Estoril Conference – 24th of October 

Introduction 

With this collection of articles, we aim be for the Estoril Conferences (EC) what Blitz is for Vodafone Paredes de Coura, by translating approximately ten hours of talks per day into  four pieces, so that those that missed out on the event can also engage in the reflections that were brought to the fore in these couple of days.  

This edition of the EC is “Time to Rethink”: Piece, Policies, AI, Climate, Longevity. So, specialists were invited to address issues for each area of action. In one of the more important years when it comes to elections, these talks invite us to rethink our beliefs so that we can more confidently engage in the societal debate that will translate into policy action.  

Morning sessions 

The first day of the Estoril Conferences at Nova SBE, Carcavelos, began with some words from the hosts and organization, as well as a Solemn Moment provided by Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, setting the scene for a day dedicated to the debate and discussion about the future of innovation, talent and global politics. 

As people found their seats, the first theme of the conferences was introduced, Peace, with guest speaker José Ramos-Horta and CNN Portugal News Anchor João Marinho, sharing a brief yet significant moment where the President of Timor-Leste and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate shared his insight on peacebuilding and the fundamental lessons learned from the fight for Timor-Leste’s independence, which now marks its 25^th anniversary.  

Peace Talks 

The morning progressed, with guest speakers Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, and Oleksandra Matviichuk, 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, exploring Ukraine’s current situation and how war times compels people to rethink what truly matters. 

The nature of security in Ukraine has been redefined, no longer reflecting physical safety but about protecting dignity – a key word across the morning’s sessions. 

Olena Zelenska further established that everyday actions, such as calling a taxi or boarding a plane, have, since the conflict’s triggering, become monumental decisions that highlight the gravity of living in a war zone. In response to the war, new strategies for civil defense were developed, including widespread training in tactical medicine to equip civilians with life-saving skills, as part of a broader resilience-building effort.  Moreover, the systematic deportation of 19.000 Ukrainians to Russia is a painful and ongoing issue. As many children were displaced and deprived of normalcy, on account of Ukraine’s political turmoil, protecting their future was established as a critical priority, with about one third of Ukrainian students now receiving education online to provide education and a temporary sense of stability. 

Both talks highlighted the global threat of violence: war is not just about Ukraine. 

But what can peace be built around? 

The next “fireside chat”, moderated by CNN Portugal News Anchor, Rita Rodrigues, brought Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Senida Mesi, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Albania, to the Estoril Conferences. This engaging conversation delves into the crucial role played by women in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and, most importantly, post-conflict recovery of society. Sustainability is an instrumental attribute for policies and conflict solutions to be long-lasting and inclusive. 

In the next programmed session, Zaynab Abdi, leader and advocate for social justice, discusses how global conflict and political turmoil have hindered society’s empathy and understanding regarding the large scale of events, such as the refugee crisis. Despite being widely tackled, with over 120 million refugees worldwide, the audience showed, by raise of hand, that only about 25% have ever spoken to a refugee or engaged with their stories. This indicates a profound lack of understanding and awareness about the scale of the crisis, even among highly educated individuals. By sharing her experience, Zaynab Abdi called for proactivity and unity, since, without it, we are merely creating another history lesson.  

After a heartfelt message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres about the importance of peace, unity, and proactivity among citizens and countries around the world, Martaz Lorenzo, Director of the UNRWA Representative Office for Europe, reflects the current situation in the Middle East, more specifically Gaza and Lebanon, where overcrowding, deprivation, and conflict have created dire humanitarian crises. Lorenzo paints a stark picture by asking the audience to imagine 2 million people living in one-third of the space of Lisbon. The silence in the audience enhanced the gravity of the real scenario prompted.  

As sheer density and lack of resources make life unbearable for many, Lorenzo further stresses the need to protect the multilateral system that governs international relations. Without these, coupled with international laws, humanity loses its moral compass, and conflicts spiral out of control. 

Policies 

After such insightful and inspirational messages from the “Peace” sessions, the next segment “Policies” was introduced, with first speaker Monica Ferro, Director of the London Office of the United Nations Population Fund, prompting the question: How long until women’s rights are fully respected? 

“Women’s right are still a mirage for a majority of us” 

Ferro reflects on how far society has come since the 1990’s, women’s rights were already fully outlined economically and socially 30 years ago but are still not reached today when regarding positions of power and career development.  

“Women need a seat at the table and if there are not enough chairs, they will bring their own chairs.” 

In this session, Monica Ferro addresses crucial role of data, highlighting that what doesn’t get counted doesn’t get thought about, and, according to the World economic Forum, women are being left behind and are absent from decision making, as power structures do not allow for fair shares of seats at the table. Moreover, in a world of innovation and progress, full gender parity is expected to take 144 years, meaning five generations of women will still live with inequality. Other important issues, such as women’s health and the stigma around it, were also debated, since, despite clear efforts are being made to improve, genital mutilation, gendered violence, and child marriage are still prevalent in some areas of world, fostering a culture of imparity.  

This session’s message lies within the importance of human capital investment and early education around gender parity to accelerate the progress toward true equality. 

Upon the many talks addressing international instability, the mood at the precinct is lightened by the performance of Portuguese singer Luísa Sobral, who inspired the audience by singing about the need for world peace and womanhood. 

After Sobral’s performance, UNRIC’s (UN Information Centers) Director Sherri Aldis takes the stage and debates how the UN is shaping the future of multilateralism. 

Today, 2.6 billion people are not connected to the internet (1/3 of the global population). Furthermore, there is also significant evidence of increased online violence and misinformation. Some examples outlined include young individuals being driven to despair or suicide due to online bullying, female leaders receiving threats of rape and death, and climate activists being attacked. With misinformation’s escalation and science’s erosion by “fake news”, the UN has conducted recent efforts to reform the multilateral system and striving towards a world where everyone has access to a secure digital world. The UN’s “Pact for the Future” sets out a new roadmap for global cooperation over the coming decades, including breakthrough commitments in areas such as Security Council reform, outer space governance, international financing, and securing the rights of youth and future generations. 

As the morning sessions come to an end, Tomás Magalhães, Founder of Despolariza & The Kolkata Relief Project, prompts the question: How to disagree constructively? 

Surface solutions include listening to understand, talking in questions rather than statements, and assuming good intentions from the messenger. Magalhães then dives into more rooted solutions, calling for people to put everything into perspective before reacting and establishing the political spectrum as multidimensional. 

Closing Remarks 

Attending the Estoril Conferences provided audiences, and more specifically Nova Awareness members, with new perspectives and insights about UN’s initiatives, the life-long work of some of the most distinguished figures in today’s society, and organizations which strive to inspire action.  

Overall, the reflections from influential figures emphasize the importance of resilience, the critical role of women in peacebuilding and societal development, and the urgent need to protect human rights amid global conflicts. The call to action across these voices is clear: without proactive and inclusive approaches that prioritize human dignity, equality, and collective action, lasting peace and justice will remain elusive.

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