Webinar Series: Rethinking Security in Europe

As Europe is navigating an increasingly challenging geopolitical landscape, it aspires to boost its security. But at a time when re-armaments, military spending and deterrence dominate public debate, how do we rethink security from a peacebuilding and human-centered perspective? Join us for a series of webinar discussions to find out!

We are partnering with the International Catalan Institute for Peace, over a webinar series “Rethinking Security in Europe”, aimed at reflecting on militarization, deterrence and the current challenges facing European security in a context marked by Russia’s war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, rising military expenditure and the redefinition of international alliances.

The series seeks to create a space for critical debate on the tensions between security, democracy, human rights and peacebuilding, addressing key questions such as who defines security, who is excluded from it, who makes the decisions, and what alternatives exist beyond military approaches. The sessions will take place between 7 May and 3 June 2026 and will feature experts and representatives from international organizations, including the ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business, the International Institute for Peace, Mines Advisory Group, PAX, the Quaker Council for European Affairs, Rethinking Security UK and SaferGlobe.

PAX representatives will be speaking at two of the series:

Whose Insecurity? Objects of European Security
13 May, 5 pm
With Wilbert van der Zeijden (PAX) and Pol Bargués (CIDOB)

Security policies do not merely respond to threats: they redistribute protection, risk, and rights. The key question is not whether they generate security, but rather: for whom, and at whose expense? At this session, PAX will share insights from its work on protection of civilians and will make the case for centering human security at the core of European policies in security and defence sector.

How is security provided? Budget allocation and instruments
28 May, 4 pm
With Christina Parandii (PAX) and Clément Meynier (MAG)

European security depends on concrete decisions about what is funded and how: from remilitarization and surveillance technologies to diplomacy and conflict prevention. These decisions are not neutral; they reflect political priorities, narratives, and tensions between force and dialogue. At this session, PAX will focus on the policies and budgetary instruments needed to pursue a truly integrated and sustainable approach to peace and security, which requires much more than defence.