Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM International Republican Institute Wilfried I RI Martens Centre 0 !or* l::urOPe~n S1cd,es The International Republican Institute and the Wilfried Martens Centre fo~ European Studies Host The Beacon Project's Political Leaders Round Table 05-06 December; Washington, D.C. BAC h(,l{Ol ND N(HF: . __ --·-·-··----- ______ Thanks to the support provided by the National Endowment for Democracy, the lRl's Beacon Project supports a stronger and broader transatlantic dialogue on how to counter hostile influence and disinformation, namely from the Kremlin, and how to strengthen the societal resilience in order to eliminate their destructive consequences for our democracies. In order to support this dialogue and counter strategy, the Beacon Project has created two standing round tables; one, comprised of representatives from political parties, party foundations and institutes; and a second, of independent think tanks, NGOs, media outlets, and other civil society actors from the EU and its immediate neighborhood. This network is supported by two main features of the projed: The Beacon Project's ICT tool is being Through the discussions of the two developed to aid local media monitors standing round tables and the data and researchers to obtain qualitative provided by the ICT tool, the project and quantitative data from a wider will work toward drafting specific range of sources. This database will be policy suggestions to close the built by developing a collaborative democracy gaps present in our standardized methodology to·provide societies, that can be exploited by quality data on t_he scale and hostile influence- and disinformation. effectiveness of disinformation for the It is only through reducing the first time. In addition, this data will be democracy deficit on local, national, further supported by new national and European levels that the gains of • polling initiatives. anti-liberal political movements can be reversed. Since the beginning of this project !RI hosted four of these round tables for political leaders and civil society representatives and numerous expert meetings. This year a series of Round Tables is taking place with the cooperation of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. On top of this, !RI has commissioned a development of the Beacon Project's !CT tool. With the tool being deployed, initially in Czech Republic and Slovakia, we now hope to gain valuable experience in order to optimize the functions for the planned future launches in Hungary and Poland. Furthermore, the Beacon Project is continuing its round table series and will be conducting a tour to highlight the issue of disinformation in other European capitals. To continue our understanding and analysis of the disinformation environment, the Beacon Project will also be launching its national polling initiative by the beginning of the new year. *This event receives financial support from the European Parliament. Sole liability rests with the organisers, the European Parliament is not responsible for the activity. Received byNSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM The DC based round table will bring together MEPs, MPs, think tanks, and other experts from Central and Eastern Europe to have an exchange with US based experts and Members of Congress on the future of the · transatlantic relationship amidst the background of a controversial US Presidential campaign that saw the United States' relationship with Russia, and the transatlantic partnership thrust in to the spotlight. At the same time, we are finding growing evidence of the Kremlin's attempts to meddle in European politics, while an online culture that seems to encourage false infonnation to go viral, at the expense of facts, often plays i.n to the hands of actors who wish to influence the European and US public. It is now more important than any time since the fall of the Iron Curtain to reengage with the topic of strengthening our partnerships across the Atlantic. It is only through this partnership that we can provide the strongest possible defense of our shared values in the face of a growing threat from the Kremlin and internal extremist political movements. This round table will help put the challenges we face in the geopolitical context and provide the space for a more focused discussion on the various legislative and political solutions from both sides of the Atlantic. c\Jl_QJ'_I_TIIr OR(;.\NISERS· - - - --- ------- -_ _ ________ _ Wilfried Martens Centre 'c,* European Stuo,es In his historic speech I 982 Westminster The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Speech, President Reagan set America on a Studies (WMCES) is the official think tank of course of assisting people around the world the European People's Party. Through our who want freedom and democracy. Congress work, we inspire ideas for action and shape responded in 1983, creating the National responses to European challenges. Endowment for Democracy to support aspiring democrats worldwide. The International During testing times for Europe, we believe Republican Institute was set up as one of the these challenges deserve the best of our nonprofit, nonpartisan democracy institutes to intellectual efforts and that is why we aim to carry out this work. be a leading and innovative catalyst of centre­ right ideas and thinking. Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM Received by NSD/F ARA Registration Unit 0 1/28/2019 9: 14: 14 AM Draft Agenda MONDAY WAU< ro I Rt (approx. 700m) 09:00 - -- -- -- ----- --- - OS From: Kimpton Donavon Hotel" 11.55 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20005 DEC 2016 To: International Republican Institute - 1225 I Street NW, Suite 800, Washington DC 20005 WELCOMING TO THE POUT!( Al LEADERS' ROW11D TABU: 4 brr'/ ,nrtocl 1ct1on le ~he Beccc-n °1 OJ::ct c,nd the ,rnns of rf,1s I ound rab1t', co C'rQonm:rl bv tne \;\ i!J~ ed J\iw te11~ Ce1,trt' ro, Ecl!O(FU/1 Stt'd 1e~ 09.30-10.00-~ - International Republican Institute - 1225 I Street NW, Suite 800, Washin(!ton DC 20005 Remarks by: Mark Green, President, International Republican Institute Vit Novotny, Wi/fried Martens Centre for European Studies · HOSTILE INFLUENCE iN THE US AND EUROPE Wf_ththe in.creased releva_nc_t of (1.fsinformation and.other 'active measures: in the _,)oliiicCJi f1rOuis;.eS of tfle US cnct"Eil(ope \.vhc:t con be don1: to counter rhi5 thr1:-;[,,;_ on a n.orionoi ond :nrerriot10nol/€:vcl? 10:0():-:_ll:15 international Republican Institute Moderated by: David Kramer, McCain Institute Remarks by: Daniel Mitav, Foreign Minister of Bulgaria -6JFFE£ BREAK - · 1115-1145 FUTURE OF TRAi~SATlANIIC RtLAl!ONS & DE! ENSE A d1s'u:,::,10 11 on ho•N to st1cngthe 1 .:Jope1at1on t't'::-1•,1:en the U\ EU EoP, onc1 N4.TO ~ir·n~ 1 Uk nt.'l, oo'rn1n,;,tf11/10r' -1!"1~-1300 ---- ----- _ International Republican Institute Moderated by: Gary Schmitt, Ameri~on Enterprise Institute Remarks By: Fmr. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), former advisor to the President-eleet's Transition Team and former Choir of the House Intelligence Committee Heather Conley, Center for Strategic and International Studies LUNCh-AT IRI 13.00-14·00 _____________ ,-1c. 1,e 1 to NEC r•_ttf:!r wnc~1 OVERV 1EVJ OF NED ACTIVITIES - 1 A11 '.JVt 1~ 18\" t ,- NCO '.:11 1•p. ,, L,;_d p101ecrs tc CCU/FE.· hos r1 'e 111t/u,,,1ce 01 Euro~1ean d1::rnouoc1es 14:30-15.00 National Endowm_ent For Democracy Introduction: Barbara Haig, National Endowment for (Jemocrocy Comments by: Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment fat Democracy Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM 1NTR6DUCt10N TO THE-61:.w.coN PRo-jEcT,-STA.nis Quo, & WHERE WE CA1\J lrv1PROVE To COUNTER HOSTILE INFLUENCE After o short 1nuodLic'tion to the'J;3eacon Pro)ecto·nd NE O's other efforts, wh~re con tve .'mpro_ve OU.' prOQ(Ctm:ntn9 frorn vour pe(,;pec,rive? WhM i:; the situo(:i:Jn in you1 counr1y ond where is more suDp,J1·t· needr;'d ?_ 15;30,,-_16:30 National Endowment For Democracy Moderated by: Nadia Diuk, National Endowment for Democracy Input by: Christopher Walker, National Endowment for Democracy Rodger Potocki, National Endowment forDemocracy Joann.a Rohozinska, National Endowment for Democracy Miriam Lexmann, International Republican Institute Discussion OtNNrn· "PouTJCAL PR10Rmts 1N T11,,11:s OF GLOBAL lr-,~1ASlurv"- -- - 4 C!innt..'T 011_;tu\':i!On :,osted ty t!1,; Ho,1s-Se,c,e1-Fo i,1doU011 ,n oar ·,1e1 • o H 1;,'1 th'c: Do~s'-1 ,, n Founuo r1L1n 13:00 ---------- _ _ . The Army & Novy Club - 90117'• Street, NW, Wqshington DC Moderated by: Milos Saric, Chief Correspondent of Deutsche Welle in DC remarks by: Johannes Singhammer, Vice President of the German Bundestag Pavid Schweikert (R-AZ), Memberaf US House af Representatives Key Participants: Alexander Radwan, Member of German Bundestag Mar~ Sauber, CEO Bayernkurier Markus Blume, Member of Bavarian State Parliament Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 01/28/2019 9:14:14 AM ----~--- - TUESDAY TRAVEL TO (C..PITOI HILL J. /Jv:, w,!! tronspo1 t oli rhe pcJ1 t1C1par1.s ,o 0~11 r;101 •1,:ii;,, )d)fOn or ~'lt:' US Conu 1 e::,_ 06 09·00 - -------- -- DEC 2016 Kimpton Donavon Hotel. 1155 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20005 REVOLVING QOOR DISCUSSIONS WITH cor-iGRESS 4s COn,gre,;,s 1S ,n se:Ss1on·_.w·2 will hol:J discussions in o c-onfere_n:Ce rc:.,on1 or the Cop!rol Bwiding, 1?hete ,~/iembe(s of C¢ngress_ and s.enior staff vi/1/I cqine i.-; to provide their 1/'lput on .ou,.