Alma Mater Europaea University will host one of Europe’s key international conferences of leading scholars and experts in the sciences and arts.
Maribor will once again become an international hub of top-level knowledge, dialogue, and global connection. Alma Mater Europaea University will host the prestigious international scientific conference It’s About People 2026 (It’s About People 2026) from 13 to 18 March 2026. The conference will open key questions of the contemporary world: from global security and democracy to artificial intelligence, young people’s mental health, and the challenges of an ageing society.
The 14th scientific conference – It’s About People is taking place this year under the working title – “Answers to the current challenges of our time – culture, knowledge and technology. “The purpose of the conference is to introduce students to research work at the highest level, for our researchers and associates to present their work, achievements and goals to the world, and to transfer global knowledge to us in the fastest and cheapest way,” explained Prof. Dr. Ludvik Toplak, Rector of Alma Mater Europaea University.
In this context, several events are taking place within the conference, including last week’s commemoration with a symposium – 80 years of the Nuremberg Trials – with Prof. Dr. Gideon Greiff, one of the world’s leading Holocaust experts and the author of numerous books.
The It’s About People conference also represents the realization of the goals of networking within the Global Peace Offensive, which was founded in Maribor last year. It was established by the World Academy of Art and Science, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts from Salzburg, and Alma Mater Europaea University, with the aim of connecting scientists, artists, and educators and encouraging them to take active action for peace.
The Rector of Alma Mater Europaea University, Prof. Dr. Ludvik Toplak, adds: »We live in a time of wars, geopolitical tensions, social rifts, and deep uncertainty. That is precisely why the responsibility of science is greater than ever before. Universities must not remain silent; they must be a space for dialogue, reason, and ethical judgement. With this conference, Alma Mater wishes to contribute to reflection on how to preserve peace, democracy, and human dignity in a world of conflicts.«
Global security and the future of peace
The plenary session will be marked by Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute, Trustee of the World Academy of Art and Science, Senior Advisor and Representative to the United Nations of the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, signatory of the Global Peace Offensive Initiative. In the lecture Principles and policies for response in this dangerous time, he will analyse the current geopolitical instability and raise a key question: is the world entering a new era of systemic uncertainty, and what strategic responsibility can Europe assume in ensuring peace.
In discussions on geopolitics and global security, he will be joined by Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice President of the World Academy of Art and Science, who will present the Peace Offensive Rollout initiative and the possibilities for creating long-term sustainable mechanisms for conflict prevention and strengthening international cooperation.
The plenary part of the conference will be further enriched by Klaus Mainzer, President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, with the lecture Interdisciplinary perspectives of human-centred science, technology, and society. Mainzer will highlight how linking science, technology, and the humanities can contribute to more responsible, ethical, and human-centred development in a time of rapid technological and political change.
Dr. Luka Martin Tomažič, Chair of the It’s About People Organising Committee, emphasises: »The conference opens topics that directly affect our everyday lives. We speak about safeguarding democracy, about international influences and hybrid threats, as well as the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence. At the centre of all these discussions remains the human being, their rights, dignity, and future in a time of rapid technological and political changes.«
Dr. Tanja Angleitner Sagadin, Head of the International Office of Alma Mater Europaea University and Vice-Chair of the It’s About People Organising Committee, emphasises: »It’s About People is a platform for connecting people, ideas, and institutions. In Maribor, researchers from different continents will meet to jointly seek answers to challenges that transcend the boundaries of states and disciplines.«
The plenary part of the event will take place live in Maribor, and the further programme will also be available to follow remotely, enabling broad international participation. More than 300 authors from 40 countries will take part in the conference, making Maribor, for one week, one of the central international hubs of scientific dialogue on the future of peace, democracy, and human-centred development.
Key conference topics:
Democracy and political security
Discussions on the impact of foreign actors, hybrid warfare and disinformation on elections will be led by international experts, including Michael Pinto-Duschinsky (founding governor of the Westminster Foundation), Marcin Walecki (National Democratic Institute, Ukraine), Gordan Akrap (Dr. Franjo Tuđman University of Defence and Security, Zagreb), Nigel Baker (British Embassy in Ljubljana), Paul Flather (University of Oxford) and Jonathan Granoff (Global Security Institute), with a focus on safeguarding democratic processes in the EU and the US.
Healthcare, technology and the human focus
Prof. Dr. Alena Kobesova from Charles University in Prague will address one of the key questions of modern medicine in her contribution: how to preserve the human relationship between therapist and patient in the era of artificial intelligence and robotics. “Technology can improve diagnostics, analysis and support clinical decision-making, but it must not replace empathy, professional judgment and personal contact. The future of rehabilitation must be based on a balance between innovation and human presence,” emphasizes Dr. Kobesova.
Artificial intelligence, law and human rights
A discussion on the regulation of artificial intelligence, biometrics, freedom of speech and the right to health will take place with the established figures Rok Svetlič and Alojz Peterle, who will address the question: Who controls artificial intelligence—and is it already controlling us?
Youth mental health in the digital age
The conference will open up timely social dilemmas: the rise in anxiety, eating disorders and digital addiction, the influence of social media, and intergenerational reflections.
An ageing society and the digital future of older adults
Discussions will address the challenges of digital exclusion, smart homes, long-term care and the dignity of older people in modern societies.
International cooperation and new scientific partnerships
The conference offers not only discussions, but also concrete opportunities for international networking, the development of research projects, and the active involvement of students in the global academic community.
