Lecture
Open lecture: Geopolitical Headwinds Buffeting Multilateralism - How to Move Forward
- Date
- Monday 19 October 2026
- Time
- Address
- Schouwburgstraat 2
2511 VA The Hague
Students and faculty members from all Una Europa universities are invited to join in-person or online for this lecture. The talk will focus on how Europe and our multilateral institutions can navigate tensions amid geopolitical trends such as nationalism and great power rivalry.
In this era of change and disruption, the European Union and the United Nations face challenges and, simultaneously, opportunities to re-imagine global governance that is forward-looking and collaborative. Our Distinguished Speaker, Head of United Nations Liaison Office for Peace and Security Brussels, Dr. Rory Keane, will discuss the ever-evolving geopolitical environment that impacts multilateralism and ways to move beyond these headwinds.
The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session.
About the speaker
Dr. Rory Keane has worked for several years on matters relating to foreign policy and peace and security with various organizations, including the OSCE, the OECD DAC, the EU, and the United Nations. In addition to expertise in international relations, political analysis, peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and international security policy, he has worked in and on post-conflict settings, notably the Western Balkans, West Africa and the Sahel, and Central Africa. He also holds a PhD in international relations and a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship related to EU foreign and security policy.
About this project and Una Europa
This lecture is part of the RE-UNITE project: a strategic research initiative that connects academics and policymakers. The project aims to develop realistic pathways for a stronger European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) partnership on transforming multilateralism and global governance. Bringing together expertise from Una Europa partner universities, RE-UNITE focuses on the future of multilateralism, governance reform, and more effective international cooperation in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
RE-UNITE is a collaborative project involving researchers from Leiden University, the University of Helsinki, the University of Zurich, and KU Leuven. The project has benefited from Leiden University Una Europa Seed Funding.
About Una Europa
Una Europa is an alliance of 11 leading research universities, including Leiden University. Together with all Una Europa partners we are learning, collaborating and shaping the future of education and research.