Conference on Peace for Peace - MCC Budapest Peace Forum

Europe has enjoyed relative peace over the past decades, brought to an abrupt end by the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which was followed by sanctions, inflation, economic challenges, arms supplies, and the threat of escalating fighting. The world is divided on dealing with the conflict: several countries are calling for further sanctions and military support, while others are calling for a ceasefire and the start of peace talks. The two-day international conference and side events organized by Mathias Corvinus Collegium aim to provide a space for discussion of different views on peace by shedding light on the different effects of war. The panel discussions will address topics such as possible scenarios for peace, US policy on war, and the energy crisis caused by war, featuring the views of renowned academics, thinkers, and researchers. The conference will also focus on the implications of the war for Asia, as well as the issue of changing and emerging spheres of interest.

The significance of the two-day international conference is reflected in the fact that experts from more than ten countries from all over the world are attending. Among others, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, world-renowned economist, professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, and Dr. Arta Moeini, research director of the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) and alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley. Insights on Asia will be provided by Dr. Joon Hyung Kim, professor at Handong Global University, Korea, former chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, and Dr. Akihiro Iwashita, professor at Hokkaido University. The conference will discuss theoretical issues of state sovereignty with Dr. Miguel Ayuso-Torres, lecturer at the Comillas Pontifical University, and Dr. Sanjay Kumar Pandey, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Christopher Davis, a professorial research fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and an alumnus of Harvard University and Cambridge University, will take a historical approach to the war.

The event will also cover the energy crisis caused by war, with Renaud Beauchard, former advisor to the World Bank advisor; Shaun Riordan, director of the Chair for Diplomacy and Cyberspace at the EIIS; Dr. Tuomas Malinen, CEO of GnS Economics and Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki, sharing their expertise. Among others, Dr. Omar Ashour, professor of Security and Military Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, will speak on warfare in the 21st century. Dr. Suay Nilham Acikalin, vice director of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University, will also participate in the conference.