2026 Edition
Agenda
29-30 OCT 2026
NOVA SBE, CARCAVELOS CAMPUS, CASCAIS | PORTUGAL
POLITICS
GLOBAL PEACE
EDUCATION
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
AI & TECH
Two days. One shared question: how can we reignite democracy in a world being reshaped by profound change?
Through five critical pillars – Politics, Global Peace, Education, Health & Preparedness and AI & Tech – the Estoril Conferences 2026 explore the foundational conditions for stronger democracies: trusted institutions, human capability, responsible innovation, resilient communities and international cooperation.
Organization
29 OCT 2026
The event will be held in English.
09:00
OPENING – REIGNITE DEMOCRACY
09:05
WELCOME REMARKS
Pedro Oliveira
Dean, Nova School of Business & Economics (Portugal)
Pedro Póvoa
Dean, NOVA Medical School (Portugal)
Nuno Piteira Lopes
Mayor of the Municipality of Cascais (Portugal)
09:30
PANEL DISCUSSION
THE FORCES RESHAPING OUR WORLD
Understanding the forces reshaping our world and what they demand from leaders and societies.
A high-level conversation on the geopolitical, economic and societal transformations defining the world we have entered and the choices they create for democratic
societies
Speakers*
10:05
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
WHAT MAKES SOCIETIES FLOURISH
What enables societies to translate human potential into broadly shared prosperity?
A reflection on prosperity, inequality, institutions and the conditions that enable people and societies to flourish.
Speaker*
10:25
PANEL CONVERSATION
DEMOCRACY THROUGH HUMAN EYES
Beyond systems and institutions, democracy is ultimately experienced through people’s lives.
A conversation bringing together lived experiences of freedom, human rights and civic courage, exploring what democracy means when viewed through the lives of those who have had to defend it.
Shirin Ebadi
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Human Rights Lawyer
Olivier Vandecasteele
Humanitarian Leader and Founder, Protect Humanitarians
Jesús Armas
Venezuelan Human Rights Activist
In conversation with*
10:55
FIRESIDE CHAT
READING THE NEW WORLD
How should we understand the geopolitical transformation taking place around us?
A conversation on the changing international order, the forces redefining global power and the choices facing Europe and democratic societies in an increasingly fragmented world.
Speaker*
In conversation with*
11:20
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
THE MERITOCRACY PARADOX
When do systems designed to reward merit unintentionally reproduce inequality?
A reflection on merit, opportunity and fairness, and on what organizations and societies can learn from evidence about how supposedly meritocratic systems operate.
Emilio J. Castilla
NTU Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School
11:40
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
PREPARING FOR WHAT COMES NEXT
How can we prepare for a future we cannot fully predict?
A forward-looking reflection on the forces of change already emerging and how leaders and organizations can develop the capacity to anticipate, adapt and act.
Matt Watters
Partner, McKinsey & Company
12:00
PANEL DEBATE
POLITICS
THE ARCHITECTURE OF TRUST
What creates trust in institutions and what sustains it?
A conversation exploring the relationship between institutions, information, journalism and public trust, and the conditions required for democratic societies to maintain a shared understanding of reality.
Jenny Romano
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of The Newsroom
Additional speakers*
12:35
ADDRESS
POLITICS
BUILDING CAPABILITY: SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
How can science and innovation expand the capabilities of people and societies?
A reflection on the role of knowledge, scientific ambition and innovation in preparing people and countries to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Helena Canhão
Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, Portugal
13:00
Lunch Break
14:00
FIRESIDE CHAT
EDUCATION
WHEN HUMOR SPEAKS
What can humor reveal that other forms of expression cannot?
A reflection on humor as a distinctly human capacity to question assumptions, challenge conventions, navigate discomfort and see ourselves and our societies from a different perspective.
Fábio Porchat
Brazilian comedian, actor, writer and television host
In conversation with*
14:30
PANEL DEBATE
EDUCATION
THE POWER OF CHOICE
How does financial capability expand people’s freedom to shape their own lives?
A conversation about financial literacy, access and empowerment and why the ability to make informed financial choices matters for individual opportunity and societal resilience.
Annamaria Lusardi
Professor, Stanford University
Maria Luís Albuquerque
European Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, European Commission
Moderator
Miguel Ferreira
Vice-Dean of Faculty & Research at Nova SBE
15:00
PANEL DEBATE
EDUCATION
EDUCATING FOR AN UNWRITTEN FUTURE
How should universities prepare us for a future we cannot predict?
A conversation about the future of higher education and the role universities must play in developing knowledge, judgment, adaptability and human capability for a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence and profound societal change.
Matthew Prince
Co-Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman, Cloudflare
Additional speakers*
Moderator
Andrew Jack
Global Education Editor, Financial Times
15:30
PANEL DISCUSSION
EDUCATION
THE LONGEVITY SHIFT
How will longer, healthier lives reshape the way we live, work and contribute?
A conversation exploring longevity as one of the defining transformations of our time, and how longer, healthier lives could reshape work, learning, healthcare, financial security and relationships across generations. It will consider the choices individuals, businesses and societies can make today to turn greater longevity into greater human capability, opportunity and shared prosperity.
Speakers*
Moderator
Pedro Pita Barros
Professor of Economics, Nova School of Business & Economics
16:00
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
AI & TECH
LEADING RESPONSIBLE TRANSFORMATION
Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade
Chief Executive Officer at EDP
16:20
PANEL DEBATE
AI & TECH
CEO FORUM: AI, BUSINESS AND DEMOCRACY
What responsibility does business carry as AI reshapes work, markets, trust and society?
A conversation with business leaders on the opportunities and responsibilities created by AI, and how corporate choices around innovation, work, trust and governance can contribute to stronger organizations and healthier democratic societies.
Speakers*
16:50
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
AI & TECH
AI TALK: HUMAN + MACHINE
What becomes possible when humans and intelligent machines learn to work together?
A forward-looking reflection on how artificial intelligence can augment human capability, reshape the way we work and collaborate and help us design organizations that combine the distinctive strengths of people and machines.
Speaker*
17:10
PANEL DISCUSSION
AI & TECH
AI, POWER AND HUMAN CHOICE
Who shapes human choice when artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the environments in which choices are made?
A reflection on how AI and digital platforms are reshaping human agency, influence and decision-making, and how societies can govern these systems to preserve meaningful choice while enabling innovation.
Carmelo Cennamo
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Copenhagen Business School; Director, Platform Economy & Regulation Monitor, SDA Bocconi
Additional speakers*
17:40
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
THE PREPAREDNESS IMPERATIVE
How do we prepare societies for threats we know will come, even when we cannot predict exactly when or how?
A reflection on preparedness, health resilience and the capabilities societies need to anticipate and respond to future crises.
Ricardo Baptista Leite
CEO, Health AI – The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health
18:00
PANEL DISCUSSION
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
USER-DRIVEN HEALTH INNOVATION
Virgílio Bento
Founder & CEO, Sword Health
Kenneth Shinozuka
Neuroscientist, Inventor & Healthcare Innovator, SafeWander
Additional speakers*
Moderator
Ana Rodrigues
Principal Investigator and Professor, NOVA Medical School
18:30
CLOSING REMARKS
Speaker*
30 OCT 2026
The event will be held in English.
09:00
WELCOME BACK – REIGNITE DEMOCRACY
09:05
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
DESIGNED FOR HUMANITY
What changes when innovation begins with the person rather than the technology?
A human reflection on designing solutions around people’s real lives, needs and
aspirations.
Emma Lawton
Inclusive design expert and Parkinson’s Advocate
09:25
ADDRESS
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
INSTITUTIONS FIT FOR THE FUTURE
Are our institutions evolving fast enough for the world they are being asked to serve?
A reflection on how institutions can evolve to remain capable, responsive and trusted in a rapidly changing world, and how simplification, artificial intelligence and better design can strengthen public institutions and their ability to serve people and society.
Gonçalo Saraiva Matias
Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and for State Reform, Portugal
09:45
CURATED CONVERSATION
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
LEADING TRANSFORMATION THAT LASTS
Why do some transformations endure while others disappear when leadership changes?
A conversation about building change that becomes embedded in organizations and survives beyond the individuals who initiated it.
Erwin Dhont
MD, Retired General (Medical Corps)
Additional speakers*
Conversation Chair*
10:15
PANEL DISCUSSION
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
EVIDENCE THAT SAVES LIVES
How can better evidence lead to better decisions and better lives?
A conversation on the role of evidence in health and public decision-making, and how knowledge can be translated more effectively into action and impact.
Trudie Lang
Professor of Global Health Research, University of Oxford; Head of The Global Health Network
Karla Soares-Weiser
Chief Executive Officer, Cochrane
Anselm Schneider
Program Director, Hospital Partnerships, GIZ
Moderated by*
10:45
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
HEALTH & PREPAREDNESS
PREPARING FOR TOMORROW
How can we see emerging change early enough to act before it becomes disruption?
A forward-looking reflection on the signals, technologies and societal transformations that could define the years ahead.
Fábio Scarano
Professor of Ecology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
11:05
PANEL DISCUSSION
GLOBAL PEACE
CITIES THAT STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY
Can democratic renewal begin closer to people’s everyday lives?
A conversation about cities as spaces for participation, experimentation and trust, and their potential to strengthen democratic life from the ground up.
Carl-Helfried von Lüttichau
Founder & CEO, European Capital of Democracy
Additional speakers*
Moderator
José M. Tavares
Professor of Economics, Nova School of Business & Economics
11:35
FIRESIDE CHAT
GLOBAL PEACE
TRUST BEYOND BORDERS
How can trust be built across borders, cultures and divides?
A reflection on the human foundations of international cooperation and on how relationships, dialogue and shared purpose can make cooperation possible even where trust is difficult to build.
Christoph von Toggenburg
Humanitarian Leader, Hostage Negotiator and Human Rights expert
In conversation with*
12:00
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
GLOBAL PEACE
A FUTURE WE CAN ONLY BUILD TOGETHER
Peace cannot be built alone. Neither can the future.
A reflection on peace, human dignity and our shared responsibility to create the conditions in which people and societies can flourish together.
Speaker*
12:20
FIRESIDE CHAT
GLOBAL PEACE
LEADING UNDER PRESSURE
What allows leaders and teams to perform when expectations are highest and margins for error are smallest?
A conversation about leadership, trust, preparation and decision-making under pressure.
Speaker*
In conversation with
Miguel Pina e Cunha
Vice-Dean for Innovation & Impact at Nova SBE
12:45
REFLECTION
GLOBAL PEACE
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE
What does it truly mean to choose a life of public service?
A personal reflection on the responsibility, humility and sense of purpose required of those who choose to serve society.
José Luís Carneiro
Secretary-General, Socialist Party, Portugal
Additional speakers*
13:00
Lunch Break
14:00
ARTISTIC MOMENT
14:05
FIRESIDE CHAT
GLOBAL PEACE
COURAGE UNDER PRESSURE
What does it take to defend democratic principles when doing so carries a personal cost?
A personal conversation about courage, resilience and responsibility in the face of extraordinary political and personal pressure.
Yulia Navalnaya
Russian Activist and Opposition Leader
In conversation with*
14:30
PANEL DEBATE
GLOBAL PEACE
CAN WE DISAGREE BETTER?
Can political disagreement become a source of democratic strength rather than division?
A conversation among a new generation of political leaders representing the democratic spectrum, exploring how we can disagree with conviction while listening, respecting differences and preserving the possibility of common ground.
Young political leaders representing the democratic spectrum*
15:00
GLOBAL PEACE
NATIONAL DEBATE AWARD
Democracy grows stronger when we learn to disagree better.
The launch of the National Debate Award, a new Nova SBE Public Policy Institute initiative designed to encourage the next generation to debate ideas with rigor, respect and openness to different perspectives.
Presented by
Nova SBE Public Policy Institute representatives
15:05
REFLECTION
GLOBAL PEACE
THE HUMAN CAPACITY TO IMAGINE
What becomes possible when we allow ourselves to imagine a different future?
A personal reflection on imagination as a distinctly human capacity to see beyond the world as it is, give form to what does not yet exist and open new possibilities for ourselves and others.
Joaquim de Almeida
International Actor
15:15
GLOBAL PEACE
FROM IDEAS TO ACTION
A conference matters only if what happens inside it travels beyond it.
A reflection on the ideas, questions and commitments emerging from the Estoril Conferences 2026, connecting the conversations on stage with the choices and actions that follow.
Speakers*
15:40
CURATED CONVERSATION
GLOBAL PEACE
EUROPE'S MOMENT OF CHOICE
What choices must Europe make now to shape the future it wants?
A conversation on how Europe can strengthen its competitiveness, democratic resilience and capacity to act in a rapidly changing world, translating its economic scale, values and human potential into prosperity, security and global relevance.
Enrico Letta
Former Prime Minister of Italy, President of the Jacques Delors Institute and Dean of IE University
Additional speakers*
16:10
INSPIRATIONAL TALK
GLOBAL PEACE
THE FUTURE IS A CHOICE
The future is not something that simply happens to us. It is shaped by the choices we make.
A closing reflection on human agency, courage and our responsibility to shape a future in which democracy, dignity and opportunity can flourish.
Speaker*
16:35
CLOSING REMARKS
Speaker*
16:45
ARTISTIC PERFORMANCE
17:00
END OF ESTORIL CONFERENCES 2026
* To be announced
