Central European identity. Attributes and symbols

According to tradition, the Europe of the Carpathians, initiated by the Vice-Chairman of the Club of Law and Justice Party and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Marek Kuchciński, will occupy a permanent and well-established position in the program of the Economic Forum. During the conference, the most important issues concerning Central Europe are discussed. One of the talks during this year’s Europe of the Carpathians will be a panel entitled ” Central European identity. Attributes and symbols”.

“Europe is naturally divided into two parts: East and West. Both are diametrically different from each other. And between these two parts is Central Europe” – once wrote one of the leading Central European thinkers, prof. Jeno Szucs.

On the one hand, the region follows the West, and on the other hand, it must take into account what is happening in the East. The fact that these two cultures intersect determines its specificity to a large extent. The Central European spirit is particularly visible in the culture, which is an important part of the identity of the inhabitants of the region.

Over the centuries, Central Europe has become a kind of melting pot of many nations, languages and religions, and such a complicated mixture required a constant need to seek agreement. The pursuit of common interests has built deep trust, rooted in shared experiences.

Central European identity was lost with the beginning of World War I. The region was divided, and its nations often became their opponents.

Today, old trust and cooperation are being effectively rebuilt, as exemplified by the Three Seas Initiative. This is supported primarily by common geopolitical, economic and infrastructural reasons. However, it is necessary to think about what we can replace the old antagonisms with and what values determine the common vision of the future of the region.

The panel will be attended by:

Marek Kuchciński, Vice-Chairman of the Club of Law and Justice Party (Poland)

Krzysztof Szczerski, ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations (Poland)

Pavol Macala, Scientific Association Personalism (Slovakia)

Balazs Orban, Deputy Minister and Secretary of State for Parliamentary and Strategic Affairs of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban (Hungary)

Emanuelis Zingeris, Member of the Seimas, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee (Lithuania)

Ołena Shulak, MP, leader of the Servant of the People party (Ukraine)