KLAIPĖDA, Lithuania, 27 October 2026 — How can societies address the climate crisis without deepening inequality or weakening democracy? On 29 October, academics, international experts, civil society representatives and students will gather at LCC International University in Klaipėda to explore how climate action, economic justice and human rights can reinforce one another in an increasingly divided world.
The international conference, “Connecting the Dots – Connecting the People: Ways out of a Planetary Crisis in a Fracturing World”, is organised by the Lithuanian Consumers Alliance, LCC International University and Klaipėda University, under the patronage of the European Economic and Social Committee’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group.
For the organisers, the green and digital transitions raise questions that reach beyond technology and emissions: who bears its costs, who benefits from investment, and whose voice shapes the decisions?
“Consumers’ interests do not end at the checkout or with the next energy bill. Affordable essentials, a healthy environment and confidence in the future depend on peaceful international cooperation, respect for human rights and functioning democracies,” says Kęstutis Kupšys, Vice-President of the Lithuanian Consumers Alliance. “People need a sense of fairness: that the costs and benefits of change are shared fairly and that their voices count. We want to connect everyday consumer concerns with these wider questions of justice.”
A university as a place for peacebuilding
The conference will bring European perspectives, particularly those of the Baltic states and Ukraine, into conversation with experiences from the Global South. Increasingly, the term “Global South” is replaced, in policy and academic conversations, with “Global Majority”, as injustice is widespread in societies across the World. Therefore, discussions in Klaipėda will address climate and gender justice, trade fragmentation, development finance, migration and the protection of rights in conflict-affected societies.
For LCC International University, hosting these conversations reflects its educational and peacebuilding mission.
“Our mission calls us to educate people who can build bridges across cultural, religious and political differences. Peacebuilding begins with listening, recognising one another’s dignity and learning to address disagreement without dehumanising those who see the world differently,” says Dr Ken Stoltzfus, President of LCC International University. “By bringing students, scholars and civil society together, we want to create space for difficult conversations—and for relationships that make cooperation possible.”
Students from both Klaipėda-based universities will contribute their experiences and questions throughout the programme. Their participation will connect international high-level policy debates with the choices, uncertainties and aspirations of younger generations, at a deeply personal level.
Shared values as a basis for democratic debate
The programme combines academic reflection, participatory thematic discussions and two afternoon policy roundtables. One will examine geopolitics, development finance and the global economy; the other will explore rights, representation and people’s capacity to act amid conflict, displacement and fragmentation.
“The challenges we face today are too interconnected for any one organisation, sector or country to solve alone,” says Juliane Marie Neiiendam, Vice-President of the EESC’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group. “Civil society brings together an extraordinary diversity of experiences, perspectives and ideas. When we connect these voices around shared values of human dignity, democracy, solidarity and respect for human rights, we can turn our differences into a source of strength and find solutions that none of us could achieve alone. Because a better future is not something we simply wait for. It is something we create together.”
The conference draws on EU-co-funded “Connecting the Dots” project, which examines the relationships between power, human rights, ecological limits and economic structures. Participants will consider what an economy serving human wellbeing requires—and how climate ambitions can command public support while protecting those with the fewest resources.
Practical information
The conference takes place on Thursday, 29 October 2026, from 09:00 to 17:30, in the Learning Commons at LCC International University, Kretingos St. 36, Klaipėda.
The event will be held in English, without interpretation. Participation is free of charge; however, registration has now closed as the venue has reached its seating capacity. Thank you for your understanding. For media inquiries, please contact the organisers.
Programme and speakers: https://vartotojualjansas.lt/konferencija/
Media contact:Kęstutis Kupšys, VP, Lithuanian Consumers Alliancekestutis@report.lt | +370 698 76444
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