From 22 to 24 April 2026, the Faculty of Arts at UPJŠ in Košice hosted the 5th annual Košice Philosophy Days. This year’s theme, Philosophy Between Peace and War: Conflicts, Trust, Hope, reflected many of the pressing issues of today’s world.
The event was organised by the Department of Philosophy of the Faculty of Arts at UPJŠ in cooperation with the Slovak Philosophical Association at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. It was officially opened by the Vice-Dean for Education, Assoc. Prof. Beáta Ráczová, the Head of the Department of Philosophy, Dr. Katarína Mayerová, and the Chair of the Slovak Philosophical Association, Assoc. Prof. Andrea Javorská.
Over the course of three days, the programme featured a series of lectures, discussions, and workshops addressing current social and ethical questions. Speakers from both UPJŠ and other institutions explored a wide range of topics—from interpretations of Heidegger to questions of trust in modern technologies, as well as perspectives from feminist ethics and the relationship between philosophy and astronomy. The second day also included a practical philosophy workshop, which combined discussion with an outdoor yoga session on the faculty grounds, focusing on the connection between body and mind. Part of the programme took place outside the university, with a public discussion held at Artforum in Košice. This event opened the debate to a wider audience and focused on the challenges of the environmental crisis, along with its political and social dimensions. On Friday, the programme continued with the participation of secondary school students, who attended a workshop at the Faculty of Arts and the Department of Philosophy on the topic of artificial intelligence and its use.
Košice Philosophy Days once again confirmed their role as an important platform for academic dialogue, interdisciplinary exchange, and critical reflection on today’s challenges. The organisers would like to thank all participants and are already looking forward to the next edition.
Text and photo: Assoc. Prof. Katarína Mayerová
Head of the Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ in Košice
Translation: Natália Rubeljová
