A workshop organized by the International Directorate of Ludovika University of Public Service brought together Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders to reflect on the relationship between power, narratives, and freedom of speech. The event was held within the framework of the Ludovika Public Diplomacy Hub.
The discussion featured two speakers with different professional backgrounds but overlapping perspectives: Mansoor Ahmad Khan, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Austria, and Paweł Pawłowski, member of the Council of the Central and Eastern European Council and the Transatlantic Alliance Foundation.
In the first part of the workshop, both speakers introduced their academic and professional work. Ambassador Khan spoke from a diplomatic perspective, highlighting Pakistan’s strategic position between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. He noted that the multipolar international order is constantly evolving, and that traditional power-balancing strategies are increasingly accompanied by the use of strategic communication.
The second part of the discussion focused on freedom of speech and its limits. Participants examined whether freedom of expression also includes the freedom to misinform, and who should decide where those boundaries lie. The role of social media was central to the debate, as the rapid spread of disinformation continues to challenge existing legal, political, and ethical frameworks.
The workshop offered participants an opportunity to engage critically with contemporary debates at the intersection of geopolitics, and communication.
Photo and text: Dorottya Balsai
