By Illinois Review
Judson University will welcome former Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik as the featured guest for the 2026 World Leaders Forum, Standing Up For Democracy, on Thursday, April 30, at Herrick Chapel in Elgin. The main event begins at 5 p.m., with a VIP reception starting at 3 p.m. for sponsors and VIP ticket holders.
The evening will include a keynote address by Dodik followed by a question-and-answer session featuring former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. That conversation is expected to add a unique personal and historical dimension to the event, given Blagojevich’s deep Serbian roots and family story.
Blagojevich is a Serbian-American born in Chicago to Serbian immigrant parents and was the second Serbian-American elected governor in the United States. His family’s story is one of hardship, survival, and opportunity in America. His father fled communist Yugoslavia, survived several years in a Nazi concentration camp as prisoner of war, and eventually made his way to the United States with no money before building a new life.
That background gives Blagojevich a rare personal connection to the themes likely to shape the discussion: freedom, oppression, sovereignty, and the price of political courage.
As part of the evening, the World Leaders Forum will also present Dodik with its inaugural Leadership and Standing Up for Democracy Award, created to honor leaders who have shown conviction, resolve, and a willingness to defend democratic values in difficult times.
Dodik served as the 8th President of Republika Srpska from 2022 to 2025 and previously held the office from 2010 to 2018. He also served as the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2018 to 2022.
Over more than a decade, he has remained one of the most influential and controversial figures in Balkan politics, shaping debates over governance, national sovereignty, and the future of the region. He has also been a vocal champion of self-government and religious liberty, including the right of Christians to practice their faith freely without government interference.
His appearance at Judson comes with added geopolitical significance. Dodik is a close ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, placing him at the center of wider debates about nationalism, self-determination, and the direction of Europe. He has also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin 27 times, most recently in October on the sidelines of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
At a time when democracy, sovereignty, and national identity are under pressure around the world, the 2026 World Leaders Forum offers more than a speech. It offers a firsthand look at the real forces shaping Europe and the broader global order. For students, business leaders, civic leaders, and anyone interested in world affairs, this is a rare opportunity to hear directly from a political figure who has not simply observed history, but helped shape it.
(Zoltán Fischer/Press Office of the Prime Minister)
The World Leaders Forum has previously hosted global figures including former President George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Mikhail Gorbachev, Condoleezza Rice, Queen Noor of Jordan, Caroline Kennedy, Felipe Calderón, and David Petraeus.
Tickets start at $75, and proceeds support Judson’s Roeser Scholars program and the RISE program for students with intellectual disabilities.
For those who care about leadership, history, and the fight to preserve freedom, April 30 promises to be a powerful and important evening.
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