The keynote speaker at the Martti Ahtisaari Lecture to be held in Jyväskylä on January 30, 2026, will be Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission

The speech opens up perspectives on how Europe can strengthen its technological base, secure critical systems, and at the same time cherish democratic values.

The lecture series honors President Martti Ahtisaari's significant peace work and offers a topical discussion on the conditions required for stability and peace in today's world.

The lecture will be held in Finnish and is open to all interested parties. The event will be hosted by Jari Lindström, editor-in-chief of Radio Keskisuomalainen.

Follow the lecture live

The event is also available on the website of the newspaper Keskisuomalainen.

Martti Ahtisaari Lecture to be held in Jyväskylä for the seventeenth time

The presidents of Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia gathered in Jyväskylä on November 8, 1999, the tenth anniversary of the end of the Cold War, with the assistance of President Martti Ahtisaari. At a public event, the presidents of the five republics assessed the prospects for their countries and Europe. This event gave rise to the lecture series named after Martti Ahtisaari.

The lecture named after President Martti Ahtisaari has become a high-level event where leading Finnish and foreign figures shed light on current issues, mainly related to inter-state security.

Speakers have included domestic and foreign government leaders. Lectures have been given by Minister Max Jakobson, State Councilor Harri Holkeri, Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson, Estonian President Arnold Rüütel, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski, President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen, President Martti Ahtisaari, Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Jorma Ollila, Chairman of the Boards of Shell and Nokia, Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi, Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, Commissioner Olli Rehn, Commander of the Finnish Defense Forces Jarmo Lindberg, Director General of the Swiss Ministry of Defense Pälvi Pulli, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto.

The lecture was last held in February 2024, when it was given by Estonian President Alar Karis.

The Martti Ahtisaari Lecture is organized by the City of Jyväskylä, the University of Jyväskylä, Mediatalo Keskisuomalainen, and the Central Finland National Defense Course Association.

More detailed arrangements for the event will be published closer to the date. The lecture can be followed live on the Keskisuomalainen website.

The program for the event will be updated on the City of Jyväskylä website: Martti Ahtisaari Lectures.