State of Europe: Role and promise in a post-election order

Join us for an exclusive session and engage in an in-depth discussion on Europe’s future beyond this major election year.

Following Friends of Europe’s 2024 State of Europe high-level roundtable* this one-hour exclusive session will give you a unique opportunity to exchange on the role and promises of Europe beyond this pivotal election year and for the European institutional cycle to come.

In recent years, both natural and human-made crises, coupled with uncertainties from technological advancements and rising polarization, have profoundly impacted European societies, amplifying calls from citizens for a more socially oriented Europe going beyond economic growth.

As Europe enters a new era following a series of major elections, transatlantic relations will be crucial in addressing shared global challenges from climate change to digital transformation and security.

• What do the US presidential election results mean for the future of the transatlantic partnership?

• How can EU institutions work more effectively with both the private and national public sector to ensure that Europe's social market economy remains robust, while also maintaining global competitiveness?

Don’t miss this opportunity to sit at the table with some of Europe’s leading figures and engage in collective brainstorm with them.

Speakers to be announced soon.

*Organised annually by Friends of Europe, a leading Brussels-based think tank, State of Europe is a unique forum for today’s top leaders from the worlds of politics, business, civil society, arts and culture from Europe and beyond, to connect, debate and develop ideas in key policy areas that will define Europe’s future.

speaker

Karien van Gennip is former Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, as well as former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands in the Rutte IV cabinet. She previously served as State Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Balkenende II and III cabinets. From 2006 to 2008, she was a member of the Dutch Parliament representing the CDA, where she acted as Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman. Van Gennip began her career at McKinsey & Company before becoming a director at the Financial Markets Authority.

speaker

Klen Jäärats is the Executive Director of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), former director for EU Affairs at the Office of the Prime Minister of Estonia and 2015-2016 European Young Leader (EYL40 of Friends of Europe). Klen Jäärats is responsible for managing and implementing Estonia’s international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance projects. Previously, he served as director of the EU Secretariat in the Estonian government for over a decade, where he coordinated and developed all EU policy and acted as chief European affairs adviser to three different Estonian Prime Ministers.

speaker

Ahmed Abdirahman is the founder & CEO of Järvaveckan and of The Global Village Foundation, a non-profit promoting inclusivity in all aspects of social, economic and political life. It hosts Järvaveckan, a pivotal event in the Swedish political calendar with more than 300 participating organisations that draws over 60,000 people to summer gatherings designed to bridge the gap between citizens, politicians, civil society, business leaders and authorities. Ahmed Abdirahman is a 2024 European Young Leader (EYL40 of Friends of Europe).

moderator

Director of DutchCulture, former member of the Dutch Parliament, writer and 2013 European Young Leader (EYL40). Kirsten van den Hul is director of DutchCulture, the Dutch network and knowledge organisation for international cultural cooperation. Before assuming her current position, she worked as an independent consultant through her own company, The Change Agent, on different transition projects, mainly in the public sector. Previously, van den Hul served as member of parliament for the Dutch Labour Party, where she focused on culture, education, gender equality, foreign trade and development. An Eastern Europe specialist, she was also active on the crossroads between culture, human rights and international cooperation and worked for several international NGOs, including international women’s fund Mama Cash and the European Cultural Foundation. Van den Hul was also a columnist for newspapers and magazines, contributed to a number of publications and wrote a book, “(S)hevolution”. In addition, she notably held the role of Dutch UN Women’s Representative.

State of Europe: Role and promise in a post-election order

Karien van Gennip

Klen Jäärats

Ahmed Abdirahman

Kirsten Van den Hul

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State of Europe: Role and promise in a post-election order

Karien van Gennip

Klen Jäärats

Ahmed Abdirahman

Kirsten Van den Hul

Become a member

Reach us

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