The Lisbon Conference

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Intro

The Lisbon Conference 

The Lisbon Conference is a leading international forum that will take place on 16 June at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, under the curatorship of Dr. José Manuel Durão Barroso, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal. 

The conference will bring together political leaders and globally recognised thought leaders to discuss the present and future of transatlantic relations, at a time when the international landscape is being reshaped by profound geopolitical, technological and institutional transformations. Featured speakers include Rishi Sunak, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, and Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, among many other distinguished participants. 

Under the theme “Transition or Rupture?”, the event offers a high‑level, pluralistic forum to examine whether the changes underway represent a gradual evolution or a structural break in the international order. 

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José Manuel Durão Barroso
Curator

José Manuel Durão Barroso

José Manuel Durão Barroso is former President of the European Commission where he completed two mandates between 2004 and 2014. 

He’s a former Prime Minister of Portugal where he served and served for twelve years including in the positions of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Secretary of State for Home Affairs.

His academic appointments include Visiting Professor at Georgetown University, Princeton University and the Graduate lnstitute for International Studies in Geneva. He is currently a visiting professor at the Catholic University of Portugal (Director of its Centre of European Studies) and at the European University Institute, School of Transnational Governance, Florence.

He’s also nonresident scholar at Princeton University, where is a member of the Advisory Council of the Liechtenstein Institute. José Manuel Durão Barroso graduated in Law from the University of Lisbon and completed a Master’s degree in Political Science at the University of Geneva and other postgraduate degrees in European Studies. He is currently Chairman of International Advisors at Goldman Sachs, Chairman of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Chairman of the Board of Directors of FLAD, the Luso-American Development Foundation. 

Program

The Lisbon Conference

16 Jun 2026
Hotel Four Seasons Ritz, Lisboa

  • 09:00 | Guest Reception

    09h15 | Welcome Session

    Luís Santana, CEO, Medialivre

    9:30 | Institutional Opening Session

    António José Seguro, Presidente da República Portuguesa

    9:50 | Institutional Address

    Carlos Moedas, Mayor, Lisbon City Council 

    10:05 | Opening Session

    José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission; Former Prime Minister of Portugal 

    10:25 | European Politics and Defence

    Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space
    José María Aznar, Former Prime Minister of Spain
    Theresa May, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
    Mikuláš Dzrinda,Former Prime Minister of Slovakia; President of the Wilfried Martens Centre
    Moderador: José Manuel Durão Barroso, Former President of the European Commission; Former Prime Minister of Portugal

    11h40 | Global Geopolitical Challenges 

    Mary Kissel, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute and former Senior Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
    Brian Wong, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (HKU-100), The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
    João Vale de Almeida, Former European Union Ambassador to the United States, on ONU and United Kingdom
    Moderador: Germano Almeida, Comentador, NOW

    12:30 | Lunch

  • 14:35 | AI and New Technologies

    Ricardo Mendes, CEO, Tekever
    Sam Gyimah, Former Joint Minister for Higher Education at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education of the United Kingdom
    Brian Wong, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (HKU-100), The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
    Moderadora: Céline Abecassis-Moedas, Pro-Reitora para a Inovação e Empreendedorismo da Universidade Católica Portuguesa

    15h30 | Global Development and Justice

    Kailash Satyarthi, Indian Activist and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
    Elhadj As Sy, Chair of the Board of Directors, Kofi Annan Foundation
    Stefania Giannini, Former Italian Minister of Education
    Moderadora: Mónica Dias, Diretora, Instituto de Estudos Políticos – Universidade Católica Portuguesa (IEP-Católica)

    16:25 | European Economy

    Álvaro Santos Pereira, Governor of the Banco de Portugal
    Klaus Regling, Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism
    Phil Hogan, Former European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and Former European Commissioner for Trade
    Valentino Valentini, Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy
    Moderador: José Barreto, Partner at Goldman Sachs

    17:20 | Portuguese Organizations in the European and International Context

    Francisco Cary, Administrador CGD
    Gonçalo Oliveira, Chief B2B Officer, MEO
    Rogério Campos Henriques, CEO, Fidelidade
    Moderator: Rosália Amorim, Brand, Marketing & Communications Director, EY

    18:15 | Institutional Closing Session

    Gonçalo Matias, Ministro Adjunto e da Reforma do Estado

Keynotes and thematic panels
  • Desafios geopolíticos globais
  • Organizações Portuguesas e o Contexto Europeu e Internacional
  • Desenvolvimento e Justiça Global
  • Economia Europeia
  • Inteligência Artificial e Novas Tecnologias
  • Europa Política e Defesa
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