Budapest forum 2024

Based on the success of the last years, Budapest Forum will return in 2024. The two-day conference will be organized again by the Municipality of Budapest, Political Capital, and CEU Democracy Institute to discuss the most pressing issues currently facing citizens of democratic and nominally democratic countries. The Forum will explore and examine policy proposals under the banner of ‘Building Sustainable Democracies’. 

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WHEN:                September 18 - 19, 2024

WHERE:              CEU, Nador u. 15, Budapest, Hungary

REGISTRATION: on-line registration

CONFERENCE WEB: budapestforum.org

FACEBOOK EVENT: here

LANGUAGE:        The conference will be conducted in English, with Hungarian interpretation available for all panels.

ORGANISERS:   the Municipality of Budapest, Political Capital Institute and CEU Democracy Institute

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BUDAPEST FORUM IN 2024

2024 is an election year, and these elections could have a profound impact on international politics, including the future of Europe and Hungary. Hungary's rotating EU presidency and the establishment of the new European Commission and European Parliament will bring the debate on the future of the rule of law, democracy and European integration to the fore.

Our democracies are facing increasingly serious challenges to which different responses are emerging. At the Budapest Forum we will discuss many of them with policy makers and experts. Together we will try to formulate effective policy solutions and recommendations.

Budapest Forum will cover topics such as
• Foreign policy outlook for the 2024 US presidential election
• China's military threat
• Insights and lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine
• The Western Balkans and EU enlargement
• The state of journalism in Central Europe
• Tackling the economic and political challenges of authoritarian influence
• Populism and dictatorship – political leadership in the 21st century
• Political polarization

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WATCH SHORT VIDEO FROM BUDAPEST FORUM 2023

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ABOUT BUDAPEST FORUM

Budapest Forum has hit the international policy event scene in the last three years gathering mayors, commissioners, MEPs, decision makers, policy experts, academics, and activists for 15-20 panels and sessions per year, multiple side events and discussions. The public interest was equally large with more than 450 in-person participants and almost 40.000 viewers online per year, as well as hundreds of Hungarian and international media appearances. The feedback from participants and partners was very positive, highlighting the organizational quality, impressive line-up, thematic diversity and hitting a niche with the role of cities in addressing the most pressing challenges of our time. 

In 2024, we will focus on the topic of “The Year of Elections” – The elections of the year 2024 will profoundly influence our collective European experience and extend their impact beyond our borders. Against the backdrop of the rotating EU Presidency of Hungary and the establishment of the new European Commission, discussions on the rule of law, democracy, and the trajectory of European integration hold heightened significance. Our democracies face mounting challenges exacerbated by various internal and external factors. While some tensions are deliberately stoked by populist movements, others stem from organic societal shifts, necessitating a unified approach and extensive collaboration to navigate. In the forthcoming Budapest Forum conference, we aim to confront these challenges alongside global decision-makers and experts. Together, we seek to steer discussions and formulate impactful policy solutions that address the evolving dynamics of our democracies and the European integration process. 

Budapest Forum is a markedly pro-democratic, anti-populist Central Eastern European platform. After the success of last year’s policy-heavy discussions focusing on the most pressing challenges democracy is facing today, we are convinced that it is not only the multitude of crises that define our time, but also the commitment and the intellectual prowess of broad segments of our societies to tackle these crises. The palpable interest that we have seen, attested that we are on the right path when we seek to galvanize policy debates across borders and levels of government, and provide a joint platform for all relevant stakeholders in search of a sustainable and democratic future. We, as co-organizing partners, the Municipality of Budapest, Political Capital Institute, and CEU Democracy Institute, will draw upon this valuable experience this year when organizing the fourth Budapest Forum, scheduled for September 18-19. We are looking forward to expanding our growing Budapest Forum network with the most impactful changemakers.