One month ahead of the Treaties of Rome 60th anniversary celebrations, the Chair hosted an international conference on The European identity: on what heritage, values or missions can we found this identity?, for academics, students and other interested persons, on Wednesday, 15 February 2017. About 150 people attended throughout the day.
After the introductions given by Dana Samson (Pro-Rector for International Affairs of the Université catholique de Louvain) and by Luuk van Middelaar (Chair holder of the Chair in European Values at the Université catholique de Louvain), a first panel discussed the roots and values of Europe. Bernard Snoy (coordinator of the Paul-Henri Spaak seminars at the Institute of European Studies of the UCLouvain and president of the European League for Economic Cooperation) chaired this first panel, which involved Chantal Delsol (Member of the Académie des Sciences morales et politiques, leader writer of Le Figaro), Bernard Coulie (Honorary Rector of the Université catholique de Louvain, specialist of Byzantine, Armenian and Georgian studies) and Dariusz Stola (Polish Academy of Sciences, and Director of Polin Museum).
In the first keynote lecture, Sir Larry Siedentop (Emeritus Fellow of Keble College Oxford) gave insights into the Christian sources of liberal thought in Europe.
Luuk van Middelaar chaired the second panel devoted to the Catholic and Protestant positions. Sir Stephen Wall (former UK Permanent Representative to the European Union) began with an overview of the roots of British Euroscepticism. Dr Jan De Volder (Cusanus Chair ‘Religions, Conflicts, and Peace’ at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) gave an analysis of Europe’s mission in the world as seen by Pope Francis, which was followed by a presentation of Matthias Krupa (Europe editor and former Brussels correspondent of DIE ZEIT) on Angela Merkel’s values.
In the second keynote lecture, Philippe Herzog (Former Member of the European Parliament, founding chairman of Confrontations Europe) presented his project for a re-foundation of the European identity.
Finally, Bernard Snoy concluded the conference.
Full report of the conference
Speaking notes
In the media
Some More Pictures
