On October 18–19, 2018 at the premises of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service the I. Paneuropean Conference in Ukraine on “European Vector of Ukrainian Politics after Euromaidan” was held. The event was organized on the initiative of the Paneuropean Union of Ukraine and with the assistance of National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and Representative Office of Hans Seidel Foundation in Ukraine in order to discuss the current political situation in Europe, the possibilities of Ukrainian foreign policy on the continent, the image of Ukraine, as well as mechanisms for strengthening ties between Ukrainian youth and youth of other European countries.
During the opening of the conference President of the Paneuropean Union of Ukraine Ihor Zhaloba and Head of the National Agency on Civil Service Kostiantyn Vashchenko underlined that the course on European integration proclaimed by Ukraine envisages the formation of an effective system of public administration capable of producing and implementing a coherent government policy aimed at sustainable social development and an adequate response to internal and external challenges.
President of the Paneuropean Movement (France) Allain Terrenoire, General Director of the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Head of Political Section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Fabio Della Piazza, Director of the First European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Khymynets and President of the Paneuropean Movement of Austria Karl von Habsburg have also delivered their welcoming speeches to the participants of the conference.
During the three panel discussions of the conference, participants were able to consider the current political situation in Europe, the possibilities of Ukraine’s foreign policy on the continent, the image of Ukraine and the mechanisms of cultural diplomacy.
Thus, within the framework of the first panel discussion “Cultural Diplomacy and Image of Ukraine” Director of the Institute of World Policy Yevhen Mahda, Deputy General Director of the Ukrainian Institute Tetiana Filevska and Global Ukraine Foundation Founder Violetta Moskalu discussed the prospects of Ukraine’s cultural diplomacy in the context of the European vector of development, as well as strategic directions of its modernization. Furthermore, Head of the Austrian-Ukrainian Association Alfred Praus presented to all the participants the possibilities of cultural diplomacy as a way of building bridges between cultures and in cross-border communication and management.
During the second panel discussion “Europe and Ukraine – what’s next?” Professor of the King Juan Karlos University, representative of the Paneuropean Movement of Spain Carlos Uriarte Sánchez, Director of the Foreign Policy Research Institute Hryhoryi Perepelytsya, Honorary Consul of Austria in Chernovtsy Serhiy Osachuk and Secretary General of the Paneuropean Movement of Austria Rainhard Kloucek focused the attention of the conference participants’ on the current state and prospects of Ukrainian Eurointegration. In his turn, President of the Paneuropean Movement of Slovenia Laris Gaiser underlined that since Ukraine is at the center of international politics, no wonder its aspiration for European integration is a priority in foreign policy.
Third panel discussion “Ukrainian Youth and Europe” with participation of representative of the Paneuropean Union of Ukraine Mark Honcharov, Senior Project Manager for the Reform of State Management of the Office of Reforms of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Kyrylo Klymenko, volunteer of the “Building Ukraine Together” project Dmytro Ternovyi, Head of the Scientific Society of the Faculty of Law and International Relations of the Kyiv Borys Hrinchenko University Oleksandra Hondiul and Director of the “DEJURE” Foundation Mykhailo Zhernakov has become a platform for an active discussion of the problems and challenges faced by modern Ukrainian youth on the path to their Eurointegration aspirations.
Furthermore, awarding of the European Prize of the European Coudenhove-Kalergi Society with the participation of the Coudenhove-Kalergi Society President, HSH Prince Nicolaus von Liechtenstein and Maidan Museum Director Ihor Poshyvailo was held during the conference. This year’s European Prize will be deposited at the Maidan Museum as a symbol of honoring the Heavenly Hundred.
Representatives of the Paneuropean Movement in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, EU Delegation to Ukraine, government authorities, non-governmental organizations, higher education institutions, experts from international organizations and projects were invited to take part in the event.
For reference. Paneuropean Movement is a social-political movement aimed at uniting all Europeans in a strong Europe, which is capable of effectively promoting its interests and ideals in the world.
The aim of the Paneuropean Union of Ukraine is to promote the unification of Europe on the principles of subsidiarity, rule of law, free market economy, private property rights, personal dignity and personal responsibility of citizens.
European Coudenhove-Kalergi Society was founded in 1978 as an independent non-profit organization with a purpose of promoting the idea of European unification by honoring prominent persons and organizations and by financing projects which promote Paneuropean ideas. European Prize of the European Coudenhove-Kalergi Society was awarded to prominent European and international leaders, including Helmut Kohl, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Ronald Reagan, Herman van Rompuy, Juan Carlos I.
