• 6 JUNE 2022

    Mr Joachim Gauck, a former president of Federal Republic of Germany, visited University of Szczecin on 1 June 2022 and participated in the scientific symposium “Quo vadis Europa?”. The symposium was organized to honour Mr Gauck who in June 2021 received a received an international Saint Adalbert Award for Peace, Freedom and Cooperation in Europe. The authorities of the University of Szczecin, authorities of the Adalbert Stiftung Foundation, representatives of the Visegrad Group, representatives of the local and regional authorities, members of Polsih parliament, doctoral candidates and students participated in the symposium and followed the debate.

    Panel discussion was run by Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Gdańsk, Ms. Cornelia Pieper. Participants on discussion were: dr. Marek Prawda – former ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Berlin and Brussels and former Head of the European Representation in Warsaw, dr. František Mikloško – former Speaker of the Slovak National Council, dr. Péter Györkös – Ambassador of the Hungary in Berlin and dr. Ondrej Molnar – Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Palacký in Olomouc.
    During the discussion, speakers have been bringing up crucial topics, such as liberal democracy, national identity, populism, informational propaganda and social division. They were repeatedly referring to current situation in Ukraine, it was highlighted how important cooperating is and that, ability to solve the current issues is the key to the European Union existence. 
    The symposium was organized in the cooperation with Adalbert Stiftung, a Krefeld-based non-profit German foundation. It is named after Adalbert of Prague. The foundation wants to make a contribution to the spiritual and cultural integration of all of Europe. These include, in particular, the perspectives of pan-European unity with a special focus on Central and Eastern Europe.
    An international Saint Adalbert Award for Peace, Freedom and Cooperation in Europe is named after Saint Adalbert who is considered as one
    of the greatest patrons of Europe. Every two years the prize is awarded to the person who have contributed in exquisite way to the permanent European countries integration and deepen relations between western and central Europe.