The Institute of Political Sciences of the University of Gdańsk was a partner of the international conference 'Rolling back authoritarianism', organised in cooperation with the European Solidarity Centre. Referring to the 21 demands of the Interfactory Strike Committee, conference participants signed the 'Gdańsk Declaration of Solidarity with Democracy'. Among the signatories was dr Arkadiusz Modrzejewski, prof. UG.

The South African organisation ‘The Brenthurst Foundation’ was this world-class event's initiator and main organiser. The conference at the ECS was attended by former presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and opposition leaders from African and South American countries, including Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, Ian Khama, former president of Botswana, Moeketsi Majoro, former prime minister of Lesotho, and Leopoldo Lopèz, leader of the Venezuelan opposition. Among the panellists were also representatives from Central Europe, including Janusz Lewandowski, former European Union Commissioner, and Artis Pabriks, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Latvia. Legendary Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko were special guests at the conference. The Director of the Institute of Political Sciences dr  Arkadiusz Modrzejewski, prof. UG also taking part in the event as a panellist emphasised, among other things, the importance of Gdańsk with its multicultural face in the development of the idea of solidarity, and the significance of graduates of the University of Gdańsk in the Polish system transformation. He also spoke about the relevance of values such as truth and solidarity in democratisation and opposition to authoritarianism.

With reference to the 21 demands of the Interfactory Strike Committee, the conference participants signed the 'Gdańsk Declaration of Solidarity with Democracy'. Among the signatories was dr Arkadiusz Modrzejewski, professor UG from the Institute of Political Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences UG.

Students of the Institute of Political Sciences played an essential role in the conference by providing (together with dr Joanna Leska-Ślęzak ) logistical support to the organisers. On this occasion, they had the opportunity to participate in an extraordinary workshop on political practice. They set up an ad hoc commemorative book to immortalise the event, in which many conference participants inscribed themselves.

The conference took place on June 22-23 this year