Conference Programme – 34th BSPC Annual Conference

Version:25.08.2025, 07:00The 34th Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceMariehamn, Åland Islands, 24 -26 August 2025The Baltic Sea – Our LifelineCooperation, Security and SustainabilityProgrammeRegistration , the conference and other meetings will take place in the Parliamentbuilding.Ålands Lagting, Strandgatan 37, MariehamnSunday, 24 August9:00 -15:00 Participants registration and information desk availableEntrance Hall, Ålands Lagting10:00 -12:00 Meeting of the BSPC Drafting CommitteeÅlands Lagting, Plenary Hall12:00 Lunch12:30 -14:00 Meeting of the BSPC Standing CommitteeÅlands Lagting, Plenary HallVoluntary Excursions and Dinner12:30 -17:15 Excursion No 1: Travel from Mariehamn to Föglö with the Ship Albanus(maximum 42 passengers)16:00-17:15 Excursion No 2: Travel from Mariehamn to Föglö by bus and ferry17:30 -20:30 Reception and Dinner hosted by Ålands LagtingFöglö – Restaurant Seagram22:00 Aftersail – Cocktail in restaurant Dino’s /MariehamnMonday, 25 August08:00 -10:00 Registration08:00 -09:00 Meeting of the BSPC Drafting Committee (if necessary )Ålands Lagting, Plenary HallOpening session09:00 Opening SessionChair: Alfons Röblom , MP, President of the BSPCCo-Chair: Kristina Herbst , President of Parliament, BSPC Vice -PresidentIntroductionOpening speeches byAlfons Röblom, MP, President of the BSPC , Welcome SpeechH.E. Alexander Stubb , President of the Republic of FinlandMusical Performance by Jenny Carlstedt , Mezzo -sopranand Marcus Boman , pianist and photogra pherSen Vår by Lars Karlsson & Karl -Erik BergmanAve Maria by William GomezGuests of Honour – Keynote AdressesAntoņina Ņenaševa, Vice -speaker of the Latvian ParliamentYulia Navalnaya , leader of the Anti -Corruption Foundatio n09:5 0 Family PhotoFirst session10:00 -12:00 First Session: Intergenerational Dialogue – The Role of Youth inBaltic Sea CooperationChair: Carola Veit , President of Parliament, Former President of the BSCCo-Chair: Himanshu Gulati , MP NorwayIntroduction by Baltic Sea Youth Representatives(ReGeneration 2030/BSPYF)Intergenerational dialoguesPresentation by the Baltic Sea Youth contributions to the 34thBSPC ResolutionPlenary Debate on Youth Priorities12:00 -13:30 Lunch BreakSecond session13:30 -15.30 Second session: Shared Stewardship for a Sustainable Baltic SeaEmbedded in the European Ocean PactChair: Maria Stockhaus , Vice -President of the Nordic Council, MP SwedenCo-Chair: Jorodd Asphjell , former President of the BSPC,former President of the Nordic Council , MP Norway13:30 -15:00 2.1 Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries and Climate ChangeReport from BSPC Rapporteur on Climate Change and BiodiversityPhilipp da CunhaPanel Debate and Plenary Dialogue on :Balancing Ecological Limits and Socio -economic Realities in a SharedSeaModerator Ola Elvestuen , MP, Norway, former Minister of Climate andthe Environment (Norway)Rüdiger Strempel , HelcomDr. Sara Söderström , Stockholm University Baltic Sea CentreSimon Påvals, MP Åland ParliamentJonas Blendl, Student Kiel University & Geomar Helmholtz Centrefor Ocean Research15:00-15:30 2.2 Green Baltic Sea ShippingReport from BSPC Rapporteur on Integrated Maritime AffairsJörgen PetterssonUlf Hagström - Senior Vice President, Marine Operations &Newbuildings, Viking LineAnnabel Keerd, CBSS Expert Group on Sustainable MaritimeEconomy RepresentativePlenary Dialogue on Session 2: Maritime Policy for a Resilient BalticSea15:30 -16:00 Conversation BreakThird session16:00 -17:15 Third Session:Securing the Future: Energy Resilience and Infrastructure Protectionin the Baltic Sea RegionChair: Prof Jānis Vucāns , President of the Baltic Assembly, former BSPCPresident, MP LatviaCo-Chair: Meelis Kiili , MP EstoniaKeynote: Andris Kulbergs , Chairman of the BSPC WorkingGroup on Energy SecurityPresentation: Future Energy Cooperation in the Baltic SeaMarlen Rein , Subject Matter Expert NATO Energy Security Centreof ExcellenceAnders Wiklund, Expert from the company OX2Thomas Koopmann , Director, Copenhagen InfrastructurePartnersJukka Savolainen , Hybrid CoEHenrik Ringbom , Professor of Marine Law at the Åbo AkademiUniversity in Finland and Professor II at the Scandinavian Instituteof Maritime Law at the University of Oslo.Andris Kulbergs , Chairman of the BSPC Working Group on EnergySecurityPanel discussion moderated by Keira Dignan, Secretary -Generalof ReGeneration 2030Political Exchange: S trengthening regional solutions for a secure andsustainable energy future17:45 -18:30 Opportunity to visit the Åland Maritime MuseumHamngatan 2, Mariehamn18:30 -19:15 Reception on the Tall ship Pommern at the Åland Maritime Museum,hosted by the City of MariehamnHamngatan 2, Mariehamn19:15 -22:00 Dinner at BadhuspaviljongenBadhuspaviljongen, Badhusparken22:00 Aftersail in Park Restaurant and BarNorra Esplanadgatan 3Tuesday, 26 AugustFourth session09:00-10:30 Fourth Session:Geopolitical Challenges – Safeguarding Democracy and Stability inthe Baltic Sea RegionChair: Jörgen Pettersson , Speaker of the Åland Parliament, former BSPCPresidentCo-Chair: Bryndís Haraldsdóttir , former President of the Nordic Council, MPIceland09:00-10:30 Keynote speeches:Egils Levits , President of Latvia, 2019 –2023Pekka Haavisto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland2019 - 2023, Minister of Environment 1995 -1999, Minister of DevelopmentCooperation and Ownership Steering 2013 -2014.Jaroslaw Wałęsa , MP, PolandPanel discussion : Moderat or: Professor Sia Spiliopoulou ÅkermarkPolitical Exchange: Upholding Security and Democratic Values inTurbulent Times and Parliamentary Responsibilities in a Shifting SecurityLandscape10:30-10:45 Conversation break/ coffee breakFifth session10:45 -12:30General Debate: The Future of the Baltic Sea Region – Opportunities andChallengesChair: Johannes Schraps , MP Germany, former President of the BSPCCo-Chair: Antoņina Ņenaševa, Vice -speaker of the Latvian ParliamentKeynote speech (video message): Toomas Hendrik Ilves – President ofEstonia 2006 - 2016Nominated by the CBSS as High -level Wise Person to elaborate a Reporton the Future of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, presented to theCBSS Ministerial Meeting in May 2025Katarzyna Barcikowska, Chair of the CBSS Committee of Senior OfficialsFreedom of speech vs disinformation:Alice Stollmeyer , Founder and Executive Director of Defend DemocracyÅsa Wikforss, Professor of Philosophy and member of The SwedishAcademyPolitical Debate11:45 –12:30 Addresses by Representatives of other Parliamentary Assemblies,International Guests and BSPC Observer Organisations (4 Minuteseach)Closing session12:30 Closing of the 34th BSPCChair: Alfons Röblom , MP, President of the BSPCCo-Chair: Kristina Herbst , President of Parliament, Vice -President of theBSPCAdministrative MattersAdoption of the Conference ResolutionPresentation of Next Year’s Host CountryAddress by the Incoming BSPC President 2025 -202613:15 The conference ends