2026 TESTIMONIALS

Antón Leis García

Director, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation

This Harvard European Conference came at a decisive moment for Europe and its global role, including in international development. I was thrilled to engage with policy makers, scholars and students on the many challenges and opportunities ahead of us.

Antonio Nestoras

Founding Director, European Policy Innovation Council (EPIC)

It was a true privilege to speak at the European Conference 2026 at Harvard. The intellectual calibre of the discussions and the quality of engagement from participants made it an exceptionally stimulating experience. The organising team was outstanding, ensuring a seamless and thoughtfully curated programme. Harvard once again demonstrated its unique ability to convene globally minded voices for serious, policy-oriented dialogue.

Participating in the European Conference 2026 was a truly rewarding experience. The organizers created an open environment that fostered genuine dialogue on critical issues for Europe’s future. At a time of profound changes for Europe and the world, exchanging on how to build a stronger, more competitive and innovative Europe is crucial.

Bernard Gustin

CEO Elia Group

The Harvard European Conference is more than a place to meet. It is a platform to stay united as a transatlantic community. It keeps dialogue vibrant, sharpens mutual understanding and reinforces the bridge between Europe and the U.S. That purpose resonates deeply with Elia Group’s own mission: bringing our operational expertise and forward‑looking thinking to help power a stronger, more resilient electricity grid in the United States.

Clara Andreoletti

President and CEO, Eni Next

I was honored to take part in the European Conference at Harvard University. It was an inspiring discussion on how Europe can leverage its platforms, talent, and investment capacity to remain competitive and foster new champion companies in the tech and energy sectors, while reinforcing the value of a strong transatlantic partnership.

As CEO of Eni Next, I see transatlantic dialogue as a valuable opportunity to connect and accelerate innovation, capital flows and industrial scale — key ingredients to build the next generation of technology and energy leaders.

It was an honor to share the stage and speak with distinguished experts on foreign policy at the European Conference. As we share views and ideas with students and fellow experts we grow our understanding of the tough challenges and potential solutions of the important issues of our time.

Cary Coglianese

Edward B. Shils Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania

Europe faces big challenges from outside and inside, from the harsh world of geopolitics and from the ongoing messiness of domestic politics.  The European Conference provides a vital, safe space for experts, leaders, and students to come together in a respectful, open atmosphere of learning. It was an honor to speak at the Conference and join in such insightful dialogue with others on the most pressing regulatory and policy issues confronting Europe today.

Christos Christou

Outgoing International President, Médecins Sans Frontières

What I loved about the Harvard European Conference was the mix of brain and heart: serious policy talks, but never detached from real people and real consequences. Brilliantly organised, great speakers, and an audience that asked the kind of questions that stay with you.

As the creator of the documentary project Diary of War, which captures the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, it was deeply personal for me to speak at the European Conference about our culture of memory and resistance. At a time when many of our artists have had to leave their studios and stages to defend our homes, having our voices heard and exchanging experiences with global colleagues is vital – your engagement is what keeps our art and our spirit alive.

Dario Scannapieco

CEO and General Manager, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti SpA

The Harvard European Conference 2026 offered an exceptional forum to reflect on Europe’s evolving economic landscape, with sessions highlighting the urgent need to accelerate sustainable investment, strengthen digital competitiveness, and rethink public‑private collaboration models. The quality of debate and the diversity of perspectives provided concrete takeaways that will inform CDP’s mission in supporting long‑term, impactful development. It was an inspiring and enriching experience that underscored the value of shared vision and collective action.

Being at Harvard—with the snow outside and so many dedicated students around me—was truly inspiring. It’s an extraordinary environment to study in; it almost made me wish I were young again. The conversations I had with students and professors about Europe’s future and the evolving EU–U.S. relationship were both energising and thought-provoking. I can only say: I want to go back

Frank Hoffmeister

Head of the Legal Department, European External Action Service, and Professor of International Law, Free University of Brussels

The student led European conference of Harvard University stands out for its excellent program and high-level speakers. Numerous panels and social events in America’s oldest academic institute also provide for a unique possibility of transatlantic networking. A superb  event!

What impressed me most was the contagious energy of the organizing Students and their ambition to make this planet a more secure and better place. The weekend has been filled with top level speakers, and inspiring debates  an absolut joy.

My highlights have been the intense debate about Arctic Security and the uplifting ‚ Harmony or Dissonance? Culture as a transatlantic bridge‘ panel. Culture and emotions are the strongest bond that can build and uphold bridges.
If a United Europe chooses to lead – with principled and pragmatic, partner driven investments – it can shape global development policy, strengthen its own resilience and anchor a fairer global economy

Samantha Power

Anna Lindh Professor of the Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy, former USAID Administrator, former US Ambassador, Harvard university

The 2026 European Conference arrived at the most important point in Transatlantic relations in decades. The high-ranking speakers were a rare combination of knowledgeable and blunt — befitting this moment. The discussions avoided laments on Europe’s predicament, and were instead action-oriented and productive, presenting clear pathways to turn a crisis into a golden opportunity for European democracy and European security.

Karel Lannoo

CEO, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Harvard’s European Conference showed that real, tangible bridges can still be built across the Atlantic

It was significant to be at Harvard during this icy moment in transatlantic relations to discuss political developments in a completely white Cambridge, Massachusetts, with frozen rivers and the entire city and campus buried under masses of snow. 

The Kennedy School of Government’s European Conferencewas a good moment for the Europeans present to reconfirm their strong attachment to the EU policy and political system, European values, the importance of the multilateral order and their stance in support of Denmark against the Trump administration’s desire to acquire Greenland. 

The two-day conference, one of the most important events about Europe in the US, brought together politicians, business representatives and scholars to debate European policy, local politics and EU-US relations with a group of very enthused students. Speakers included the Luxembourgish Prime Minister (and Harvard alumni) Luc Frieden, the former Irish taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar and the former German vice-chancellor and economics minister Robert Habeck, who all happily shared their views and experiences. 
The remarkable aspect of the European Conference was the students. The conference is entirely student-led, with all plenaries and break-out sessions introduced by the students themselves. They were full of enthusiasm and passion, evidently not yet affected by the general decline in morals and ethics in today’s politics. Presentations and panel debates led to an avalanche of comments and reactions that were truly inspiring to witness. 
Sensitive issues that were passionately debated included Europe’s defence and the need for the continent to have a credible deterrence mechanism, at least within the NATO structure; the need for multilateral institutions; Greenland and its geopolitically central but arguably neglected political position; and Europe’s ‘version’ of free speech vis-à-vis what Americans would passionately understand as free speech.

And of course, to be at Kennedy School of Government for a weekend amongst some of the top policy thinkers of the Western world was a huge privilege, especially at a time when Harvard – an undisputed educational powerhouse – is currently under fierce attackby the Trump administration.
Reflecting on the conference, the students’ passion, and their willingness to engage, it was heartening to see that even with the current strains in the US-Europe relationship, it’s still possible to engage, debate respectfully and – most importantly – build bridges.