on EuroDialog
Date: Wed, 21 May 97 11:52:16 -0500
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: on EuroDialog
From: MINELRES moderator \ Internet: ([email protected])
Original sender: Anna Stanislawska \ Internet: (annak_wi@golem.
umcs.lublin.pl
on EuroDialog
The Internet Service of the Institute of East Central Europe in Lublin
EuroDialogue
General Principles
The Institute of East Central Europe in Lublin, which is at the same time
the center of the International Federation of the Institutes of East
Central Europe, aims to create various planes of possibly close
intellectual and opinion-making (scholarly and educational) co-operation on
a regional and European scale, encompassing both the West and the East of
the continent. Stemming from this is our initiative to establish an
independent forum of European dialogue in Lublin. Much encouragement in this
respect comes from the UNESCO authorities, as well as from the General
Director of the organization himself. The development of different aspects
of such dialogue will foster "the culture of peace" and the processes of
stabilization on the continent, which are themselves related to plural and
united body of European cultures.
Cultural differences remain frequently overshadowed by a usual assumption
that it is rather political, social, and economic ones that form obstacles
in this respect. However, it is presently difficult to imagine successful
policy-making without taking the cultural factor into consideration. At the
same time a desirable process of the dialogue of cultures is not possible
without proper understanding of common roots of European culture, and
without the mutual knowledge of national and religious cultures that shaped
present-day Europeans.
The Council of Europe makes sustained efforts in this respect, and the
European Union is increasingly open to general European dialogue. We very
much count on co-operation with these organizations.
Our initiative is aimed at carrying such dialogue through the Internet. We
are fully aware that technological progress in transmitting information can,
unfortunately, contribute to the intensification of various forms of
cultural (sometimes even political and economic) discrimination. However, it
can also create new possibilities of supporting local cultures. This issue
was firmly expressed by the President of the UNESCO Executive Council at
its 150th session held in Paris in autumn, 1995: "Through these
<<highways>> we can teach or prostitute, inform or poison, express freedom
or bring uniformity, develop or push to a margin". Thus, in an act of
joining the process of making the <<information-age society>> it is
important "to take into consideration the needs of all nations and
individuals in the sphere of culture and education through supporting
authentic symbiosis of cultures based on mutual respect and enrichment" (cf
. the materials of UNESCO Executive Council 150 EX/15, appendix, p.15).
The present state of development of the Internet creates both certain
problems and chances for the
implementation of the idea of such dialogue.
The Internet - being in its very nature easily accessible and popular - is
an egalitarian medium, which fact makes it difficult to create an exclusive
forum of dialogue characterized by its high intellectual profile. Secondly,
it is still only a visual medium, thus - to a certain extent - excluding
direct and spontaneous dialogue.
However, at the same time the Internet offers a chance to improve the
knowledge of European national, religious, or ethnic cultures, and to
stimulate their development without loosing their identity and specific
traits that can be of interest and value to others. It enables us to show
the entire scope of richness and diversity of contemporary European culture
, and to seek its common values. It is possible not only to supply
information, but also to create proper attitudes both towards dissimilitude
of any kind and towards culture perceived as common good. The intention of
such proceedings is thus aimed at the fostering of the language of European
dialogue.
The discussion is to cover selected general issues concerning specific
nations, countries and religious
denominations, as well as the ones relating to current problems of
contemporary Europe. Intended as an interdisciplinary project, it is to
encompass approaches adopted by philosophy, historiography, psychosociology,
theology, the humanities, etc.
In order to achieve these aims we are beginning to organize our Internet
service, that is a periodical called EuroDialogue connected with a
discussion club comprising members in possibly many European countries. The
members would share their opinions with the institutions and circles they
are connected with, or establish local EuroDialogue clubs. From the
proposed issues the editorial board would select the most important and
interesting ones, and organize a systematic discussion on them through the
Internet. This would be open to the club members and invited experts. Our
service intends not only to present a possibly wide scope of intellectual
standpoints on given subjects, but also to show the complex nature of
cultural phenomena in Europe. In view of this the editorial board would
collect information and opinions on important cultural events, as well as on
the current work of scholarly and cultural institutions.
EuroDialogue would be sent through the network to the media, as well as to
scholarly and cultural institutions. In the future, after getting more
experience, it will reach a wider circle of the network users.
Our periodical will initially be edited in English, French, Polish and
Russian. It is our intention to expand considerably the range of languages
in the future. This process will be conditioned by financial basis and
securing the co-operation of properly qualified translators.
All queries to be addressed to the Editorial Board Secretary:
Anna K. Stanislawska
e-mail: [email protected]
Instytut Europy urodkowo-Wschodniej w Lublinie
Pl. Litewski 2
PL- 20-080 Lublin
Poland
tel./fax: (48-81) 532 29 07
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