After the very interesting study trip to Vienna, the International Summer University continued at K\u0151szeg, on the fourth day focusing on the successes and failures of the international crisis management, particularly as executed by the United Nations. The morning panel started with the explanation of the possibilities and limitations of military intervention in crisis situations, the role the \u201cblue helmets\u201d could and did play and the controversies this involvement may and did include. Prof. emeritus Zolt\u00e1n Szenes, former Chief of the General Staff of the Hungarian Armed Forces provided a very interesting \u201cpanorama\u201d of the different types of peacekeeping operations, initiated, and headed by the UN, explaining its legal frames, its risks and benefits, its costs, and many other details of one of the most important missions of the UN.<\/p>\n
Prof. Szenes\u2019 presentation was followed by a very important contribution given by Prof. J\u00e1nos Bog\u00e1rdi, senior adviser to iASK, eminent hydrologist who had also an important career in different UN institutions, explaining the possible reasons of conflicts, the consequences that can be also armed clashes, resulting in a flow of refugees that may create another serious problem for the UN. His extremely thorough analysis focused on the differences of conflict avoidance and conflict management, highlighting the importance of preventing critical situations that could develop into conflict and crisis, and the need for change in the UN\u2019s approach in these areas.<\/p>\n
The next panelist was Ms. Lisbeth Pilegaard, executive director of Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy, who has an impressive record of conflict management \u201con the field\u201d from Afghanistan to Serbrenica and from Latin America to Palestine. She emphasized the importance of participation of women in decision making, in avoiding and managing crisis, in politics and beyond, recalling her previous experiences in different parts of the world in different kind of conflict situations. She was referring to both the peacekeeping operations and to the problem of refugees, as seen also by the most vulnerable groups, women and children and questioned the monopoly or hegemony of male politicians and leaders to make decisions that affects all of us.<\/p>\n
The afternoon session started with the very interesting lecture of Prof. P\u00e9ter Krek\u00f3, Associate Professor at the ELTE Budapest University Institute of Psychology, describing and analyzing the ever-growing influence of fake news, conspiration theories, the role of the media and social media in this respect and the use of these as manipulative techniques of authoritarian regimes.<\/p>\n
The sessions were followed by very lively discussions and several issues were raised, many of which answered other were waiting for being answered \u2013 maybe at the next International Summer University at K\u0151szeg, following up the lively debates of the 28th<\/sup> ISU.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n\t\t\t