6th Speak Up! Meeting in Vienna

From 6 to 8 October 2025, the 6th Speak Up! Meeting took place in Vienna, jointly implemented by the IDM, the Austrian Foreign Ministry, the U.S. Embassy in Austria, and the Erste Foundation. 

For the sixth time since the start of the initiative, the programme brought together young political leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing different regions, parties, and ethnic groups. Through discussions with various experts and practitioners, participants explored the challenges facing their country and Europe.  

After a get-together at a traditional Heuriger on 6 October, the thematic part of the programme began on 7 October. Participants had the unique opportunity to meet with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, who expressed encouragement and optimism regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective. The group also visited the Austrian Parliament, where they discussed economic, energy, and political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina with Members of the National and Federal Councils from across party lines, including Alma Zadić, Christian Schandor, Markus Steinmaurer, Andrea Eder-Gitschthaler, Muna Duzdar and Elisabeth Kittl. The participants also gained insights into the work of economic experts and founders: Valerie Wolff presented the successful startup Vello Bike, while Lisa Rilasciati from the Austrian Economic Chamber discussed connecting markets in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, and Europe. 

On 8 October, the discussions continued with Ladislav Cabada from the Metropolitan University Prague, IDM Director Sebastian Schäffer and IDM Research Associate Malwina Talik, who spoke about Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference in Czechia, Poland, and Moldova. The topic was then linked to the experiences of the participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following a session on political campaigning with communications strategist Hannah Zach, the group enjoyed a special guided tour of the House of Austrian History, focusing on Austria’s Nazi past and reconciliation efforts. The final session was dedicated to a joint reflection, where participants shared their hopes and ideas for the future of the Speak Up! programme. 

We would like to thank our cooperation partners and all participants for their commitment and enthusiasm!