BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//The Hague Humanity Hub - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:The Hague Humanity Hub
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.humanityhub.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The Hague Humanity Hub
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/Amsterdam
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0200
TZNAME:CEST
DTSTART:20250330T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0200
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:CET
DTSTART:20251026T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0200
TZNAME:CEST
DTSTART:20260329T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0200
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:CET
DTSTART:20261025T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0200
TZNAME:CEST
DTSTART:20270328T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0200
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:CET
DTSTART:20271031T010000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Amsterdam:20260226T170000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Amsterdam:20260226T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T110743
CREATED:20260209T100646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T101351Z
UID:10001485-1772125200-1772125200@www.humanityhub.org
SUMMARY:#DemocracyDrinks: Urgency and Opportunity Meet in the EU Enlargement Debate
DESCRIPTION:How should the EU\, the Netherlands and other EU member states improve and speed up EU enlargement to the Western Balkans – and beyond?\nAs more and more Western Balkan nations move towards the EU\, what is the role that the rest of Europe stands to play in their pursuit of accession? How can EU member states like the Netherlands support Western Balkan democracies in the face of growing geopolitical tensions? \nJoin us on February 26th (17:00-19:00)\, for this year’s first edition of #DemocracyDrinks The Hague\, where we will be joined by: \n\nMarko Makovec\, seasoned Slovenian diplomat\, former Head of Cabinet for the EU’s Enlargement Commissioner\, and one of the leading authorities on the complexities of enlargement within the European Union.\nThijs Reuten\, Dutch MEP and leading advocate against democratic backsliding in the EU and its neighbourhood.\n\nThis edition is organised in collaboration with PAX\, the Network of Sustainable Development and Education\, Free Press Unlimited\, the Dutch Albanian Foundation\, the Netherlands Helsinki Committee\, Max van der Stoel Foundation\, and Committee for Humanitarian Intervention in Utrecht\, Amsterdam\, and Leiden. \nAbout Marko Makovec\nMarko Makovec is a Slovenian diplomat and a leading authority on the complexities of EU enlargement. Most recently\, he served as the Head of Cabinet for Ms. Marta Kos\, the Commissioner for Enlargement. Prior to this\, he was the highest-ranking Slovene at the European External Action Service (EEAS)\, as Deputy Managing Director for Managing Directorate Europe. In this capacity\, he expertly oversaw relations with the United Kingdom\, European Economic Area\, Turkey\, and the Western Balkans from 2021 to 2024. \nHe earlier represented Slovenia with distinction as the Permanent Representative to the EU’s Political and Security Committee (2017-2020). He served as Diplomatic Adviser to the Slovenian President (2013-2017)\, and as Principal Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister (2008-2012)\, acting as chief negotiator for the Arbitration Agreement between Slovenia and Croatia. His illustrious career began with his foundational work as an Adviser to the Director-General (2003-2005)\,as a Delegate to the Working Party for Western Balkans in the EU (2007-2008)\, and as Deputy Head of Mission in Rome. \nAbout Thijs Reuten\nThijs Reuten is a Dutch Member of the European Parliament that has\, since 2021\, served on the Committee of Foreign Affairs\, Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee\, and the Delegation to the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee\, among others. He played a pivotal role in normalising visa-free travel between Kosovo and the EU\, and has been a leading advocate against democratic backsliding in the EU and its neighbourhood. Reuten has a background in political science and international relations\, and has previously served as an Amsterdam City Councilor\, and a District Administrator for Amsterdam-Oost. \n	Reserve a spot This link opens in a new tab\n	\n  \nWhat are the #DemocracyDrinks?\n#DemocracyDrinks is an informal\, recurring conversation and networking series bringing together people working on democracy\, peace\, justice\, and democratic participation. \nThe format is intentionally simple: open\, dialogue-led conversations in a relaxed setting. #DemocracyDrinks The Hague provides space to connect across sectors\, test ideas\, explore emerging questions\, and reflect collectively on democratic challenges beyond formal panels or presentations. \nLaunched in Brussels in 2018\, #DemocracyDrinks now takes place in cities around the world. Editions in The Hague have brought together a diverse mix of practitioners from NGOs\, international institutions\, think tanks\, government\, and civil society. The Hague series is co-organised by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC)\, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)\, and The Hague Humanity Hub. \nInterested in hosting your own edition? Apply here. \n  \nWestern Balkans Symposia Series\nSince 2024\, four symposia on the Western Balkans vis-à-vis especially the EU have been organised by PAX\, Free Press Unlimited\, Dutch Albanian Foundation\, Netherlands Helsinki Committee\, Max van der Stoel Foundation and Committee for Humanitarian Intervention in Utrecht\, Amsterdam and Leiden. Topics have ranged from EU enlargement and the extent of democracy\, peace\, justice and independent media in the ‘oft-neglected region’ of the Western Balkans. Speakers have ranged from Thijs Reuten\, Dutch member of the European Parliament for the Progressive Alliance group\, Tamara Filipovic of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia\, to Robert Bosch\, former Dutch ambassador to Albania and Kosovo. The primary aims of this symposia series are to: a) keep attention on the situation and future of this region among policymakers and the wider public; b) enhance insights on this region to everybody involved and interested; and c) offer solutions to challenges of peace\, democracy\, justice and civil society in that region by and for policymakers\, experts and everybody involved–preferably via EU principles and memberships \n	Reserve a spot This link opens in a new tab
URL:https://www.humanityhub.org/calendar/democracydrinks-urgency-and-opportunity-meet-in-the-eu-enlargement-debate/
LOCATION:The Hague Humanity Hub\, Fluwelen Burgwal 58\, Den Haag\, ZH\, Netherlands
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.humanityhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/DemocracyDrinks-Urgency-and-Opportunity-Meet-in-the-EU-Enlargement-Debate.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="The Hague Humanity Hub":MAILTO:hello@humanityhub.net
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR