CIVIL – Center for Freedom presents “Defending Democracy: Horizons of Freedom” – a nine-day strategic, civic and multimedia program in celebration of Human Rights Week 2025.

On the eighth day of the Conference, the first panel examines Russia’s war against Ukraine as a central front in a broader global confrontation over democracy, human rights and the rules-based international order. Speakers analyze how hybrid warfare – combining military aggression, disinformation, cyberattacks and influence through proxies – is reshaping security in Europe and beyond.

The discussion highlights Ukraine’s resilience, the geopolitical stakes for Europe and the Western Balkans, and the global democratic implications of the war’s outcome.

The conference will be opened with introductory speeches by H.E. Petra Drexler, Ambassador of Germany to North Macedonia, H.E. Larysa Dir ,Ambassador of Ukraine to North Macedonia, Dr. Wolfgang Ressmann
President of Media Dialogue (Germany); Co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative (DDGI), Roger Casale Director, Westminster Alliance for Ukraine (United Kingdom); Co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative (DDGI); Former Member of the UK Parliament, Jabir Deralla, president of CIVIL – Centre for Freedom (North Macedonia); Co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative

Panelists: Roger Casale, Francesco Gaudiosi, Yevhen Tsymbalenko, Oliver Andonov, Edward P. Joseph

Moderator: Heather Roberson