Organizer / Moderator
Professor Ryszard M. Machnikowski is the Dean of the Faculty of International and Political Studies at the University of Łódź. Since 2022, he has headed the Center for Strategic Analysis and Forecasts at the Faculty, and since 2023 he has also led the Department of Foreign Policy Theory and Security. He is an expert for the National Science Centre (Poland), as well as for the Conseil Supérieur de la Formation et de la Recherche Stratégique and the Security and Defense Team (CNAM) in Paris. A member of the Conseil Scientifique of the master’s program in criminology at CNAM, he previously collaborated on the Countering Lone Actor Terrorism project (Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London).

Moderator
Dr Aleksander Olech is the Head of International Cooperation at Defence24 Group and Editor-in-Chief of Defence24.com. He lectures at national and international universities, focusing on international relations and security. As a NATO associate, he contributes to shaping defence and diplomatic policies. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of the Department of Africa and the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His research and professional expertise make him one of the leading voices in global security and diplomacy.