The Mission of  "Lithuanian Davos"

One of the most important, if not the most important, reasons why democracies may face new wars with dictatorships is not the power that dictatorships possess or their inherent desire to expand it aggressively. It is primarily the inability of democracies to take advantage of the opportunities they have to grow stronger. This is linked not only to the influence of dictatorships and self-serving capital or other interest groups, but also to the focus of much of the democratic elite on personal or group interests. By giving in to this influence, democracies themselves help create a reality in which dictatorships may see an opportunity to benefit from a war against democratic states.

To avoid such a scenario, meaning a new war, it is crucial to assess the progress potential of each democracy and of the democratic world as a whole, to identify the solutions most beneficial to democracies, and to unite society and the elite in support of those solutions. In forums we seek to educate and unite, to shape an information and value environment that supports the necessary progress. This is especially relevant for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which have already been occupied twice by Russia and could be occupied a third time if we fail to place the interests of strengthening democracy above the interests of certain capital, political and other groups.

To prevent the destruction of necessary progress and to unite efforts to achieve it, the Lithuanian Davos forum is being organized. Its mission can be defined as follows: based on the analysis prepared by the analytical economics and politics magazine Valstybė, published by the Democracy Development Foundation which organizes the forum, each year we discuss which goals can create the greatest added value for strengthening Lithuania’s economy, business and industrial potential, democracy and defense, and for fostering technological, infrastructure and social progress.

An additional mission objective is to use the Lithuanian Davos forum as an informational and value platform that educates society (helping it understand the importance of necessary progress and encouraging support for essential decisions) and encourages the business and other elites to rise above personal or group interests and support the solutions that would have the most positive impact on the Lithuanian state.

The final objective of the mission is to use the Lithuanian Davos forum to speak about the importance of necessary progress not only in Lithuania, but also with our allies in the EU, in NATO and with advanced democracies outside these organizations. Purposefully encouraging understanding of the importance of unity in helping one another achieve necessary progress in democracies. If democratic forces fight the influence of Russia and of capital or other interest groups individually, it is clear that the likelihood of slower progress, weaker democracies and less unity will only grow. This would create the conditions for a new war.

We all see the cost of war. Losses are counted not only in hundreds of billions of euros, but also in hundreds of thousands of lives. We must do everything possible to build a future in which democracies use their full potential and grow stronger, reducing the likelihood of a new war with dictatorships and eventually eliminating it entirely, because a war would no longer offer dictatorships any real benefit or purpose.

This is the goal we pursue through our work and by organizing the Lithuanian Davos forum. We call on democratic minded leaders in Lithuanian business, politics, science and other fields, as well as allies in other democracies, to contribute to achieving this goal. Thanks to the heroes of Ukraine, we have time today to build the necessary progress, but that time is limited, so we must unite now. Only then will we secure a safe future.

Eduardas Eigirdas
Initiator of the Lithuanian Davos forum
Journalist, Editor in Chief of Valstybė magazine
President of the Democracy Development Foundation