What happens in the first 72 hours?
The power grid goes down. Telecom networks fall silent. Financial systems freeze. Supply chains break. No one is coming to save you, at least not immediately.
Europe spends billions on military deterrence. But when the real crisis hits, it will not be decided by armies. It will be decided by whether ordinary citizens know what to do, whether companies can keep operating, and whether the systems we depend on every day can survive sustained pressure.
That question is the one no one is asking loudly enough. Until now.
The Event
On 20 May, A Seat At The Table brings together 150 decision-makers, military leaders, crisis management officials and young professionals at the Club Prince Albert in Brussels for a conversation Europe needs to have.
Not another defense budget debate. Not another procurement panel. A sharp, honest dialogue about what actually happens when systems fail and who is responsible for keeping society together.
Two panels. One on the citizen response: how do you turn a passive population into a resilient one? One on the infrastructure test: what happens when energy, telecom, cyber and financial systems go dark at the same time?
Keynote speakers:
▪️ Bernard Quintin, Minister of Security and Interior Affairs, Belgium
▪️ Lt. Gen. Frédéric Goetynck, Vice Chief of Defense, Belgian Armed Forces
Panel 1 – Readiness in an Age of Complex Threats:
▪️ Rory Domm, Head of Division, Strategy, Coordination and Defence Policy, EEAS
▪️ Maria Martisiute, Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre
▪️ Dr Benedetta Berti, Secretary General, NATO Parliamentary Assembly
▪️ Oana Lungescu, Former NATO Spokesperson, Distinguished Fellow RUSI
▪️ Ambassador Van de Voorde, Permanent Representative of Belgium to NATO
Panel 2 – Civic Resilience and Preparedness:
▪️ Dominique Gassauer, Policy and Guidance Lead, OCHA CMCS, United Nations
▪️ Jack Hamande, Director-General of the Belgian National Crisis Centre
▪️ Peter Van Rompuy, Member of Parliament, Fraction Leader CD&V
▪️ Bernd Adolph, Principal Security Adviser, DG ECHO, European Commission
Moderators:
▪️ Lauren Walker, Journalist and Senior Producer, Euronews
▪️ Katharina Brzuska, EU Policy Analyst, Business and Science Poland
Supported by Cronos Europa and PwC.
Programme
17:30 Guest registration and welcome reception
18:30 Keynote address 1
19:10 Panel 1. Readiness in an Age of Complex Threats
20:00 Keynote address 2
20:15 Panel 2. Resilient Societies: The Role of Citizens in European Security
21:00 Closing remarks
21:10 Standing reception and networking
22:00 Close
The Audience
Half the room are senior decision-makers from NATO, the European Commission, national governments, defense industry and academia. The other half are young professionals aged 16 to 32: security students, cybersecurity engineers, defense-tech founders and military academy cadets. The people who will inherit Europe’s security architecture, in the room where it is being shaped.
Previous Edition
This event builds directly on ASATT’s EU Competitiveness dialogue on Defense and Security, which featured Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen as keynote speaker, alongside panelists from NATO, the European Commission, Microsoft and ArianeGroup.
About A Seat At The Table
An award-winning Belgian non-profit bridging diverse youth with the highest levels of EU decision-making. +1.800 events across 10 cities. +2.000 leading figures. +22.000 members. +1.200 partner organisations. Over 30 Heads of State and EU Commissioners have contributed to previous events.
Register now