Prague, May 2026 – The Platform of European Memory and Conscience (PEMC) with the Embassy of Lithuania in Prague co-organised a side event at Globsec Forum 2026 in Prague, addressing one of the most pressing challenges at the intersection of history and security policy: “Weaponised History: Integrating Memory into Europe’s Security and Resilience Agenda.” on 23 May.
The panel brought together senior representatives from across Europe: Kęstutis Budrys of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Senator Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, Pavel Žáček, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Daniel Vodă of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (Moldova), and Marek Mutor, President of PEMC. The diversity of national and institutional perspectives enriched the debate and underscored the cross-border nature of the challenge.
The discussion addressed a reality that can no longer be treated as peripheral: authoritarian regimes are increasingly manipulating historical narratives to justify aggression, evade accountability, and undermine democratic unity. In the context of hybrid warfare, distorted history functions alongside cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and economic coercion as an instrument of destabilisation. The session examined how evidence-based historical memory can be integrated into Europe’s broader security architecture — not only as a moral obligation, but as a strategic tool to expose hostile narratives, reinforce democratic cohesion, and strengthen societal resilience. The proposed Pan-European Memorial for the Victims of Totalitarianism in Brussels was presented as a concrete example of how remembrance can be made visible and credible at the European institutional level.
Prior to the panel, a solemn name-reading ceremony honoured victims of totalitarian regimes. Names were read by representatives of Albania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine, with the participation of ambassadors, official diplomatic representatives, and PEMC Managing Director Wojtek Bednarski. The ceremony served as a direct reminder of what underlies this policy debate: individual lives, suffering, courage, and the enduring responsibility to remember.
PEMC extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, diplomats, and partners who contributed to making this session possible, and in particular to Rolandas Kačinskas and the Embassy of Lithuania in Prague for their support.
