The 74th Europe Alive conference took place in Brno, the Czech Republic’s second city, from 3–7 June, bringing together 27 delegates from five countries, including six from the UK. Blessed with warm sunshine and an excellent programme organised by Marketa Buresova with Czech Section President Sarka Slavikova, the event combined thought-provoking discussions with cultural visits.

A key highlight was a conference on Gender Equality and Modern Slavery held in the historic Regional Parliament. Guest speakers included South Moravian Governor Jan Grolich, MEP and economist Danuse Nerudova, and Martina Rastikova, Vice-Rector of Mendel University. Delegates from Estonia, Austria, Spain and the UK shared presentations on gender equality and initiatives tackling modern slavery.

The programme also included visits to the Vesna Community Centre, which supports Ukrainian refugee women and children, the underground Brno Water Reservoirs, and the renowned Villa Tugendhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Social events featured a gala dinner, a city tour in a hired public trolley bus, and a local wine festival.
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Delegates enjoyed traditional Czech hospitality, cuisine and culture throughout their stay. Not only did Brno impress visitors as a welcoming destination rich in history and charm, offering an authentic experience away from the crowds of mass tourism, but it is also the Czech Republic’s leading university city, with 11 universities and 26 faculties.

In October, 40 delegates from six countries - Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Spain, Malta and the UK - met in Malta for the 75th Europe Alive event, showcasing Maltese culture.  Delegates flew in from across Europe and dined in a local restaurant in Mellieha, before travelling by ferry to Gozo, a small island near Malta.  They visited Savina, a family owned factory producing tomatoes and other products and then had an island tour in a white trolley train, visiting the salt beds and the famous Ta’Pinu church.  Later there was a discussion on the 2025 EUW topic linked to the UN motion “United in Voice, Strong in Diversity”.  There were two special guests - the Hon. Graziella Attard Prevue, a Maltese MP, Shadow Minister for Equality, Civil Liberties and Public Broadcasting and Family Affairs Committee member and Jacqui Lait, former British MP, Shadow Minister and longstanding EUW member who now lives in Malta.  Lynne Faulkner’s introduction outlined the evolution of women’s rights in her lifetime, including the final end of the marriage bar in the British Diplomatic Service in 1973.  This 75th Europe Alive was a great success thanks to the hard work of the Maltese hosts and we look forward to the 2026 Europe Alive in Brno, the second city of Czechia, from 3rd-7th June and then in Spain in 2027.