WEASA 2022

#WEASA2022 will take place in-person in Warsaw on July 10-18 2022! 

The 2022 edition of WEASA will be adapted to discuss, debate and learn lessons already drawn from Russia’s war against Ukraine. We will discuss two broad themes: 1) the information war which was taking place before, during and will take place after the physical war; and 2) the new geopolitical reality in which we now find itself as a result of the war.

The morning of February 24th 2022, which saw the dramatic escalation of war in Ukraine with Russia’s unprovoked mass invasion, has ushered in a new era of geopolitics for the region and the world. This aggression has also demonstrated how the conflict does not only take place in the physical space, but also to a large extent in the cyber and informational space. Unlike ever before, the online sphere is another battlefield of this war. In particular, social media has become one of the key tools in the information space to not only spread quick news and developments, but also used to instill panic, fear and also anger, with fake news and manipulated information or doctored pictures and footage.

Topics for the 2022 edition include:

• Russia’s war against Ukraine and the new geopolitical reality
• European integration and the war in Ukraine: What’s next for Eastern Partnership
• European integration and the war in Ukraine: What next for Western Balkans?
• Media literacy and resilience towards disinformation
• Open Source Intelligence and Investigations
• Personal digital security
• How social media companies are responding to the war
• Citizen journalism / what is it and how it works?
• Surveillance technologies as a threat to democracy?
• The role of NATO in fighting disinformation

The information about  WEASA2022 Speakers is also available.

Dates and location:

WEASA 2022 will take place in July 10-18 2022 in-person at the College of Europe Natolin Campus in Warsaw, Poland. Participants shall plan to arrive on July 10th and depart on July 18th. Please bear in mind that costs for travel to and from home countries will be reimbursed up to 330 euros. The accommodation and food for the whole duration of the summer academy will be fully covered.

Here is the WEASA2022 Program

Participants 

WEASA 2022 will host 40 participants coming from a cross-section of society and specifically from public administration, academia, NGOs, think tanks, media and civil society organizations who are citizens of the Eastern Partnership, the Western Balkans and Poland. We typically look for mid-career professionals (usually those with at least five years of professional experience), who work as policy analysts, experts, advisers, civil servants, journalists, private sector specialists and in NGOs and are interested in WEASA related topics.

All participants have been notified of their selection and are preparing for their travel to Warsaw.

Participants agree to accept the WEASA Regulations / Rules of Procedure.

Opportunities for WEASA Alumni at WEASA 2022:

We are also excited to announce that this year during #WEASA2022 we have some very special opportunities for alumni to get involved, including:

– Group Facilitation

– Alumni Networking Gathering July 18-19 (in-person).