On Friday, March 14, the debate titled "The Russo-Ukrainian War in the Context of Post-Truth" took place in the St. Jadwiga Auditorium at the University of Rzeszów. The event was organized as part of the Regional Excellence Initiative project, "Ukrainian Migrants in the Podkarpackie Region: Economic and Social Implications."

The debate featured Associate Professor Anna Siewierska, who served as both moderator and panelist, alongside Dr Tomasz Terlikowski, Editor Konrad Dudek, and Associate Professor Maciej Milczanowski. The event commenced with an opening address by Associate Professor Grzegorz Bonusiak, Director of the Institute of Political Sciences, who welcomed the guests and introduced the topic of discussion. Associate Professor Anna Siewierska, then presented the panelists. Before the debate began, a short film was screened, illustrating the core issues raised by the discussion.

The initial stage of the debate focused on the concept of post-truth, its underlying conditions, the complexity of the modern world, and whether, in the age of social media, it is even possible to speak of truth or falsehood in absolute terms. The discussion explored how information bubbles and digital media shape their own rules for verifying information, often detaching truth from its traditional role as a reference point. While such processes have been known for centuries, contemporary media accelerate and redefine them, creating new conditions for public discourse.

As the conversation progressed, the panelists delved into the themes of war and peace, the policies of the Russian Federation, and the U.S. under Donald Trump’s leadership. However, the discussion remained fundamentally centered on the nature of truth, falsehood, and opinion, highlighting perspectives that contribute to the relative perception of truth and lies.

These issues are of profound significance for the evolving global order, in which fundamental values are increasingly questioned. In a world where the rights of weaker states are disregarded and empathy is fading, the risks for small and medium-sized nations grow ever more pronounced. Such countries not only risk losing their voice in international affairs, but their sovereignty—and ultimately, their very existence—may also come under threat. More and more, we recognize that the challenges we face today are existential in nature, even as they are masked by the rhetoric of international security and peace.

Following the panel discussion, members of the audience were invited to ask questions. After two hours of engaging debate, Associate Professor Anna Siewierska, formally concluded the event.

The debate was attended by students and teachers from few high schools in Rzeszów—institutions participating in a cooperation program with the Institute of Political Science. The audience also included many attendees from outside the university and secondary schools.