At a moment of profound geopolitical change, this conference explores the relationship between democratic resilience, public trust, and the future of European security.
Europe is navigating a rapidly evolving security environment shaped by war on its borders, the spread of disinformation, and shifting transatlantic dynamics. These developments raise fundamental questions about democratic legitimacy, social cohesion, and public trust in security and defence policies.
This public conference represents the second phase of the Democratizing Security initiative and builds on a prior closed working group held in Rome. Hosted in Vienna, the event combines expert workshops with a high-level public panel discussion to translate analytical insights into concrete strategies for engaging European citizens in debates on security and defence. The programme addresses core questions at the heart of Europe’s security debate: what Europe seeks to defend, how security threats are perceived across regions, and how defence policies can be explained and justified in democratic societies. By bringing together academic perspectives, policy expertise, and experience from strategic communication and civil society, the conference aims to bridge the gap between security decision-makers and the broader public.
The event is co-organised by the European University Institute (EUI), the International Institute for Peace (IIP), Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, the European Council on Foreign Relations (Rome Office), the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Austria. It forms part of a broader, ongoing effort to stimulate an EU-wide conversation on democratic resilience, defence, and the future of European security, with further outputs and engagements planned for 2026.