From May 21 to 23, 2025, the closing seminar of the fifth year of the Security Academy took place in Prague.The three-day program concluded the 2024/2025 academic year, once again reflecting the Academy’s long-term mission: to inspire young people to contribute to the Czech Republic in the fields of foreign and security policy. The diploma ceremony was attended by Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvořák and Head of the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic Monika Ladmanová.
The final seminar also symbolically marked the close of the first five years of the Academy’s existence. During this period, an active community of 58 graduates was established.They remain in regular contact and continue to collaborate. More than 90% of them have built careers in the fields of security and foreign policy —many holding key roles in government and think tanks. Thanks to a mix of expert briefings, international study trips, and personalized mentoring, Akademie dlouhodobě motivuje mladé lidi chránit demokracii a posilovat ukotvení Česka v euroatlantickém prostoru. I letos tak potvrdila svou roli jako expertní platforma pro vzdělávání nové generace bezpečnostních expertek a expertů.
The seminar opened on Wednesday, May 21, with Jan Marian, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who led a discussion on the Czech Republic’s role on the global stage and the strategic options available to diplomacy in the current security environment.
On Thursday, participants focused on core topics in security policy—ranging from human rights protection and the future of transatlantic relations to the Czech Republic’s role in European and global security. Discussion sessions were held with Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, Government Commissioner for Human Rights; Jakub Landovský of the Aspen Institute; and former diplomat and external presidential advisor Petr Kolář.
The highlight of the program was the official graduation ceremony for the 2024/2025 class, hosted by the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic. The ceremony featured inspiring speeches by Minister Dvořák and Monika Ladmanová, followed by policy paper presentations prepared by participants in collaboration with their mentors.
Friday’s program continued with a working breakfast at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, where participants met with Petra Dachtler, Deputy Ambassador. The visit included a guided tour of the embassy premises and marked the official conclusion of the seminar.
The auspices of the program in the academic year 2024/2025 were granted by: Vít Rakušan, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Jana Černochová, Minister of Defence; Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Martin Dvořák, Minister for European Affairs; Karel Řehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic; Jiří Mazánek, Director of the National Headquarters against Organized Crime of the SKPV and National Office for Cyber and Information Security.
The Security Academy is made possible through the support of Pale Fire Capital, the BLÍŽKSOBĚ Foundation, Hanns Seidel Stiftung, Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, and the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic. The final seminar was also supported by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
