BDA Conference warned about the ‘weaponisation of things’

Michèle Coninsx, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Security Council, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), told the Economic Diplomacy Conference of the Brussels Diplomatic Academy (BDA) that combating the ever-evolving terror threat requires a new approach and a whole society response. Coninsx, a VUB alumna, emphasized that the ‘weaponisation of things’ will …

Join US at the VUB Open Day on 26 April

Develop your career in diplomacy and international trade and investment here! Come to the VUB Open Day on 26 April and hear about the Brussels Diplomatic Academy Postgraduate Programmes. Attend our presentation at 11 am or pop by for an individual chat between noon and 3pm. Whether you’re interested in a few courses to boost …
Photograph of 4 women and 5 men standing in front of a screen with logos of the Brussels Diplomatic Academy and Thetys Naval and the words Brussels Maritime Talks Labour Rights at Sea.

Bringing Humanity Back to the Oceans: Brussels Maritime Talks – Labour at Sea

On 4 November 2025, the Brussels Diplomatic Academy (BDA), in partnership with Téthys Naval, hosted the inaugural Brussels Maritime Talk (BMT) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Entitled “Labour at Sea: A Human Rights Perspective,” the event marked an important step in maritime dialogue — placing the realities of life and labour at sea within the …