Speakers at the Conference
Paweł Gulewski (b. 1981, Toruń) is a political scientist and local government leader. A graduate of Nicolaus Copernicus University, he gained experience in parliamentary offices and served as a Toruń City Councillor from 2010 to 2020, promoting civic participation and initiating the city’s participatory budget. He was Deputy Mayor of Toruń (2020-2024), overseeing key municipal sectors. In 2024, he was elected Mayor of Toruń, winning 65% of the vote.
dr hab. Monika Chodorek, prof. UWSB Merito – Holds a PhD in Economics, specializing in management and quality. She coordinated the team responsible for developing the Psychology program at WSB Merito University and securing a B+ rating for the field, which enabled the university to confer doctoral and habilitation degrees. She has completed numerous research internships at the University of Warwick (UK), Nottingham Trent University (UK), and Dominican University Chicago (USA).
Oleh Shamshur is a Ukrainian diplomat and historian, holding a PhD in History. He served as Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2004-2005) and as Ambassador to the United States (2005-2010) and France (2014-2020). A career diplomat with extensive experience in European and transatlantic relations, he currently works as a political and business consultant and is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. He is fluent in English and French.
Marianne Desset is Deputy Mayor of Angers, responsible for International Relations and European Affairs for both the City of Angers and Angers Loire Métropole. She manages international partnerships and represents the city in major European networks, including Eurocities and CEMR. A Franco-Iranian academic and lecturer, she specializes in issues of information resilience, public trust, and the role of local authorities in addressing contemporary information challenges.
Aleksandra Izycka is a Polish expert in city diplomacy, strategic communication, and public governance with over 20 years of experience. As Lead Officer for City Diplomacy in Toruń and former Chief of Staff to the Mayor, she has shaped international partnerships, managed crisis communication, and coordinated public policy initiatives. Her expertise spans urban development, public engagement, and diplomatic relations, supported by qualifications from the London School of Economics.
Agnieszka Szpak is an Associate Professor at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland, specializing in public international law, particularly international humanitarian law, indigenous peoples’ rights, and human security. She is the author or co-author of around 180 scholarly publications, including 14 books, and has led several major research projects funded by the Polish National Science Centre and Nicolaus Copernicus University.
dr Mateusz Ziętarski – PhD in Social Sciences (specializing in security studies), focusing on international security issues with particular emphasis on contemporary armed conflicts. He is an academic lecturer, international security analyst, and expert in information security and artificial intelligence, holding clearance from the NATO Information and Documentation Centre.
Vaja Vardidze is a Professor and Chairman of the Advisory Board at Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University and a Lecturer at The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL). Dr. Vardidze has an extensive background in academic leadership and institutional development. He served as the Rector of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University from 2009 to 2022, after previously serving as Vice-Rector from 2003 to 2009. His research interests include philosophical and theological anthropology.
Anatolii Tsos (b. 1966, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine) is a distinguished scholar in physical education and sport, Professor, Doctor of Sciences, and Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine. Since 2020, he has served as Rector of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University. A long-standing academic, he has authored over 160 publications, supervised numerous researchers, and received multiple awards for his contributions to science, education, and higher education development.
Viorel Furdui (b. 1970) is a Moldovan jurist, university lecturer, and leading expert on local governance and decentralization. Since 2010, he has served as Executive Director of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM), representing local governments nationally and internationally. He is a member of Moldova’s delegation to the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and currently serves as Vice-President of its Monitoring Committee.
Mykhailo Khmil is a Ukrainian expert in public administration, government relations, and international cooperation. As Executive Director of the Carpathian Regional Development Agency, he brings over 25 years of experience in public service and regional development. A former Member of Parliament, he contributed to key economic and industrial legislation. He holds a Doctor of Economics degree and specializes in investment attraction, crisis management.
Jakub Piszczek is a Polish attorney-at-law and Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic. He holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Gdańsk (2005) and is a member of the Regional Chamber of Attorneys-at-Law in Toruń (2008).
His professional practice focuses primarily on commercial law, public law, compliance and international relations and diplomacy. He advises businesses and institutions on legal and regulatory matters and has extensive experience in corporate governance.
prof. dr hab. Teresa Astramowicz-Leyk – political scientist, professor at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. Scientific interests: local government, human rights and Polish political thought. She is the author of five monographs and 160 scientific articles, the editor of 14 collective publications. Principal investigator and contributor in three research projects.
Dr Robert Boroch holds two PhDs from the War Studies University and the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. He serves as an assistant professor at the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw. His research concentrates on military anthropology, cultural security, and Russian influence operations, disinformation, and hybrid warfare tactics in Central and Eastern Europe. He has published academic works on threats to cultural security and societal resilience.
Yurii Shcherbak (b. 1934) is a Ukrainian writer, physician, diplomat, and statesman. Trained as a medical doctor and epidemiologist, he participated in responses to major infectious disease outbreaks and was involved in assessing the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. A leader of Ukraine’s environmental movement, he became the first non-communist Minister of Environmental Protection of independent Ukraine.
dr Przemysław Kwiatkowski – research interests include contemporary international security challenges, US policy, and the activities of private military companies. Since 2023, he has served as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Management at UWSB Merito University in Toruń, where he also oversees the university's internationalization efforts. He carries out international projects in the fields of education and culture.
Jan Mrozowski has served as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Moldova in Toruń continuously since 2014. He is the first and only consular representative of the Republic of Moldova in Toruń. Professionally, he is active in the real estate sector. He serves as the President of JBM Inwestim Sp. z o.o., a company operating in the fields of real estate trading and property development. He combines business experience with many years of commitment to strengthening Polish-Moldovan relations.
Svitlana Krysa (born 24 May 1972 in Kovel, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian diplomat and current Consul General of Ukraine in Gdańsk. She holds degrees in history, law, and foreign policy from leading Ukrainian institutions. Since joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has built extensive experience in consular services, including key roles at the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland and the Consular Service Department.
Dr Viktoriia Vdovychenko is an internationally recognized expert in European security, defence innovation, and Ukraine’s relations with the EU and NATO. She is Joint Programme Leader of the Future of Ukraine Programme at the Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on post-war European security architecture, deterrence, multi-domain warfare, and reconstruction. She advises policymakers and contributes to high-level international policy and security dialogue.
Jarosław Dumanowski is a historian and professor at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, where he serves as Director of the Centre for Culinary Heritage. A leading expert on the history of food and culinary literature, he initiated and edits the Monumenta Poloniae Culinaria series of historical Polish culinary texts. He is an active researcher, conference organizer, and member of several international scholarly networks and editorial boards dedicated to food history and cultural heritage.
Professor Orystlava Sydorchuk, D.Sc. (Economics), is a Professor of Public Administration at Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine. Her research interests include public governance, national security, regional development, spatial management, and gender equality. She has authored over 100 scientific publications and is actively engaged in international academic cooperation. Alongside her academic work, she serves as a Deputy of the Volyn Regional Council.
Antonina Shuliak is a Professor of Political Science and Dean of the Faculty of International Relations at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University. Author of around 200 publications, her research focuses on strategic communications, public diplomacy, information security, hybrid threats, Ukrainian-Polish relations, and European integration. She is actively involved in Erasmus+ Jean Monnet projects and has received prestigious national awards for her academic achievements.
Olena Prysiazhniuk is a Ukrainian expert in public and cultural diplomacy, international cooperation, and community development, with over 17 years of professional experience. She is Founder and Director of the International Impact Centre (Moldova) and coordinates international projects for the International Women’s Club of Moldova. A former diplomat at the Embassy of Ukraine in Moldova, she specializes in diplomatic partnerships, humanitarian response and intercultural dialogue.
Mihail Peicov is the Executive Director of the Civic Initiatives for National Minorities Center (ICPMN) in the Republic of Moldova and an expert in minority rights, social cohesion, civic participation, and democratic development. He coordinates national and international projects aimed at strengthening interethnic dialogue, promoting civic engagement, and advancing European values. He is the initiator of the National Forum of Ethnic Minorities of Moldova and the#WeAreMoldova campaign.
Nazarii Shuliak is an Associate Professor at Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University (Ukraine) and holds a PhD in International Relations. His research focuses on strategic communications, information security, media literacy, digital diplomacy, artificial intelligence, and countering disinformation. He specializes in strengthening information resilience and democratic governance in the face of contemporary hybrid threats.
Marianna Dushar is a food anthropologist, Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine for culinary diplomacy, and a Fulbright Visiting Scholar. She leads organizations dedicated to preserving and promoting Ukrainian culinary heritage and is the author of several books on Ukrainian cuisine. Her research examines food as a carrier of memory, identity, and history, while her work focuses on documenting and protecting traditional products and regional culinary traditions.
Esma Adzhiieva is a Ukrainian cultural heritage expert, public figure, and founder of the UNESCO-accredited NGO Alem. For over 15 years, she has worked to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Crimean Tatar people through research, education, and advocacy. A former advisor to Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, she authored the UNESCO nomination for Ornek, a traditional Crimean Tatar ornament, and has led numerous projects dedicated to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.