The battle over freedom

Venue: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union (Rue du Luxembourg 47-51, 1050 Brussels) and on Zoom.

From the rise of the far right to the AI revolution, military threats, geopolitical tension, trade wars, and the climate emergency, today’s major shifts and interconnected crises are characterised by fierce ideological battles over what freedom means and who its true defenders are.

Drawing on the latest print edition of the Green European Journal, this roundtable discussion sheds light on the battle over freedom in the digital sphere, culture, and civil society. Given freedom’s enduring emotional appeal and power to mobilise, the outcome of this struggle over meaning and ownership is likely to have profound and lasting consequences.

Programme

Welcome remarks by Roderick Kefferpütz, Director, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union 

Discussion moderated by Alessio Giussani, Editor-in-chief of the Green European Journal, with:

• Alexandra Geese. Member of the European Parliament since 2019 and digital expert for the Greens/EFA Group
• Alva Finn. Executive Director of the European Liberal Forum, the political foundation of the European Liberal Party, the ALDE Party
• Dominika Lasota. Polish climate justice activist, member of Fridays For Future, and co-founder of the Wschód (“Sunrise”) Initiative
• Elena Polivtseva. Researcher and co-founder of Culture Policy Room, a think tank advancing cultural policy-making by bridging research and policy

For any questions, please contact Joan Lanfranco.