2024 Summary

Neighborhood Dialogues is an academy that brings together students and experts from the European region with the aim to create a multicultural atmosphere for open dialogues, to create a platform for regional cooperation among generations and to enhance valuable discussions on the current international happenings.

The international conference series was held in Budapest between 09-11 May 2024, under the title "What’s Next for Europe?", with the motto "Creating a discussion on Europe."

The four-day meeting focused on Predictive Planning, a seminar series about forecasting events and processes in advance, with an emphasis on effective planning strategies. In addition to these insightful sessions, several panel discussions examined the key challenges shaping Europe’s future. One of the major topics explored the future of the battery industry, where experts from various sectors discussed its role in Europe's economic landscape, with Péter Kaderják, State Secretary for Energy and Climate Policy, offering his insights on energy transition and sustainability. Another crucial debate centered on the pathways to EU membership, particularly regarding candidate countries such as Ukraine, Serbia, and Moldova. Diplomats, policymakers, and academics contributed to the discussion, including Liliana Smiech, General Director for International Affairs at the University of Public Service, who shared perspectives on the challenges and opportunities these nations face on their European integration journey. The impact of recent crises on Europe’s global standing was also a key theme. A panel on whether Europe’s competitiveness has been permanently affected by war and epidemics featured voices from the worlds of business, economics, and academia, including Dr. Robert Obermaier, university professor and Chair for Business Administration with a focus on Accounting and Control at the University of Passau. Meanwhile, the evolving role of major energy corporations in Central and Eastern Europe was discussed in a session on MOL’s growth as a regional giant, where industry leaders, including Sverla Viktor, Group Strategy & Sustainability Director at MOL Group, reflected on the company’s expansion and sustainability efforts. Beyond high-quality presentations, the conference offered training and workshops, where students and experts, such as Rodrigo Ballester, collaborated to develop future scenarios for the European Union.

To foster networking and connections, the program included various community activities, such as:

• Folk Dance House & Hungaricum Club, providing an immersive cultural experience.
• Wine tasting, creating a relaxed social setting for participants.
• A visit to the MOL Campus, the tallest building in Budapest and home to one of the region’s largest oil companies.