Canadian Guests Lectured to UKF Doctoral Students
The Doctoral School of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra organized two lectures by international guests from Canada on 23 September 2026. The event, Canada Day, was intended primarily for first-year doctoral students in both full-time and part-time study programmes. It was moderated by the Vice-Rector for International Relations of UKF, Assoc. Prof. PhDr. Martina Pavlíková, PhD., MBA.
Her Excellency Karen Elizabeth Mollica, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Slovak Republic, delivered a lecture entitled Canada in a Changing World. She presented Canada’s position in the changing world order and its response to current political, security, and economic challenges. She also spoke about support for Ukraine, strengthening relations with the European Union, and the development of Slovak-Canadian cooperation in the areas of trade, defence, academic contacts, and youth mobility.
In the second part of the event, Dr. h. c. Prof. Abrahim Habibulla Khan, PhD., from the University of Toronto, delivered a lecture entitled Compassion: Religiously or Secularly Understood? He presented compassion from a secular perspective through the ideas of Jacques Lacan, as well as from a religious perspective, using Buddhist understanding of compassion and Christian love of one’s neighbour as examples. He pointed out the similarities and differences between these traditions and emphasized that intercultural dialogue should respect their distinct characteristics.
The lectures offered participants an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of current international issues and to become acquainted with different perspectives on political, social, and ethical questions.
Text: Tímea Kamenická, R – Department of Research and Scientific Activities
Photos: Lubo Balko, R – Media Department
Published: September 29, 2026
