“Gazeta Wyborcza” in cooperation with the Austrian Embassy in Warsaw have the pleasure to invite you to the public discussion:

Which future for Central Europe?, Tuesday, 21st March 2017, 18.00 hrs., ”Gazeta Wyborcza” Building, ul. Czerska 8/10, entrance: ul. Czerniakowska

‚Central Europe (Mitteleuropa)‘ as topos of mental communalities of people of different nationalities, languages, religions and during history also of different political systems had its ups and downs over the last decades. During the period of East-West division, ‚Central Europe‘ was the binding element between the civil societies of the countries of this region. Have the current joint EU membership and shared democratic values of these countries made the concept of ‚Central Europe‘ obsolete or can the traditions and experiences of ‚Central Europe‘ provide valid arguments against the present-day nationalistic and populist tendencies and attempts to categorise everything and everyone as either „good“ or „bad“? Does today’s repeated use of ‚Central Europe‘ referring only to former „socialist“ states of the region do justice to the mental concept of ‚Central Europe‘? Should the ‚Three Seas Initiative‘ encompassing an „enlarged Central Europe“ remain restricted to technical issues like transport and energy infrastructure? Should the Visegrád-4 group together with partners like Austria, Slovenia and Croatia introduce a Central European perspective into the needed reform of the European Union? Which future has ‚Central Europe‘?

Opening:
H.E. Dr. Thomas M. BUCHSBAUM, Austrian Ambassador to Poland

Discussants:
Prof. Paul LENDVAI, international publisher and book author, Vienna
Adam MICHNIK, editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Wyborcza” daily, Warsaw

Moderation:
Dr. Katarzyna PISARSKA, director of the European Academy of Diplomacy in Warsaw

Polish-English simultaneous translation provided. After the discussion you are invited to a glass of Austrian wine. Please confirm your attendance at: debate210317@gmail.com