The Ninth Leonidas Donskis Memorial Conference

Introduction

In an era of geopolitical uncertainty, small states face renewed vulnerability. Yet their strength may lie not in isolation, but in solidarity, cultural connection, and shared moral imagination. This interdisciplinary conference, dedicated to the legacy of Leonidas Donskis, explores how small states navigate risk, build alliances, and shape their place in an unstable world.

In today’s shifting geopolitical landscape, small and medium-sized states once again find themselves in a space of heightened risk. On their own, they possess limited power, while unstable alliances, rapid geopolitical shifts, and an increasingly unpredictable international order deepen their vulnerability. The world seems to have returned to the Great Power Politics of the 19th century, in which a few superpowers decide the course of
history.

Yet unity cannot be reduced to nothing but formal political arrangements or territorial configurations. It exists as a cultural and intellectual space – woven through shared histories, creative exchange, and a common humanistic tradition. Within this broader fabric, while small and mid-sized states are geopolitically fragile in isolation, they gain strength and visibility through integration into networks of solidarity. They become part
of a larger conversation shaped by history, literature, philosophy, and culture. As Leonidas Donskis often remarked, the future of small and mid-sized states depends not only on power, but on friendship, solidarity, and moral imagination.

This raises a fundamental question: do small and mid-sized states merely adapt to the interests of more powerful actors, or can they actively shape their position by building alliances and cultivating shared cultural, historical, and intellectual ties? In other words, do they remain objects of geopolitical dynamics, or become subjects capable of co-creating them?

Ultimately, the question of small and mid-sized states today is not only strategic but also moral: are we capable of building common strength where individually we remain weak? How do we improve international institutions so they would allow unity without dependence on superpowers?

The aim of the Ninth Leonidas Donskis Memorial Conference is to explore the strategic position of small and mid-sized states and their capacity to build alliances and cooperation in regional and global contexts. It will address these questions through historical, political, cultural, moral, and geopolitical perspectives.