The Riga Conference 2011, September 16-17, 2011

The Riga Conference has become a leading foreign and security policy forum in Northern Europe for world renowned political, intellectual and business leaders to gather and debate on the most acute challenges of the current international agenda. Since the NATO summit in 2006, the Riga Conference has developed into a well-established forum within the heart of the Baltics, a venue that brings a wealth of networking opportunities and a weekend that is of significant importance to the Riga city calendar. The 6th season of the conference aims to provide another round of invigorating discussions on an international intellectual platform, for further decision-making across the Atlantic.

This year the Riga Conference is pleased to welcome the Prime Ministers of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and Poland who will open the Conference with a series of lively debates focused on the changing economic climate and the security of the EU and NATO during a time of lesser and lesser resources. In addition, discussions centred on the necessity for more effective mechanisms of cooperation amongst the states of the Baltic Sea will also be drawn upon to tackle issues of regional significance.

As well as being proud to welcome some of the most well established experts, politicians and specialists within the field of transatlantic affairs, this year the conference will also elaborate on some of the most topical issues hitting news headlines throughout the globe. In particular, the ousting of various political regimes in North Africa and the Middle East, which has attracted worldwide media attention, will be discussed at the Riga Conference this year, with a unique forum discussing the implications of regime changes on the future of NATO commitments in North Africa and the Middle East.

Also hitting the headlines this year is the current situation in Belarus that is now facing a severe economic crisis. We are proud to welcome specialists focused on the recent developments in Belarus, to provide us with their expertise on the ambiguity surrounding the future of Belarus, through attempting to tackle the question, Quo Vadis Belarus?

Along with these topical issues, the Riga Conference will also hold host to further discussions focused on a variety of other areas including on the impacts of social media on political regimes, the future outlook for Afghanistan, Turkey’s position in Europe and debates circulating around the idea of a global balance shift and Russian relations with the West.

In order to make the broadcast fully accessible, we have also introduced multiple platforms of online interaction (such as Twitter debates, comments and live polls on Facebook and a livestream) complete with additional Coffee Break Conversations in between the panel discussions. For those familiar with Twitter and Facebook – join the debates by following the Twitter debates at: @LATO_LV, tag your comments with #RigaConf and join wall post discussion and live polls on the LATO Facebook page). Otherwise – feel free to leave your comments underneath the livestream window at www.rigaconference.lv/live.