Inspiration Days: The Economics of Defense

*This ticket only gives access to the congress. If you also want to attend the Lunch Roundtable, buy the ticket for both days*

On April 9th, 2026, Day 2 will gather at the Erasmus Paviljoen to discuss a socio-economic issue (14:30-18:00). The day will begin with an Exclusive Interview with Alar Karis (President of Estonia), that will receive the World Leader Cycle Award, providing an in-depth look at his career, experiences, and perspectives, along with an interactive Q&A session. This will  be followed by a Panel Discussion on ‘The Economics of Defense‘ where Pieter Hasekamp (Director of CPB), François Bausch (Former Minister of Defense in Luxembourg) and Maarten Smidts (Director of Industry and Innovation at the Ministry of Defense) will discuss how economies sustain war effort, including short and long term consequences, and how governments maintain political stability and legitimacy in such periods. The event will wrap up with Networking Drinks, offering a casual environment for students and alumni to make connections. 

If you’re not an EFR member, you can create your guest account via this link. Simply create an account and register for the event. See you there!