LevelUp Europe 2024

Andrew Doyle

The world is getting crazier by the day. Men should box with women? Race-based admissions to university are not racist? Jihadists who murder, rape, torture, and kidnap are good guys? All of this comes under the rubric of “social justice,” which is capturing and crippling minds worldwide. Andrew Doyle, host of Free Speech Nation and author of The New Puritans: How the Religion of Social Justice Captured the Western World, will discuss the fundamental ideas behind “social justice” and why they are contrary to genuine justice.

Thomas Walker-Werth

What roles do reason and emotion play in your life? Is there an inherent conflict between them? Should you “trust your instincts” or “follow your heart” even when they disagree with your mind? Or should you suppress your emotions in favor of “cold, calculating logic,” as Spock does? Or can you achieve harmony between the two? Thomas Walker-Werth will discuss what reason and emotion are, their relationship, and how they can work together to help you achieve a lifetime of happiness.

Stephen Davies

Is money the root of all evil? Or, perhaps, is it the root of all good? What does it mean to “make money”? What exactly is involved in producing wealth? And what is the moral status of someone who does so exceptionally well? Dr. Stephen Davies, author of The Wealth Explosion: The Nature and Origins of Modernity, will discuss what money is, where it comes from, why producing wealth is moral, and why we should view the most productive of our society with reverence and gratitude.

Angelica Walker-Werth

Dystopian novels tend to be dark and depressing. So what can a lover of life and freedom get out of them? Examining both classic and modern examples of dystopian fiction, from 1984 to The Hunger Games, Angel Walker-Werth will zero in on key aspects of the stories, including plot, theme, and characterization, and show how we can draw out and make explicit the positive, life-serving values that may be only implicit or under the surface.

Ely Lassman

In ancient Greece, the birthplace of Western philosophy, thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and the Stoics sought wisdom to understand reality, think clearly, achieve happiness, and govern society—just as we do today, and for the same reason: Such knowledge is a basic requirement for human flourishing. Ely Lassman will survey powerful ideas from several Greek philosophers, focusing on timeless principles for good living, and suggesting helpful resources for further exploration.

Tania Rak

What do you do when you suffer a hit that knocks you down, psychologically, physically, or both? How do you get back up, fight for your values, and create a life you love? Living through Russia’s assault on Ukraine, Tania Rak has experienced the atrocities of war, witnessed the destruction of individuals and families, seen communities turned into rubble, and watched Ukrainians demoralized en masse. Even so, she has managed to pursue a life of purpose and joy. She’ll discuss how she has overcome major adversity and trauma, and how you can too.

Kiyah Willis

“War is hell,” observed General W. T. Sherman, reflecting on the U.S. Civil War. It kills people, maims people, destroys lives. And often those harmed are innocent—including children. As the wars between Hamas and Israel and between Russia and Ukraine rage on, what principles should guide our thinking about the nature of war, who’s guilty, who’s innocent, and who’s responsible for the deaths of innocents? Kiyah Willis will draw from relevant history and apply moral principles to address these and related issues.

Agnieszka Płonka

North Korea’s estimated population is 25 million; Iran’s is 87 million; China’s is over 1.4 billion. Yet, to enslave entire nations is to enslave individuals. Can we use our knowledge about controlling relationships to know what is going on behind the modern Iron Curtains? What would you do if you were tormented by the political police? Are some of the methods they use present in your life? How to cover up a lie and not leave any traces?  Agnieszka Plonka will discuss the psychological techniques dictatorial regimes use to manipulate and maintain control over citizens, to foster loyalty and obedience, and to suppress dissent.

Jess Gill

Education is a vital part of a young person’s path to success. Unfortunately, modern education—with its uniform standards, teaching methods, and, in some cases, underlying political agendas—stifles creativity while sidelining individual strengths, values, and goals. This often leaves students feeling trapped, forcing them to jump through irrelevant hoops rather than engage in their interests. Drawing from her experience achieving academic success despite struggling in a classroom environment, Jess Gill will challenge the conventional approach to education and offer ideas to revamp the education system by fostering self-motivated and effective learning.

• 7:00–9:30 pm Drinks Mixer SFL

• 8:30 am Registration Opens
• 9:15 am Welcome Thomas Walker-Werth
• 9:30–10:30 am Deep Values in Dystopian Literature Angelica Walker-Werth
• 10:30–10:45 am Break
• 10:45–11:45 am Genuine Justice vs. “Social Justice” Andrew Doyle
• 11:45 am–12:00 pm Break
• 12:00–1:00 pm Rational Resilience: Growing Through Adversity Tetiana Rak
• 1:00–1:45 pm Lunch
• 1:45–2:45 pm Why Making Money Is Profoundly Moral Stephen Davies
• 2:45–3:00 pm Promo Spot Free Cities Foundation
• 3:00–3:15 pm Break
• 3:15–4:15 pm Invisible Chains: Psychological Control in Dictatorships Agnieszka Ptonka)
• 4:15–4:30 pm Break
• 4:30–5:30 pm Reason and Emotion in Harmony for Happiness Thomas Walker-Werth
• 5:30–8:00 pm Break
• 8:00 pm Evening Social Karaoke and Dance

• 9:30 am Welcome Angelica Walker-Werth
• 9:45–10:45 am Individualism and War: What about Innocents? Kiyah Willis
• 10:45–11:00 am Promo Spot Prometheus Foundation
• 11:00–11:15 am Break
• 11:15–11:45 am Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Education Jess Gill
• 11:45 am–12:45 pm Ancient Greek Lessons for Modern Times Ely Lassman
• 12:45 pm Closing Angelica & Thomas Walker-Werth
• 3:00 pm Optional Add-On: Tour of Museum of Communism

LevelUp is for people who want to live free and flourish. The theme of the conference—the thread connecting all of the lectures—is that freedom and flourishing are consequences of certain ideas that were developed over thousands of years and are still being refined today. The conference will help you to better understand and act on these ideas, to thrive in your ventures and relationships, and to support liberty on solid ground. If those are your goals, this conference is for you.

A great way to meet other attendees is to join LevelUp Europe on WhatsApp. Simply click “Join,” say hi, and enjoy a warm welcome. You can meet other attendees, find roommates, ask questions, post suggestions, and discover fun things to do in Prague.

Dress comfortably! We recommend casual attire for the daily lectures and cocktail attire for the cocktail party.

Internet access for conference attendees is free throughout the CEVRO.

We do not plan to livestream the conference.

Registration will remain open until the conference sells out. We encourage you to register and book your hotel room early, as space is limited.

If for any reason LevelUp Europe is canceled—or if for any reason you personally cannot attend—LevelUp will refund your registration fees in full through March 23, the day the conference begins.

In the event that the conference is canceled, refunds will be issued automatically. In the event that you personally cannot attend, you need only email us at [email protected] with the subject line “Cancel LevelUp Registration,” and we will refund your registration fees in full. It’s that simple.

For Firebringer Scholarship recipients, please understand that we will NOT reimburse you for unused travel tickets. We recommend you purchase refundable travel tickets and/or appropriate cancellation insurance.