The Challenges Facing Both Shores of the Atlantic The war of Russia against Ukraine, the unprecedented attack of Hamas against Israel, and the activities of different terrorist groups in Africa leads not only to protracted immigration to the West but also to the destabilization of the global international order. All this, together with the appetite of China to dominate in economy and technology, the green transition, and other challenges, requires a united and coordinated response from the democratic world. About the speaker Mikuláš Dzurinda is a former prime minister of Slovakia, holding the position from 1998 to 2006, and has held various positions in the government since first entering politics in 1990. After becoming prime minister and forming a large coalition government in 1998, Mr. Dzurinda and his government introduced far-reaching reforms that enabled Slovakia to join the EU and NATO. After being re-elected in 2002, Mr. Dzurinda led the government when Slovakia became a member of the EU and NATO in 2004, a process in which he actively took part from the beginning. In 2007 he was awarded the F.A. Hayek International Prize for reforms and fight against bureaucracy. Mr. Dzurinda was minister of transportation and, more recently, minister of foreign affairs from July 2010 to April 2012. Mr. Dzurinda is a founding member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party (SDKÚ-DS) and was chairman of the party from 2000 to 2012. He was elected to the Slovak Parliament in the elections in 2012 and is currently a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Relations. Mikuláš Dzurinda was elected president of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, a think-tank in Brussels, in December 2013. He is also a marathon runner.About the Nanovic Forum The Nanovic Institute deepens Notre Dame’s rich tradition of connections to Europe by bringing prominent figures to campus in a wide range of fields to explore, discuss, and debate the most pressing questions about Europe today. Generously sponsored by Robert and Elizabeth Nanovic, the Forum invites its distinguished guests to interact with Notre Dame in ways they most wish, which can be surprising. The lecture is free and open to the public. Originally published at nanovic.nd.edu.

Register to attend the in-person event >>> Join us for an event marking the seventh anniversary of the historic signing of the Colombian Peace Accord in 2016. Panelists will engage in a thoughtful discussion on the progress made since implementing the accord, the challenges that have arisen, and the opportunities that lie ahead in the journey to establish a lasting and sustainable peace in Colombia. Speakers include:Opening remarks by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gail Morgado Introductory remarks by Daniel Avila, Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Colombia to the USModerated by Maura Policelli, executive director, Washington Office and associate professor of the practice, Keough School of Global AffairsJosefina Echavarría Alvarez, director of the Peace Accords Matrix, professor of the practice, Kroc Institute for International Peace StudiesSteve Hege, regional deputy director at the United States Institute of PeaceCynthia Arnson, distinguished fellow, Latin American Program at the Wilson CenterSinisa Vukovic, senior lecturer of conflict management and global policy, and director of the Masters program at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International StudiesLeslie Wingender, director of peacebuilding, Humanity UnitedA reception will follow this event. This event is part of the Keough School of Global Affairs' speaker series, "Evidence to Action: Translating Research into Policy Impact." Cosponsored by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Keough School of Global Affairs, Humanity United, the Wilson Center and its Latin America Program the United States Institute of Peace and Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Register to attend the in-person event >>> Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

The Nanovic Forum and the chair of the Nanovic Institute Advisory Board presentResistance to Russian/Soviet Imperialism in the Words of the Elite Athletes of the Day Today we​ face the most acute threat to the post-WWII values-based, rules-based order​: P​utin’s war on Ukraine and the reassertion of Russian imperialism. ​T​his panel discussion will examine life and politics through the eyes of the elite athletes who​ escaped from the Soviet Block, both from then Czechoslovakia and Ukraine, reflecting on what it was like to live under the boot of the Russian totalitarian bear​. Their stories are riveting and display the courage of those who resisted​. Panelists include: Dmitri Khristich, a long-time National Hockey League (NHL) player and Ukraine native. He was in Kyiv as air raid sirens began to wail and Putin’s bombs began to fall. He played for the USSR in the World Championships and for Ukraine in both the World Championships and the 2002 Olympics. In the NHL, he played for the Washington Capitals, the Los Angeles Kings, the Boston Bruins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dmitri was twice elected an NHL All-Star. ​Vaclav Nedomansky, the first Czech hockey player to defect to North America to play in the NHL. A native of Slovakia, he was a star of the Czech national team. He defected in 1974, escaping through Switzerland. Throughout his career, he played forward with SHK Hodonín, Slovan ChZJD Bratislava, the Toronto Toros, the Birmingham Bulls, the Detroit Red Wings, the St. Louis Blues, and the New York Rangers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. Anton Šťastný, a professional hockey player who defected from Czechoslovakia to Canada (via Austria) in 1980. He played nine seasons for the NHL's Quebec Nordiques, along with his brothers Peter and Marian. As a rookie, Anton scored a remarkable eight points in one game with his brother Peter scoring another eight points in the same game. Anton played for the Czech national team in the World Championships and in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Later in his career, he also played seasons with the Halifax Citadels, HC Fribourg-Gottéron, EHC Olten, and HC Slovan Bratislava. He lives in Switzerland. ​Peter Šťastný, NHL All-Star and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a World and European Champion with the Czechoslovakia National Team, and later served as a member of the European Parliament for Slovakia (2004-2014). Peter, along with his brother Anton, escaped to Quebec while the Czech national team was in Austria. They were later joined by their brother Marian. He played for the Quebec Nordiques for ten seasons before also playing seasons with the New Jersey Devils, the St. Louis Blues, and HC Slovan Bratislava. He holds the distinction of being the first player in NHL history to score over 100 points in his rookie year and is the second highest-scoring player of the 1980s after Wayne Gretzky.   Originally published at nanovic.nd.edu.