Former Heads of State from CEE Met at Forum in VMU

On Friday 10 March, 2017, Vytautas Magnus University and Kaunas City Municipality co-hosted the first event dedicated to the approaching Centennial of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania– the 2nd Forum of the Baltic and Black Seas, a discussion with the historical leaders, former heads of state from Central and Eastern Europe.

The theme of the forum is “Europe Today. The Baltic Consensus (1987–1991): Historical Significance and Lessons for the Today’s World”. On the eve of 11 March, the Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania, the historical leaders, along with the academic community and other political, cultural and social figures, invited everyone to revive the historic memory, to look for new forms of dialogue, and to seek productive, good-neighbourly, responsible, and peace-promoting communication that is based on mutual trust and respect.

According to the EU Ambassador in Russian Federation, Vygaudas Ušackas, the success story of the Baltic States is like a beacon for the countries of the Black Sea region in their way of continuous development towards democracy, free market and mature civil society. “Amid geopolitical tensions, confrontations and threats it is worth listening to the wisdom of historical leaders who played a significant role in the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reestablishment of statehood of their respective countries. Aiming to inspire faith in a dialogue and communication, Kaunas has summoned historical leaders in the name of security and prosperity, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and far beyond”, the Ambassador underscored the importance of the event.

It is no coincidence that the former Presidents of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Moldova, Slovakia, and Ukraine joined the search for solutions in an academic venue. In the face of global challenges and regional threats of the 21st century, it is necessary to remember the national struggles for democracy and freedom and to engage in a closer dialogue with the academic community, especially the young generation.

“It is both symbolic and meaningful that the forum will take place at Vytautas Magnus University: after being re-opened on the eve of the country’s independence by Lithuanian and diaspora scientists and intellectuals, this university became one of the first heralds of Lithuania’s freedom and a hub of humanist worldviews. Today, as we are standing once again at the doorstep of change, we call on everyone to turn to the ideals that led us towards democratization. In the name of peaceful solutions, we open the door for dialogue between the state and the citizens”, VMU Rector Prof. Juozas Augutis stated, highlighting the significance of universities in the considerations of the future.

The anticipated participants of the Forum of the Baltic and Black Seas included former European heads of state who in the recent past dared to change the course of Europe, to steer it towards democracy and to strive for an active civil society in independent countries: Valdas Adamkus (Lithuania), Vytautas Landsbergis (Lithuania), Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine), Bronisław Komorowski (Poland), Leonid Kravchuk (Ukraine), Leonid Kuchma (Ukraine), Petru Lucinschi (Moldova), Arnold Rüütel (Estonia), Petar Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Rudolf Schuster (Slovakia), Valdis Zatlers (Latvia), Gennady Burbulis (Russia).

In the 1st Forum of the Baltic and Black Seas, which was organized in 2016, its participants signed the Kiev Manifest, which named the mission of united and purposeful peacekeeping as their goal. “Our common goal is to promote a system of values that is based on joint actions and ensures mutual understanding and support, along with a dialogue between generations and ideologies, the people and the state”, the manifest said.

The region of the Baltic and Black seas, which has been shaped by the diversity of nationalities, faiths, and cultures, has a long and shared history. The former heads of state emphasize that it is only democracy, peace, and complete renouncement of war and aggression that can help the European community of nations to ensure security in the region.

The event was organized by Vytautas Magnus University and Kaunas City Municipality. The forum was also supported by the project of the European Union “Public Diplomacy. EU and Russia”.

Historical leaders, participants of the Forum of the Baltic and Black Seas:

Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania (1998–2003 and 2004–2009), VMU Council Chairman, Honorary Doctor
Vytautas Landsbergis, the first head of state of the re-established independent Republic of Lithuania, the Chairman of the of the Supreme Council of Lithuania (1992, 1996–2000), VMU Honorary Doctor
Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (2005–2010)
Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine (1994–2004)
Petru Lucinschi, President of Moldova (1996–2001)
Arnold Rüütel, President of Estonia (2001–2006)
Lech Wałesa, President of Poland (1990–1995)
Gennady Burbulis, Secretary of State of the Russian SFSR (1991–1992)

During the conference, exhibition The Baltic Way by VMU professor, photographer Romualdas Požerskis was exhibited at the lobby of VMU Great Hall (28 S. Daukanto g., Kaunas). The exhibition captured the historical period when the leading positions in Europe were occupied by some of the conference participants.

“Lithuania stands for the spirit of freedom kept alive by thousands and thousands of people – a spirit that survived Siberian frosts, betrayals by Soviet secret service collaborators, and the horrors of the gulag. Romualdas Požerskis managed to capture this ultimate aspiration in his photo exhibition and photo album “Lithuania in 1988-1993″. For many years Lithuania had been suppressed by a brutal force which crossed our border in 1940 through deception and blackmail with unconcealed intent to stay forever. Lithuania resisted the foreign army: the partisants, dissidents, the entire nation had never lost hope to regain freedom and independence”, President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė is quoted in the introduction of the exhibition.

Seminar about Russian Threats in Central and East Europe

VMU Political Science and Diplomacy Faculty in cooperation with the The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Poland) is pleased to announce the joint panel discussion “Countering Information Threats in Central and Eastern Europe”.

The panel discussion will be held on 8th of March, 1:15 p.m.- 2:45 p.m., V. Putvinskio str. 23 – 311.

During this event scholars from the Institute of East-Central Europe and Catholic University of Liublin will present their researches.

Main goal of seminar is to introduce a specify of hybrid war, manipulations in media and other instruments, which helped for Russia to annex and to rule a part of Ukrainian territory. Also it will be presented models of Russian propaganda in the West, main directs and instruments of information strategy of Russia abroad.

Main discussant of seminar – prof. Gintautas Mažeikis, moderator – assoc. prof. Andžej Pukšto.

Public Lecture of Finland Ambassador Ch. G. Michelsson

7th of March 16:15 public lecture “Challenges and Opportunities for the Foreign Policy of Finland in the NB-8 Region” by the Ambassador of Finland Christer Gustaf Michelsson will be held in the Faculty of Political science and Diplomacy (Gedimino str. 44-202). The lecture is open and everybody is welcomed to participate.

Finland Ambassador Christer Gustaf Michelsson has an impressive diplomatic career. Previously, he was also an Ambassador in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaidzhan, Ukraine. He is accredited to Lithuania starting from 2016.

Public lectures by a visiting professor

22-23 February, public lectures by prof. Alpo Rusi, visiting professor at Vytautas Magnus University, will be held.

Prof. A. Rusi served in the Foreign Ministry of Finland in several assignments (Hamburg, Copenhagen, New York, Bonn), and from 1994 to 1999 as foreign policy adviser to the President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari. He also served as EU Coordinator for the Sarajevo Summit 1999 and deputy Coordinator of the Stability Pact for Western Balkans in 1999-2000. He worked as professor of International Relations, 2000-2003, at Lapland University and in Hamburg. Later on 2007-2009 he was senior adviser in the Cabinet staff of the President of the UN General Assembly.

A. Rusi was from 2009-2014 the ambassador of Finland to Switzerland, with accreditation also to Liechtenstein and the Holy See. A. Rusi is a recognized scholar in the field of international relations and history of Finland, and has published several books in Finland, and in the United States and Great Britain.

Date	Place	Topic
February 22, 14:35	Gedimino str. 44 – 303	The Baltic Sea Region Security developments under the Presidency of Donald Trump
February 23, 11:15	V. Putvinskio g. 23-310	The international system change- a deepening conflict between the US and China- A new Post Liberal World Order in Emergence

Public Lecture of Danish Ambassador Dan. E. Frederiksen

Danish ambassador Dan E. Frederiksen gave a public lecture “DENMARK IN THE WORLD: foreign policy priorities and actions” and met the Faculty’s community by on March 2, 2017.

The ambassador presented Danish foreign policy and discussed the measures of how a small country as Denmark might use while conducting foreign policy. The friendship, bilateral relations, historical ties between Lithuania and Denmark were discussed as well.

Danish Ambassador Dan E. Frederiksen has an impressive diplomatic career. Previously, he was also an Ambassador in Uganda, South Africa and other African countries. He is accredited to Lithuania from 2015.

An interdisciplinary conference in memory L. Donskis

The Interdisciplinary Intellectual Practices and Moral Imagination of Leonidas Donskis

In memory of philosopher Professor Leonidas Donskis, the Department of Philosophy and Social Critique at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) is organizing an interdisciplinary conference of humanities and social sciences devoted to his thinking and research.

The conference will be held at Vytautas Magnus University on May 11 – 12, 2017.

Themes of the conference, all of which are related and devoted to Donskis‘ own research:

Comparative civilizational analysis and Oswald Spengler
Theories of nationalism and the problem of ideology
History of ideas and the history of social and political philosophy
Moral imagination and modernity’s trajectories
Renaissance and Baroque philosophy
Intersections of literature and politics
Critics of dystopias and utopias
Transformation of socialist intelligentsia into Western public intellectuals
Cultural and political idea of Europe
Dissents of Europe and human rights
New civic dissent and human rights in Russia
Modern identity and cosmopolitanism
The problem of evil and forms of hatred in liquid modernity
The role(s) of the public intellectual in society

The conference welcomes financial, intellectual and organizational contributions.

Conference-Donskis-VMU

Lectures by the Swedish Think Tank Expert

On February 21-22 an expert from the think tank The Swedish institute of International Affairs – PhD Anke Schmidt-Felzamnn will give lectures on the Baltic Sea region cooperation, impact of NordStream 2 gas pipeline project on the states of the Baltic Sea region and operation of think tanks and communication between experts and media.

PhD Anke Schmidt-Felzamnn current research is concerned with the European Union’s performance as an international actor in bilateral relations, taking into account the interplay of EU internal and external factors. Her main focus is on the EU’s energy, trade and human rights policies towards the Russian Federation. PhD Anke Schmidt-Felzamnn defended her PhD thesis on the EU Member States’ Motivations for Dealing with Russia at the University of Glasgow. She holds also an MSc from the University of Edinburgh and an MA from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.

“The impact NordStream 2 project on the states of the Baltic Sea region”, S. Daukanto St. 28-105, at 11:15, February 21^st.

“The operation of think tanks and communication with media”, Putvinskio St. 23-311, at 16:15, February 21^st.

“The cooperation of the Baltic Sea states”, Gedimino St. 44-202, at 11:15, February 22^nd.

“The economic and energy cooperation in the Baltic Sea region”, Putvinskio St. 23-311, at 16:15, February 22^nd.

Faculty Alumni – PhD researcher in New Zealand

After graduation from Master degree programme “Diplomacy and International Relations” at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Daviti Mtchedlishvili from Georgia was accepted as a PhD researcher in New Zealand. Currently D. Mtchedlishvili is working at a multi-disciplinary centre that brings together graduates and academics from a wide range of disciplines to research the European Union and Europe-related issues. “Studying at VMU was one of the major transition periods for me, involving new experiences and new skills. VMU was a great opportunity for learning and personal growth and it has had a very big impact on me and my future endeavors“, – says VMU Alumni.

What expectations and goals did you have before starting your studies and becoming a student at VMU? Did you manage to achieve them?

Starting university in a foreign country delivers great anticipation, often with equal measures of excitement and fear of the unknown. Studying at VMU was one of the major transition periods for me, involving new experiences and new skills. VMU was a great opportunity for learning and personal growth and it has had a very big impact on me and my future endeavors. I am more than grateful that I received an immense support and encouragement from VMU staff to navigate a successful academic transition process of mine. Being a master student of “Diplomacy and International Relations”, I was given comprehensively competitive education. Further, I have made loads of new friends and am generally very happy with my choice of university. The programme offers a comprehensive range of courses taught by Lithuanian and international professionals. VMU gives us the “fountain of knowledge”, one just need to grab it! Living in Lithuania was another pleasure that made my 2 years impressive.

Why did you choose particular study programme at VMU?

In general, my scholarly interests primarily lay in international relations and politics. This is a logical consequence of my choice of the study programme. In a nutshell, it is impossible to become a professional diplomat without a solid scientific base. “Diplomacy and International Relations” programme has been and remains a pioneer in this area. Since an important impetus for the study of “Diplomacy and International Relations” as an independent discipline under the auspices of the UN Vienna Diplomatic Conference, this programme has become one of the most popular graduate study programmes in the whole world, and Vytautas Magnus University is not an exception. I can state that programme methodology and outcomes are directly proportional. The programme gives opportunity to gain theoretical and practical experience, as well as analytical skills to quantify the main challenges in international relations. What is more, precisely, I have enjoyed all courses through the whole curriculum.

What about your professional career? Where did you want to work after your studies and where life brought you? Where do you work now?

During my master degree studies at VMU, I have developed strong interests in Europeanization process, especially in the Eastern Neighborhood, as I advocate the opinion that the defined area is a key part of the European Union’s foreign policy. Particularly, this is the reason why I chose Europeanization as a theme for my master dissertation. After receiving master degree from VMU, I spent half year as a project manager intern working for Governmental Organization in Slovenia. VMU provided me with a deeper realization of importance of being competent in various spheres of political science and international relations. I am deeply convinced that VMU background can make a political scientist to be complete expert in this field of research. The understanding of this fact and my strong aspiration to become highly qualified researcher led me to decision to apply for the PhD position. I decided to combine disciplinary depth with broad cross-disciplinary insights on European research. After a long and challenging procedure, I was accepted as a PhD researcher in New Zealand, at University of Canterbury. Currently I am working at a multi-disciplinary centre that brings together graduates, post-doctoral fellows and academics from a wide range of disciplines to research and study the European Union and Europe-related issues and topics.

How VMU and study programme helped you to achieve your goals and integrate into job market?

VMU has been one of the main catalysts of my success. On the other hand, the programme enabled me to capitalize on my research skills whilst allowing me to make a progress in my future academic career. VMU has equipped me with a broad range of experience and reputation. The willingness of professors from VMU to be advisors and on the other hand professional references on my behalf for PhD admission process played a central role in the admission decision. I advise to current and future students to grab that “fountain of knowledge” the VMU flows. The VMU will definitely articulate your expectations and you will receive a high level of satisfaction related to your qualification

B. Larsson: how to employ at the EU institutions?

Lecture – discussion “Opportunities and perspectives: how to employ at the EU institutions?“

At 4 p.m. on the 13^th of October a lecture-discussion “Opportunities and perspectives: how to employ at the EU institutions? “ will take place at the Faculty of Political Science (Putvinskio 23-311) in Kaunas.

Our guest Björn Larsson, Director for Human Resources from the European Union’s diplomatic service (EEAS) in Brussels will have a lecture and participate in the discussion with students and lecturers. EEAS Personnel Director as an official and as a person visits Lithuania the first time.

Discussion moderator prof. Algis Krupavičius.

In the discussion will also participate the guests from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania:

– Ričardas Šlepavičius, Director of the Personal Department at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

– Rita Kazragienė, Ambassador at Large at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania (coordination of employment at EU and international institutions ES)

– Darius Vitkauskas, Minister Counsellor at Permanent representation of Lithuania to the European Union in Brussels

During the meeting, participants will have the unique opportunity to hear about the EU diplomatic service (EEAS), the prospects and opportunities to work in the EU institutions and have traineeships. Our guests know best what people wishing to work at the EU diplomatic service have to know, which competencies and skills to have, how to prepare for the selections.