Polonia mon amour

Debata “Europe talks to Europe”
Breaking the bonds of national mythology
Warsaw debate on memory and European citizenship
21-10-2009
The second debate in Eurozine’s series “Europe talks to Europe” takes place on 27 October in Warsaw. On a panel entitled “Breaking the bonds of national mythology”, Arne Ruth and Danuta Glondys will discuss politics of memory in the public sphere and how cross-border journalism can help build an element of real universality into the European project.
In many European countries, post-war nationhood has been built on myths of general resistance against fascism, often combined with a nationally framed approach to history that clash with that of neighbouring states. Politics of memory is at play in conflicts between fellow EU states such as Poland and Germany, but also countries like Sweden and Switzerland have yet to come to terms with their recent history. What is the role of intellectuals in disputes over a contested past and can cross-border journalism help build an element of real universality into the European project? Must a European citizenship worthy of its name not also include the right and duty of everyone, regardless of nationality and background, to treat rights issues on a transnational basis?
BREAKING THE BONDS OF NATIONAL MYTHOLOGY
Memory and European citizenship
Speakers: Arne Ruth (Stockholm) & Danuta Glondys (Kraków)
Chair: Wojciech Przybylski (Res Publica Nowa)
Introduction: Carl Henrik Fredriksson (Eurozine)
Language: English
Time: Tuesday 27 October, 6 p.m.
Place: University of Warsaw, Aula Starej Biblioteki UW
About the speakers
Arne Ruth is a Swedish editor and journalist. He was born in Goleniów (today in Poland) in 1943. Two years later he came to Sweden on one of the so-called White Buses organised by the Bernadotte Aid. In 1982, he became editor-in-chief and cultural editor at Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s largest morning daily. He left his position in 1998, voicing sharp criticism of monopoly tendencies involving the parent company. During Ruth’s final period in office, reports in Dagens Nyheter about forced sterilization and the Nazi gold question influenced the Swedish government to set up special investigative commissions.
Danuta Glondys is director of the Villa Decius Association in Kraków and a consultant on cultural management and civil society development. Between 1999 and 2001 she was regional director of the USAID programme of development of local government and from 1993 until 1999 she was head of the Culture Department of the Municipality of Kraków, where she curated the city’s programme for the 2000 European Capital of Culture. She is a member of the international jury of the European Commission, selecting and monitoring European Capitals of Culture.
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From Autumn 2009 to Spring 2011, Eurozine organizes a series of high-profile debates in different central and eastern European cities, including Budapest, Bratislava, Brno, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Sofia, Warsaw and Vienna. Making use of a well-established media platform and a wide-ranging network of editors, authors and intellectuals, the debates will make a substantial contribution to cross-border discussion on cultural identities and the European integration project.
The Warsaw debate, part of the series “Europe talks to Europe”, is a cooperation between Eurozine and the ERSTE Foundation, realised together with Res Publica Nowa and Erasmus of Rotterdam Chair, University of Warsaw.
More information about the debate series Europe talks to Europe.
With the financial support of the European Commission and the ERSTE Foundation