Speakers Civil Society Week 2026

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.

Isabelle Le Galo Flores took office as Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee on 16 January 2024, for a period of five years.

Ms Le Galo Flores is an expert in communication, corporate social responsibility and sustainability, with a strong focus on empowerment strategies both within and outside the organisations she has led.

Her background in mathematical engineering and political sciences, gained at Science Po Paris, led her into fields such as medicine, sustainable food systems, diversity, intergenerational justice, and youth development, allowing to integrate models of democratic regeneration in her work.

From 2014 to 2023, Ms Le Galo spearheaded Spain's Carasso Foundation, established by Danone heirs, focusing on sustainable food systems, civic arts, and advancing philanthropy. Under her guidance, the foundation pioneered grants promoting cultural democracy, sustainable arts and sciences, local food policies, and cooperative transitions.

Ms Le Galo is one of the Top 100 Women Leaders in Spain, an Aspen Institute Fellow, an Acumen Fellow, and a BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Fellow. She is French and Spanish by nationality.

Nicolae Ștefănuță MEP (Greens) serves his second term as MEP. He is full member of the Committee on Budgets, and the Committee on the Industry, Research and Energy, and Substitute member of the Committee on Public Health, and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

At the beginning of the 10^th legislature he was elected the Vice-President of the European Parliament.

Among his areas of interest as a MEP are: climate change, youth policy, foreign policy and security, public health, European budget and European rights.

He is a graduate of the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, where he obtained a Master of policy management degree. He has a bachelor's degree in economics, obtained in Timișoara, Romania and a master's in advanced international studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Austria and in European studies from the University of Vienna.

He began his professional career working for the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once Romania joined the European Union in 2007, Nicolae started his European career working for the European Parliament in various public policy areas, including budget and agriculture policy, as well as in the area of Transatlantic relations for the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with the United States.

Teresa Anjinho was sworn in as European Ombudswoman on 27 February 2025, following her election by the European Parliament in December 2024. As Ombudswoman, she is responsible for investigating maladministration within the institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies of the European Union.

From 2022 to 2025, Ms Anjinho served as a Member of the Supervisory Committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). She previously held the positions of Deputy Ombudsperson of Portugal (2017-2022), Secretary of State for Justice in the Portuguese Government (2015), and Member of Parliament in Portugal (2011-2015).

Ms Anjinho is a lawyer, an independent human rights expert, and an academic specialising in public international law, gender, and equality. She has lectured at the NOVA School of Law and at the Ius Gentium Conimbrigae Institute of the University of Coimbra. She has also published several scientific papers.

Tamam Abusalama is a Palestinian-Belgian communications and campaigns professional, born and raised in Jabalia Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. She is also a writer whose analysis and personal reflections have been featured in various international media outlets, and a public speaker recognised for her advocacy work on human rights. Tamam has been named among the most influential voices on LinkedIn. In addition to being a member of multiple anti-racist and anti-colonial movements, she is currently the Communications and Campaign Strategist at the European Left Alliance where she is leading the European Citizens’ Initiative calling on the European Commission to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Colette Bennett joined the NESC as a Policy Analyst in 2025. Prior to this role, she was Director of Advocacy and Research with The Wheel, Ireland’s national association of community, voluntary, charity, and social enterprise organisations, and Economic and Social Analyst with Social Justice Ireland. She has extensive experience in evidence-based analysis across policy areas such as poverty, consumer debt, social exclusion, housing, migration, public participation, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Colette has an MA in Social Justice and Public Policy from All Hallows College (DCU), and a Professional Practice Certificate from the Law Society of Ireland.

Passionate about education and community engagement, she has developed and delivered training for policymakers, community groups, and third-level students. She has also contributed to academic programs, authored numerous policy briefings, and launched initiatives such as the Social Justice Matters podcast, reaching audiences in 77 countries and is a regular contributor to national and local media.

Colette Bennett is a member of the Royal Irish Academy Social Sciences Committee.

@NESCireland

Nina-Raluca Bucătaru is an EU legal and policy professional and a co-lead of the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Your Flight, Save Your Right”, which opposes the downgrading of air passenger rights and works to ensure citizens are effectively represented in the ongoing revision of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. With experience at the European Commission and in private legal practice in Belgium and the UK, Nina approaches the initiative as a citizen mandate. Alongside legal analysis and policy strategy, she crafts clear, accessible narratives to engage decision-makers, partners, and the public.

Adelina Dabu is Head of Public Affairs at the Employers' Confederation Concordia, where she coordinates the organisation's activities in national, European, and international affairs. She is Concordia’s Permanent Delegate to BusinessEurope and liaison with International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and Business at OECD. She is member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), member of the Management Board of Eurofound, and the Romanian Economic and Social Council (CES) on behalf of Romanian employers.

With more than fourteen years’ experience in the field, she previously worked in large private companies dealing with stakeholders’ engagement, political risk and sustainability across various topics including fiscal policies and social affairs, energy and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods.

Adelina Dabu studied business administration, political science, European affairs and anthropology in Bucharest and Bologna

Amaia Echevarría is a journalist and communications specialist currently working at Euronews, where she produced and anchored the Spanish edition of “Brussels, my love?”,and “The Ring”, bringing European political debates closer to Spanish-speaking audiences. Her professional experience includes reporting for Agencia EFE, covering national and international current affairs and delivering multimedia content on European issues. She combines newsroom expertise with a strong background in institutional and civic engagement, having served as President of ESN Spain, fostering dialogue between youth organisations and EU stakeholders. With solid experience in political communication, moderation, and public debate, she is committed to making complex European topics accessible, dynamic, and engaging for diverse audiences.

Mattéo Garguilo is a 22 year-old Human Rights and LGBTI+ activist. Since 2023, he has been appointed co-president of the French organization ACT (Against Conversion Therapy) in order to set up a European campaign against these practices. Indeed, he is now the representative of the European Citizens’ Initiative for a “Ban on conversion practices in the EU” launched on May 17^th, 2024. Coordinating this campaign with the support of over 200 LGBTI+ and Human Rights organizations based in 17 EU Member states. This campaigns gathered the support of over 1.2 million of European citizens and is now being negotiated within the European Institutions. Outside of his advocacy work, Mattéo is also a full-time Master student at Sciences Po Lyon.

Elīna Grīnhofa is the Head of Advocacy at the Civic Alliance - Latvia (CAL), specializing in civil society communications and public engagement. She also serves as Board Member and Project Lead at the Ogre Civic Cooperation and Development Association, where she coordinates regional civic initiatives, public information campaigns, educational projects, and participatory activities that strengthen community involvement. Previously, she worked at the German Embassy in Riga, coordinating communication projects and collaborating with local NGOs, and at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, managing international cooperation and joint projects with NGOs across the Nordic countries.

Faryda Hussein is a devoted policy expert with experience in European and Dutch social affairs, inclusion, international law and cooperation. As a civil servant, Faryda is passionate about making policies work for all, in line with international law and dedicated to promoting ethics within the civil service. Faryda is co-founder of Diversité Europe, an ambassador for diversity and inclusion within the civil service and a leading voice in the civil servant movement for peace and justice.

Ms. Assya Kavrakova has been the Executive Director of the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) since 2014. ECAS is an international non-profit association, based in Brussels, with a pan-European membership and 35 years of experience in empowering citizens in order to create a more inclusive and stronger European Union.

With twenty-five years of experience in senior management positions leading national and international teams of experts and NGOs, Assya has thorough knowledge of the European Citizenship, EU law, EU structural and Cohesion Policy, Schengen regulatory framework, EU external policy decision-making, EU enlargement policy and leverage, European Rights framework, EU civic participation formal and informal mechanisms. She has an extensive knowledge of CEE civil society and regional development issues and in-depth knowledge of the post-accession state of affairs in the ten Member States from CEE.

Keen promoter of digital empowerment of citizens, with a forward-looking attitude towards digital democracy and digital management, Assya has a Certificate of the Solvay Brussels school of Economics and Management for a QiLeader (Leading authentically in digital times).

She is a member of the European Commission’s Just Transition Platform (JTP) Working Group on Stakeholder Engagement.

Assya Kavrakova is an European Citizens’ Initiative Ambassador and the project supervisor of the European citizens’ initiative online collaborative platform, which ECAS operates on behalf of and under contract to the European Commission.

Olga Kikou is the Founder and Director of the non-profit organization ‘Animal Advocacy & Food Transition’. With decades of experience in civil society advocacy, she has a wide range of interests and expertise, ranging from advancing animal-related causes to building support for social justice and green issues, strengthening citizen participation and reinforcing social reform. She has a proven track record of effective engagement with EU policymakers and has built a strong network across EU institutions and civil society. Olga serves as the representative of the Citizens’ Committee for the ECI Food is a Human Right for All: Guaranteeing healthy, just and sustainable food systems and as the substitute representative for the End The Cage Age ECI, where she played a key role in its success as the lead lobbyist engaging with various stakeholders.

Iraya Milara is International Relations Officer at the Economic and Social Council of Spain, where she fosters cooperation with Economic and Social Councils across Europe, Latin America, and the Mediterranean. She specialises in policy analysis and consensus-building, promoting active cooperation on shared socio-economic challenges. Her profile integrates legal expertise with hands-on experience in public affairs, international cooperation, and stakeholder engagement.

Prior to joining the Council, she contributed to international business promotion and economic cooperation initiatives, supporting projects across sectors such as innovation, education, and social engagement.

Iraya Milara holds a double Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Political Science from Universidad Carlos III of Madrid.

Luís Pais Antunes took up his duties as President of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) of Portugal on 4 July 2024.

Lawyer since 1982, Luís Pais Antunes has been working for the European Commission's legal service, as member of the European Union Court of Justice and as Director-General for Competition and Pricing (1994-1998). He has been Advisor to the Economic and Social Committee, and between 2002 and 2005 he was part of the 15th and 16th constitutional Governments of Portugal as Secretary of State. From 2005 to 2009, Luís Pais Antunes has been member of the Portuguese Parliament and vice-president of its European Affairs Commission.

He has been also President of the Court of Arbitration for Sport between 2015 and 2019, as well as member of the national Board of the Portuguese Red Cross and the Board of directors of the Forum for competitiveness. As President Arbitrator, he was a member of the College of Arbitrators that operates within the Economic and Social Council, for compulsory arbitration and necessary arbitration as provided for in the Labour Code.

Additionally, he was Chairman of the Board of directors of PLMJ Advogados, of which he was a partner for 25 years, having held teaching positions, as a visiting professor at several Portuguese universities (Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra and at Universidade Lusiada, and at the Faculty of Law of Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, in Porto).

Luís Pais Antunes is an expert in European and competition law, and in telecoms and IT law.

Salvatore Ricci is a 31-year-old political scientist with a deep commitment to European democracy. He is an expert on EU policies and politics, shaped by years of experience inside the Brussels “bubble.” For over five years, he has worked across EU climate, environmental, and trade policies from multiple perspectives. A strong believer in the European Union, he stands firmly for its core values: equality, freedom, and the rule of law. He enjoys connecting legal and procedural details to broader political and societal goals. At present, he works with ArcelorMittal Europe to support a strong, sustainable, and resilient European steel sector. Outside of work, he enjoys writing on political and societal issues.

Daniela Vancic is the European Policy and Advocacy Lead at Democracy International, promoting participatory and direct democracy in her role since 2017. With over a decade of experience in the democracy and participation field, she is an expert on the European Citizens’ Initiative and co-editor of Complementary Democracy: The Art of Deliberative Listening.

Pavel Zálešák, a 26-year-old Software Test Engineer, is a dedicated advocate for fair gaming practices. In 2024, he joined Stop Killing Games and later became the official representative of the European Citizens’ Initiative Stop Destroying Videogames, launched on July 31, 2024. He now coordinates a team of over 70 members across 20 EU Member States to combat harmful industry practices.

Beyond advocacy, Pavel is a full-time student at Unicorn University, serving on the student board, balancing his academic, professional, and activism efforts.

Katherine Zappone served as a Senator (2011-2016), TD for the Dáil (lower house) and as a member of the Irish Cabinet (2016-2020). As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Zappone spearheaded the national development of early years care and learning, including specialised wrap-around services to reduce child poverty and its impact. She brought her vision for equity and diversity to Europe and to high-level gatherings in the United Nations including the Security Council and General Assembly. Prior to entering politics, Dr. Zappone was a human rights advocate and co-founder of the largest community education organisation in Ireland. Her groundbreaking legal case against Ireland to recognize her marriage to Dr. Ann Louise Gilligan was the catalyst for a constitutional win in 2015. Her memoir, Love in a Time of Politics was published by Hachette in 2025. Currently, she is a Visiting Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin.

Kristīne Zonberga is the Director of the Civic Alliance – Latvia (LPA), the largest platform of non-governmental organisations in Latvia, uniting more than 140 member organisations and representing approximately 70,000 individuals.

In her capacity as Director of the Civic Alliance – Latvia, she holds a permanent seat on the Council for the Implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Non-Governmental Organisations and the Cabinet of Ministers, serving as a key representative of civil society in structured dialogue with the government.

In addition, the Civic Alliance – Latvia fulfills the role of the Secretariat of the Memorandum Council, providing coordination and administrative support to its work. Through this function, Kristīne Zonberga plays a central role in facilitating cooperation between civil society organisations and public authorities.