In co-operation with the European Greens and DiEM25 we are holding an international conference titled ‘The Future of Europe – The Europe of Future?’ in Budapest on 19 September 2016. Six roundtable discussions with guests from all over Europe, more than 20 invited speakers, among them leading green and progressive politicians of Europe, including Yanis Varoufakis, former Green minister of finance, founder of DiEM25 as well as Philippe Lamberts, co-chair of the European Greens.
Politics is in disarray throughout Europe. The current institutions of the EU have proven ineffectual in stopping the social and economic deterioration engulfing the continent. The parties of social democracy are in a decline, greens and liberals are stagnating if not worse. The rising radical right ceased to be an Eastern-European curiosity. The Syriza government with its social democratic crisis management programme in Greece has been forced to back down by Brussels showing an example for like-minded political experiments. At the same time, the EU appears to be weaponless against illiberal governments. What is the progressive answer for Europe’s problems? Is Europe bound to repeat the 1930s? How would a sustainable Europe look like? What have green parties and the new left to offer? What is the lesson for Hungary? Is there a future for green or new left politics in Hungary?
PROGRAMME
The Future of Europe – The Europe of the Future?
A Central and Eastern European Perspective
Greens meet DiEM25
Location: A38 Ship, Petőfi Bridge, Budapest
Date: 19 September 2016
Host of the event: Krisztina Bombera
Registration is closed due to full house. The event will be broadcast all day through Lifestream challel.
/English-Hungarian interpretation between 9.00-18.00/
10.00 -10:30 Registration, coffee
10:30 – 11:00 Opening
Benedek Jávor, Greens/EFA MEP, Dialogue for Hungary Party, Hungary
Zoltán Pogátsa, University of Western Hungary, DiEM25 initiator, Hungary
Gábor Scheiring, chairman of Progressive Hungary Foundation, Hungary
11.00 – 11.45 Opening panel – Europe as a global actor
Key issues of the panel: Europe’s role on the global scene, refugee crisis, international development, unfair trade regimes, TTIP.
Lorenzo Marsili, co-initiator DiEM25, director of European Alternatives, Italy
Alena Krempaska, Human Rights Institute, Slovakia
Edouard Gaudot, Political Advisor of Greens/EFA in the European Parliament and Author of L’Europe c’est Nous
Dr. Bourgla Ossamah, Syrian GP, local councillor, Hungary Magyarország
11.45- 12. 45 Session II. – New Member States’ perspective
Key issues of the panel: failure of integration, inefficient cohesion policy, antidemocratic trends as a consequence
Marta Tycner, Razem Party, Poland
Gábor Scheiring, chairman of Progressive Hungary Foundation, Hungary
Jakub Patocka, editor, Denik Referendum, Czechia
Irmi Salzer, Greens Burgenland, Austria
12:45-14:00 LUNCH
14:00- 14:45 Speeches: The way out of the crisis?
Philippe Lamberts, co-chair of Greens/EFA, Belgium
Yanis Varoufakis, founder of DiEM25, former minister of finance, Greece
14.45 – 15.30 Session III. – Social Europe
Key issues of the panel: monetary vs. social union, basic income, financial transfers, right to housing
Zoltán Pogátsa, University of Western Hungary, DiEM25 initiator, Hungary
Philippe Lamberts, co-chair of Greens/EFA, Belgium
Florentin Iancu, Trade Unionist, Romania
15:30-16.15 Session IV: Sustainable Europe
Key issues of the panel: how to make Europe sustainable against corporate interest and MS’s resistance, COP21.
Florent Marcellesi, spokesperson of EQUO in the European Parliament, Spain
Benedek Jávor, Greens/EFA MEP, Dialogue for Hungary Party, Hungary
Vedran Horvat, Institute for Political Ecology, Croatia
Stephanie Roth, „Save Rosia Montana!” movement, Romania
16:15 -16:35 COFFEE
16:35 – 17:45 Session V: Where are we and were to go? Reasons and solutions
Philippe Lamberts, co-chair of Greens/EFA, Belgium
Yanis Varoufakis, founder of DiEM25, former minister of finance, Greece
GM Tamás, philosopher, Hungary
Adam Ostolski, spokesperson of the Polish Greeen Party, Poland
17:45 -18:00 Closing
Benedek Jávor, Greens/EFA MEP, Dialogue for Hungary, Hungary
Zoltán Pogátsa, University of Western Hungary, DiEM25 initiator, Hungary
18:00 – 19:30 BONUS track: The future of Hungary and the Progressives- roundtable talk of Progressive Hungary Foundation
Réka Kinga Papp, journalist, essayist
Tímea Szabó, co-chair of Dialogue for Hungary Party, MP
Márton Gulyás, activist
Zoltán Ceglédi, political analyst
Péter Konok, historian
