International Conference “Europe – Critical Problems” (17-18 October 2013)

“Europe – Critical Problems” is a conference organised jointly by the Villa Decius Association and the Res Publica Nowa as a follow-up on a prestigious series of debates revolving around the Idea of Freedom, organised by the Villa Decius Association since 2005. A special event of the conference is an Awards Gala held to honour the Laureates of the 10th edition of the Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello, granted in memory of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002-2003).

The agenda of the conference includes lectures and debates open to the public, along with a seminar with experts and representatives of the academic circles from the Czech Republic, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and the USA.

The opening speech will be delivered by Marcin Król, philosopher, historian of ideas, columnist, founder and long-standing editor-in-chief of Res Publica Nowa and Chairman of the Board of Bathory Foundation. The special lecture will be presented by Prof. Adam D. Rotfeld, an outstanding scientist, politician and intellectual, former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Expert debates and discussions will be held as part of two sessions:

Political crisis. Why democratise liberalism?

Community crisis. Between nationalism and universalism.

The conference participants will attempt to diagnose the ideas behind the crisis affecting European countries. The point of departure for the debates will be the assumption that today’s political crisis, economic problems and social tensions are symptoms of a lack of a fundamental agreement as to the core values which might serve as foundations for common, solidarity-driven and committed Europe.

The panellists – philosophers, sociologists, historians of ideas, political scientists and diplomats – together with conference participants will try to suggest solutions which go beyond the mere technocratic crisis management. In two themed sessions, they will address the basic concepts which have guided the European project. They will juxtapose democracy and liberalism, they will reflect on the modern face of nationalism and universalism and they will survey the tensions rippling through modern European societies. The experts’ voices will enrich the debate held in the streets of Brussels, Madrid and Athens.

If it wants to survive, Europe must be prepared to propose new forms of social life and redefine the foundation of thought, institutional practice and citizens’ activities. Maybe the time has come to reinvent Europe together.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Europe – Critical Problems

Programme

Thursday, 17 October

9.30 a.m. – 10.00 a.m. Registration

10.00 a.m. – 10.15 a.m. Welcome addresses

Prof. Andrzej Zoll, Villa Decius Association

Henryka Mościcka-Dendys, Undersecretary of State, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs*

Marek Sowa, Marshal of the Malopolska Region*

10.15 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. Opening speech

Europe – Critical Problems

Marcin Król (Poland)

11.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. Debate 1:

Political crisis. Why democratise liberalism?

Introductory themes: A democratic state vs. a democratic society. How civic society should be accomplished in a liberal democracy? What does democratisation of a public life mean?

Experts:

Samuel Abraham (Slovakia), Dominika Kasprowicz (Poland)

Szabolcs Pogonyi (Hungary), Nina Witoszek-Fitzpatrick (Norway)

Moderator:

Wojciech Przybylski (Poland)

12.30 p.m. – 1.00 p.m. Coffee break

1.00 p.m. – 1.45 p.m. Special lecture

Adam Daniel Rotfeld (Poland)

1.45 p.m. – 3.15 p.m. Debate 2:

Community crisis. Between nationalism and universalism

Introductory themes: In search of the community: nation states or the European project? Does democracy have to be national? Resentments and hope – what makes the people take to the streets of Europe

Experts:

Kristina Mikulova (Slovakia), Kai-Olaf Lang (Germany)

Milica Pesic (Serbia/UK), László Rájk (Hungary)

Moderator:

C. Cain Elliott (USA/Poland)

3.15 p.m. – 4.15 p.m. Refreshments

 

SPECIAL EVENT (by separate programme)

4.30 p.m. – 6.30 p.m. Awards Gala of the 10th Edition of the Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello granted in memory of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002-2003)

 

The debates will be held in Polish and English.

Simultaneous interpretation: Aleksander Jakimowicz, Piotr Krasnowolski

Blog:

Polish language – Joanna Kryńska

English language – Ziemowit Jóźwik

Arabic language – Kareem Amer

Friday, 18 October

EXPERT SEMINAR

10.00 a.m. – 1.30 p.m. Reinventing Europe

Introductory themes: European Union – federation or a commonwealth of nations? Foundations of thought for Europe. How should the future of the continent be shaped?

Introductions:

Northern Perspective: Michael Kowalewicz (Poland)

Southern Perspective: Paul T. Levin (Sweden)

Moderators: Krzysztof Bobiński (Poland), Martin Ehl (Czech Republic)

Expert Participants:

Samuel Abraham, Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts, Slovakia

Kareem Amer, Egypt/Norway

C. Cain Elliott, USA/Poland

Riccardo Campa, Jagiellonian University, Poland*

András Forgách, playwright, Hungary

Danuta Glondys, Villa Decius Association, Poland

Jarosław Górniak, Jagiellonian University, Poland*

Anka Herbut, playwright, Poland

Christian Hussel, poet, Germany

Mario Kaiser, journalist, Germany

Dominika Kasprowicz, Krakow Pedagogical University, Poland

Michael Kowalewicz, Jagiellonian University, Poland

Marcin Król, Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland

Hans-Peter Kunisch, journalist, Germany

Hendrik Lindepuu, translator, Estonia

Myroslaw Marynowicz, Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine

Kristina Mikulova, John Hopkins University, Slovakia/USA

Atle Midttun, Norwegian School of Business, Norway

Ivana Myšková, prose author, Czech Republic

Kai-Olaf Lang, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Germany

Milica Pesic, Media Diversity Institute, Serbia/UK

Jacek Popiel, Jagiellonian University, Poland*

Jan Piekło, PAUCI, Poland

Szabolcs Pogonyi, Central European University, Hungary

Wojciech Przybylski, Res Publica Nowa, Poland

László Rájk, University of Theatre and Film Arts, Hungary

Ziyad Raoof, Plenipotentiary of the Kurdish Regional Government to Poland, Iraq/Poland

Adam Daniel Rotfeld, former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland

Elżbieta Święcicka, Stockholm University, Institute for Turkish Studies, Sweden

Nina Witoszek-Fitzpatrick, University of Oslo, Norway

Mostafa Zamani Nia, writer, Iran

Andrzej Zoll, former Ombudsman, Villa Decius Association, Poland

Representatives of the Panel of Judges of the Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello:

Irena Wóycicka, Undersecretary of State, Chancellery of the President of Poland*

HE Jorge Geraldo Kadri, Ambassador of Brazil to Poland*

HE Staffan Herrström, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Poland*

Krystyna Żurek, Director, Department of United Nations and Human Rights, MFA*

Anna-Carin Öst, UNHCR Representative*

Ellen Germain, United States Consul General*

Łukasz Kamiński, President of the Institute of National Remembrance*

Irena Lipowicz, Human Rights Defender*

Tomasz Sendyka, Smart Practical Logic sp. z o. o.*

Jan Pamuła, President of the Kraków Airport*

Jacek Weremczuk, Regional Director of PZU insurance company*

Wiesław Nowak, President of the ZUE S.A.*

1.30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Lunch

*waiting for confirmation

English will be the working language of the seminar.