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Well-chosen topics
This year’s event was opened by the remarkable David A. Westbrook, an American author, academic, and distinguished legal expert known for his extensive work on international relations and global governance. His address set the stage for a thought-provoking program focused on the theme “Global Threat Scenarios.”
Professor Westbrook introduced key global developments shaping today’s security landscape and highlighted the complex interplay between geopolitical, technological, and societal risks. His insights provided a strong foundation for the discussions that followed, inviting participants to reflect on the challenges and uncertainties facing the international community in the years ahead.
Dr. Lorcan Byrne and Dan Prastalo delivered an impactful presentation on Frontline Crisis Response, offering a detailed insight into real-time decision-making and operational challenges during critical incidents. Drawing from their direct experience, they provided a first-responder perspective on the 2019 DusitD2 Hotel (14 Riverside Complex) terrorist attack, illustrating how rapid assessment, coordinated action, and resilience on the ground shape the outcome of such high-risk situations. Their presentation offered participants a rare, authentic look into the realities of responding to complex crises.
The event also provided a highly productive platform for discussion between the speakers and university students, who posed a range of complex and thoughtful questions. The exchanges offered valuable insights that will support students in their future research and case studies, enriching their academic understanding and preparing them for work in real-world security and crisis-response contexts.
WHO WE ARE
Meet the Keynote Speakers
Anthorpologist
Dr. Dan Podjed
is a Slovenian anthropologist, a researcher at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, an associate professor at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, and an advisor at the Innovation and Development Institute of the University of Ljubljana.
Psychologist
Dr. Kristijan Musek Lešnik
writer, speaker, and teacher started his teaching career at the College for Police and Security Studies in Ljubljana. He is currently a Chair of the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Primorska (Slovenia).
Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs
& Zavod Utrip
Matej Košir
He is the director of the “Utrip” Institute, the President of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs, and a former President of ICARA. He has been working for more than 25 years in the field of prevention and advocacy related to alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and addictions.
NGO for Nonviolent Communication
Katja Zabukovec Kerin
is the founder and president of the Association for Nonviolent Communication, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. It is the largest non-governmental organization in Slovenia working in the field of preventing and stopping various forms of violence.
ADHD Expert
Matic Novak
Co-founder of the Institute for the Development of ADHD Potential, where he combines his personal experience with an ADHD diagnosis with work in education, support, and counseling for children, adolescents, and adults with the condition. As a former paramedic and mountain rescuer, he approaches topics of attention and hyperactivity through scientific and practical methods.
Principle of Primary School
Mag. Ingrid Klemenčič
is a social pedagogue, the principal of Simon Jenko Primary School in Kranj, and a co-founder of the Institute for the Development of ADHD Potential. She is the co-author of the Handbook on Addressing Domestic Violence for Educational Institutions, as well as the Protocols for the Identification and Handling of Peer Violence.
Institute for Criminology UL
Dr. Katja Filipčič
is a professor of criminal law at the Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana. Her research focuses on various forms of violence, particularly domestic violence, peer violence, and juvenile delinquency. She has contributed to the development of legislation addressing violence.
COLLABORATION
Our 2025 IRELAND Sponsors
FREE ADMISSION
BREZPLAČNA UDELEŽBA
ERAC 2025 Ireland
"Global Threat Scenarios"
COLLABORATION
Our 2025 Partners
PRESS
Invited News Agencies
The ERAC 2025 Ireland event was held on December 5, 2025, at the distinguished Maynooth University in the town of Maynooth, Ireland. The event was jointly organized by IPO and Maynooth University, under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of the City of Ljubljana, underscoring its importance for the professional community and highlighting the city’s ongoing commitment to fostering expert dialogue and innovation.