Dies Natalis Conference

Clashing civilizations in the modern era

Thursday 16 November
13:00 - 19:00
MARTINI cHURCH Groningen
€7,50

This year’s Dies Natalis Conference will delve into three themes related to the conference title:

> Implications of Historical Developments for Modern Day Global Affairs

> Intercultural Conflicts Shaping International Society

> Important Developments in 21st Century International Relations

When attending this conference you will have the opportunity to choose between five masterclasses arranged on subjects related to the above themes. Every masterclass will be led by an expert in their respective field.

Conference Program

13.00-13.30 Welcome & Walk in
13.30-14.30 Plenary opening of the conference & Keynote talk
14.30-15.45 First round of masterclasses:

Masterclass 1: Intercultural Differences and Global Migration Patterns
Masterclass 2: The Historical Roots of Modern Conflicts and Societal Divisions
Masterclass 3: The Decline of Liberal Democracy in the Middle East

15.45-16.00 First break
16.00-17.15 Second round of masterclasses:

Masterclass 4: Cold War Legacies in 21st Century Global Relations
Masterclass 5: Cultural Relativism and Women’s Rights: East vs. West

17.15-17.30 Second break
17.30-18.15 Moderated closing discussion with all the speakers.
18.15-19.00 Informal gathering and post-conference discussion

Program Details

Attending Experts

Mr. Reuten is an MEP for the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. Reuten has served on various committees and delegations pertaining to the foreign affairs of the European Union. For the Keynote Talk, he will be sharing some of his practical experiences in international relations from his role as member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and his other functions in the European Parliament.

Prof. Skeldon is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Sussex and Professor of Human Geography at Maastricht University. Skeldon has a distinguished academic career that spans multiple institutions and regions, with a special focus on migration in diverse geographical contexts. For the 1st masterclass, Skeldon will apply his expertise to host a masterclass with emphasis on migration-based cultural clashes.

Ir. Quaedackers is the director of the Big History Program at the University of Amsterdam, and host of the Big History podcast. Quaedackers has been involved in history research and education the University of Amsterdam for the past 15 years. For the purposes of the 2nd masterclass, she will be condensing her broad experience to teach how historical developments and the big picture can shed light on modern day conflicts and divides.

Mr. Keulen is a consultant and freelance journalist working for Aljazeera and Middle East Eye, among others. Keulen began his work as a foreign correspondent in Amman, Beirut, and Cairo. Later, he turned to training journalists across the Netherlands and the Middle East. During the 3rd Masterclass, Keulen will be sharing his perspectives on democratisation efforts in the Middle East based in his unique on the ground perspective.

H.E. Dr. Doli is the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the Netherlands, co-founder of the Group for Legal and Political Studies, and former Professor of International Organizations, International Human Rights Law, and Diplomatic and Consular Law at the University of Pristina. H.E. Doli is uniquely overqualified to teach the masterclass on the legacy of the cold war, and we are honoured that he is willing to teach the 4th Masterclass.

Prof. de Haan is Professor Emerita of Gender Studies and History at Central European University in Vienna. Her research interests encompass international women’s organizations throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with a notable emphasis on the Cold War era. The subject of the 5th masterclass is central to her scholarly pursuits in the realm of global socialist feminism and women's rights.

Mr. Janssen is a former student at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and current Clingendael Academy Fellow with an expertise in EU affairs and international geopolitics. He has an interdisciplinary understanding of the subjects under discussion and has extensive experience in moderating high-level discussions. He will moderate the Q&A portion of the Keynote talk and will be guiding the closing discussion.