Speakers

Mateusz Szymański is the member of the European Economic and Social Committee since 2020 where represents the Workers' Group. He also sits in the EESC Section responsible for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN). At national level, is responsible for international cooperation at the trade union NSZZ "Solidarność".

Séamus Boland was elected President of the European Economic and Social Committee in October 2025.

He has been an EESC Member since 2011. He has held different roles at the Committee, including President of the Civil Society Organizations' Group (2020-2025) and Vice President of the Civil Society Organisations' Group (2018-2020).

His policy and political interests include the eradication of poverty, social exclusion, rural development and inequality.

Séamus has been CEO of Irish Rural Link since 2001, Chair of the Peatlands Council since 2012 and a Board Member of Inland Fisheries Ireland (2018-2022).

In October 2024 he was appointed to the Just Transition Commission as an independent expert by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in Ireland.

President Boland is a farmer and has worked in civil society for over 40 years, including with young people, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and people living in rural isolation.

He is a trained Speech and Drama Educator.

President Boland is married to Geraldine Boland and has three children and three grandchildren.

Glenn Micallef is the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport. 

He leads the Commission’s work to strengthen cultural and creative ecosystems, empower children and young people, advance the European Sport Model and embed long-term fairness into policy. He also heads initiatives on cyberbullying and works on strategic foresight to prepare for future challenges.

Prior to joining the Commission, he served as Chief of Staff and Sherpa to Malta’s Prime Minister and as Director-General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, overseeing EU coordination and major policy dossiers. He graduated from the University of Malta with degrees in economics and European law/politics.

Txema Ezkerra Fernandez currently serves as Director for Diversity, Coexistence and Intergenerational Solidarity of the Basque Government. He has extensive experience in municipal leadership and social programme management. He served as Second Deputy Mayor of Portugalete and Councillor for Citizen Security, Economic Promotion, Employment, Commerce and Youth (2019–2023). Before entering municipal government, he spent nearly two decades in the social sector, coordinating programmes related to childhood, youth, gender‑based violence, socio‑educational services and community participation. His career reflects a strong commitment to social welfare, community development and effective public management. He holds a degree in Psychopedagogy and a diploma in Social Education from the University of Deusto, as well as postgraduate qualifications in Marketing and Human Resources Management from UNED – National University of Distance Education.

Alfonso Montero is the Chief Executive Officer of the European Social Network where he oversees the Network’s management and strategic direction, leads the programme of activities co-financed by the European Commission, and the annual editions of the European Social Services Conference and the European Social Services Awards. He has almost 20 years of experience in public policy formulation and evaluation, has authored and co-authored several publications, and is a regular contributor to academic journals, newspapers, and specialist social services magazines. Before joining ESN in 2010, Alfonso worked in project management and consultancy in public policy evaluation.

He holds an MA in modern languages from the University of Granada, an MA in European Governance from the College of Europe, an MSc in Public Policy from University College London, and a Masters in Executive Management of International Associations at Solvay Brussels School for Economics and Management. Alfonso advises public administrations on social services quality evaluation and has taught on social services innovation and transformation at the Universities of Barcelona, The Basque Country, and the School of Public Administration in Galicia in Spain. Alfonso speaks English, Spanish, French, Polish and Portuguese.

Tine Radinja is the Mayor of Škofja Loka (Slovenia) and Co-President of the Greens and Progressives Group in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). He has served as rapporteur for the CoR on The Future of Youth Policy in the EU and on Intergenerational Fairness. Prior to his election as Mayor, Tine worked at the World Bank on social development in the Middle East and North Africa, and with the League of Arab States. He later served as Deputy Mayor of Škofja Loka, where he was responsible for human resources, appointments, legislative and statutory affairs, as well as sports, culture, and social affairs. Tine previously served as President of the European Youth Forum, the world’s largest youth platform, and has long been active in the Scouts movement. He is a proud father of two young scouts.

Maciej Krzysztofowicz is the Head of Design for Policy at the EU Policy Lab of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). He works on innovation in policymaking and was part of the JRC team facilitating the one‑year collaborative process to ensure that policies take into account the needs of both present and future generations.

Maria Petkova is Chair of Older Women’s Network Europe and Vice President of AGE Platform Europe. She is committed to the cause of intergenerational solidarity for many years now.  M Petkova has participated in national and international initiatives and events dedicated to the digital and social inclusion of older people, legal and practical approaches to ensure their rights, quality of life of older people in small settlements, violence against older people / women etc.  On a national level she is active in a few awareness campaigns – for the World Alzheimer Day, European Day of Solidarity between Generations  and Society of All ages.

Nicole Rita Napoli serves as a Training Officer & Mission Operational Coordinator at the European Commission and as a Director of Operations at Young European Leadership. She previously served as EU Youth Delegate to the G20, where she led the Working Group on Rural Areas, contributing to policy proposals on territorial inequalities, Inclusive sustainable development and intergenerational fairness.
Her work focuses on how disparities in access to services — such as education, housing and essential public services — shape youth opportunities, regional resilience and long-term socio-economic outcomes. Bringing a rural Southern European perspective, she connects local realities with international policymaking, with experience spanning municipal, national and EU levels, as well as global fora including the United Nations (CSW69, FAO WFF).
She is actively engaged in fostering youth participation in policy processes and regularly facilitates dialogue among diverse stakeholders in international settings.

Krzysztof Balon, born 1955 in Cracow, Poland; Master of Science, Social Management, Danube University of Krems, Austria; member of the European Economic and Social Committee since 2010, at present vice president of the Group III Civil Society Organizations’ as well as member of the Permanent Group Services of General Interest; rapporteur and co-rapporteur of the EESC opinions on intergenerational solidarity and fairness

In Poland vice president of the Polish Committee of the European Anti-Poverty Network EAPN, member of the board of the Foundation European Dialogue, member of the association Parliament of Senior Citizens’ as well as member of the Public Benefit Council (main Polish civil dialogue institution) and its co-president 2012 – 2018; also of the National Committee for Social Economy; in Germany president of the Association EUROSOZIAL; Officer of the Order of Merit, Republic of Poland; Medal of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Thomas Kattnig is an Austrian trade unionist with a strong focus on EU and international policy. He is a member of the Federal Executive Board of younion – Die Daseinsgewerkschaft, representing more than 148,000 members, and has led numerous campaigns to strengthen public services, including the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative Right2Water. He consistently advocates for fair financing of public services and the fundamental right to housing.

In the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Mr. Kattnig represents workers’ interests and has acted as rapporteur on key issues such as energy policy, services of general interest, affordable housing, and the green transition. Since 2020, he has served as Vice-President of the TEN Section and of the EESC Workers’ Group.

At the European and global level, he is Vice-President of European Public Service Union (EPSU) and Public Services International (PSI) and a member of the ETUC Executive Committee, where he promotes strong, democratic public services, social rights, and decent working conditions.

Andreas Weber is Head of Department 31 “Fundamental Social Policy Issues, Coordination, and Neighborhood Development” at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Integration in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. Together with his team, he works on the development and promotion of intergenerational neighborhoods, focusing on a wide range of measures and support services for municipalities and civil society organizations. Prior to his current role, Andreas Weber held various positions within the Ministry. Most recently, he served as Head of Cabinet to the Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Integration.

Andreas Weber holds two diploma degrees in Social Work and Public Administration, as well as a Master’s degree in European Public Management. He earned his doctoral degree at the University of Tübingen with a dissertation on European social policy in the context of demographic change. In addition to his work at the Ministry, Andreas Weber teaches as a visiting lecturer at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg, where he covers topics on social policy in a European comparative perspective.

Adrián López Sarachaga is Director of Youth and Emancipation at the Basque Government, a position he holds within the Department of Wellbeing, Youth and Demographic Challenge, based in Vitoria‑Gasteiz. In this role, he promotes public policies aimed at improving the living conditions of young people, with a particular focus on emancipation processes, access to rights, social participation, and overall wellbeing.

His work is marked by a strategic and innovative vision of the role of youth in social and economic development, as well as a strong commitment to social cohesion and an intergenerational perspective. Throughout his institutional career, Adrián López Sarachaga has advocated for a close and transformative public action, designed to support young people in their life projects and to strengthen their role in shaping a more just, inclusive, and sustainable Basque society.

Laura Guérin is the Europe department manager at Gérontopôle Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.

Gérontopôle Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a centre of expertise, support and action for active and healthy ageing well in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. This public organisation founded by the Regional Health Agency of Nouvelle Aquitaine and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region brings together stakeholders involved in active and healthy ageing in the region. It also works at EU level to exchange and develop responses to the demographic challenges. Thanks to its living lab approach with user-centred and cross- sectoral methods, it supports the development of services and devices with users and professionals. It aims at encouraging multidisciplinary research to improve the quality of life of older people, promoting local initiatives, innovating and supporting organisational, educational, professional and technological experiments and the development of local economy focused on ageing well.

Peter Byrne has worked as an international environmental scientist, as the Director of the National Youth Council of Ireland. He has been a co founder of several organisations including Saplings’s Schools for Autistic Children, ECO-Unesco Clubs and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. 

Today Peter is the CEO of South Dublin Chamber and is an irish employers representative in the European Economic Social Committee where he is a member of the Employers Group. In the EESC Peter is the Vice President of the Youth Committee and President of the EU UK Follow Up Committee. 

Academically Peter holds several degrees including a Masters Degree in Organisational Behaviour. Peter is a skilled negotiator involved in many negotiations including The Good Friday Agreement. Peter is also a qualified mediator. 

Peter lives in Dublin and has had a long term involvement with European bodies including being a board member of the European Movement and when he was younger a board member of Youth Environment Europe and the European Youth Forum.

Dora Krumova, European Commission, Deputy Head of Unit, European Social Fund+ Coordination, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. Co-leads a team which coordinates and supports the implementation of ESF+ and negotiations the future ESF in 2028-2034 as part of the National and Regional Partnership Plans. She has held different positions within the European Commission in several Directorate-Generals, devoting the last twelve years on Cohesion policy funds implementation, including hands on experience with ESF+  as part of a geographical desk.

Paola Panzeri is the Deputy General Secretary of the European Public Services Unions (EPSU) since 2024. She joined EPSU in 2018 and was in charge of the Local and Regional Governments sector. She also coordinates the EPSU work in the area of women’s rights and gender equality and was Vice-President of the ETUC Women’s Committee (2021-2025). She has been working on EU employment and gender equality policies in Brussels since 2011, for EU NGO. Before coming to Brussels, Ms Panzeri worked for human rights NGOs and institutions in Kenya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France and Italy. 

She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Milan (Italy) and a MA in Law and European Studies from the University of Strasbourg (France).

Alessandro Senesi has been Deputy Head of the Erasmus+ Coordination Unit in the European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture since 2021. Prior to his present post, he held positions of increasing responsibility in the same Commission's Directorate General. 

Mr. Senesi obtained a Law degree and attended post-University training in business administration. After a few work experiences in both the private and public sector, he joined the European Commission in 2001.

Astrid Nordberg has built her professional career at the intersection of European policymaking and local implementation. She began her career working with local and regional authorities in Sweden before moving to Brussels to join a pan-European network of local authorities, where she worked on homelessness and the inclusion of vulnerable people in society.

Today, Astrid works on social and labour market policies from the perspective of employers and providers of services of general interest at SGI Europe. She is a member of the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities, and has authored opinion papers related to the EU Gender Equality Strategy and the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. In her role, Astrid connects EU-level policy discussions with the priorities and experiences of SGIs, with a strong focus on how they can support access, participation and opportunities across generations.

Iván Larraza Vila currently serves as Deputy Minister for Welfare in the Basque Government, within the Ministry of Welfare, Youth and Demographic Challenge. His is responsible for shaping and coordinating social policies and care services across the Basque Country that impact the well-being of people in the region. Prior to assuming leadership of the Deputy Ministry for Welfare, he built an extensive and distinguished career spanning the public sector, private enterprise, and the third sector. He served as Managing Director at Matia Foundation, a leading Basque social and healthcare organization dedicated to the care of older adults and the development of innovative welfare and care models. Before joining the third sector, he held senior executive positions in internationally oriented industrial companies, further broadening his experience in organizational leadership, strategic management, and institutional development. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management and a Master's degree in International Management, both from the University of Deusto.