Sixth MEGA Conference opens in Dubrovnik as a tribute to Charlie Kirk

Dubrovnik, Croatia — October 10, 2025

The sixth Make Europe Great Again (MEGA) Conference opened Friday afternoon in Dubrovnik with an emotional and defiant tribute to the late Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a global icon of the conservative youth movement.

The event, organized by Turning Point USA, International Organization for the Family, DOMINO party from Croatia and the College Republicans of America brought together leading Christian and conservative figures from across Europe and the United States, united in their commitment to defend Europe’s spiritual and cultural foundations against secularism and globalist ideology.

In his opening remarks, Croatian Member of the European Parliament Stephen Nikola Bartulica, host of the event, set the tone for the two-day conference.

Bartulica began by thanking Brian Brown, president of the International Organization for the Family, and George Simion, leader of Romania’s AUR party, for their support and partnership in building a truly international conservative alliance.

Bartulica declared that MEGA is here to defend Christian Europe and that faith, family, and freedom are not relics of the past, but the pillars of civilization.

He spoke passionately about Charlie Kirk’s legacy, calling him a “truth-teller who gave everything for the cause of freedom.” Bartulica concluded that Charlie's work will live on and that there isa new energy in Europe, a generation rising that refuses to surrender to fear.

He also highlighted Dubrovnik’s historical significance, noting that the city was chosen for its legacy of limited government, civic responsibility, and faith rooted in freedom.

Eric Bolling: Europe must wake up

American broadcaster and commentator Eric Bolling delivered a rousing address centered on Kirk’s courage and the moral awakening Europe must embrace.

He emphasized that Charlie Kirk understood that freedom is not inherited, but defended, and that Europe must wake up before it's too late. The values that built this continent are under attack from within.

Bolling urged attendees to stand unapologetically for faith, truth, and national sovereignty, warning that a silent and cowardly culture cannot resist tyranny.

George Simion: Our fight Is for faith, family, and freedom”

Romanian conservative leader George Simion followed with one of the most impassioned speeches of the day, describing Kirk as a Christian martyr who lived and died for the same ideas Europe now fights for.

He said that Charlie was a Christian who died for the truth, the same truth MEGA is defending now. He continued to emphasize the the EU is now under siege by unelected elites who are cancelling freedom of speech

He called on conservatives to unite across borders, recognizing that our fight is for faith, family, and freedom. He concluded his opening remarks by saying that he is proud to be a part of the MEGA movement.

Brian Brown: “Believe in God. Go to church. Get married. Have a family.”

In his remarks, Brian Brown of the International Organization for the Family connected the struggle for cultural renewal in Europe to battles fought in the United States.

He recalled the violence and persecution that followed California’s Proposition 8 (the state’s 2008 defense of marriage amendment), the rise of trans-terrorism, and the ongoing lawfare against Dr. John Eastman, one of America’s foremost defenders of constitutional and moral order. He stated the the Left has used courts and mobs to crush those who stand for truth, and that Charlie Kirk refused to "live and speak a lie".

He concluded by repeating simple, yet a powerful message from the late Charlie Kirk:

“Believe in God. Go to church. Get married. Have a family.”

A new chapter for Europe’s conservatives

The first day of Dubrovnik MEGA Conference reflected a growing unity among Europe’s conservative movements — a defiance rooted in faith and sharpened by years of cultural conflict.

From the speeches of Bartulica, Bolling, Simion, and Brown, a single message echoed through the Dubrovnik conference hall: Europe must rediscover its soul — or risk losing it forever.

As the sessions continue through the weekend, participants will explore topics including freedom of speech, what defines Europe, and the legacy of Charlie Kirk.

But the spirit of the opening day was unmistakable: this was not a memorial — it was a mission.