations Prague [TBC]
Moderator: Maciej Ruczaj, PhD., Senior Fellow, Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations / former ambassador of Poland to Slovakia
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Event venue
Univerzita Karlova, Ovocný Trh 560/5, 110 00 Praha, Česko, Prague, Czech Republic
Tickets
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