Edition 5 of the Cracking Borders, Rising Walls conference series

Streaming live on Kultura Liberalna’s Facebook page and Youtube profile.

PROGRAMME:

18.00: Opening of the debate:

Janusz Majcherek, Deputy Director of the Polish Theatre
Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw

18.15: Opening remarks

Timothy Garton Ash, University of Oxford

Chair – Jarosław Kuisz, Kultura Liberalna

18.45: First panel: Green Liberalism: A Remedy for Europe’s Crises?

The aim of the panel is a parallel diagnosis of the place where liberalism is today in the face of
various crises and the indication of potential paths in which it may develop in the future. We will be
looking particularly closely at the concept of green liberalism and, consequently, the European Green
Deal – we will ask about the potential of these projects to become the cornerstone of politics in the
coming decades.

Panellists:

Ralf Fücks, Zentrum Liberale Moderne (kick-off for the discussion)
Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian
Nina Witoszek, University of Oslo
Sebastian Oberthür, GOVTRAN
Joanna Maria Stolarek, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Tomasz Sawczuk, Kultura Liberalna

Chair: Agnieszka Lichnerowicz, TOK FM

Break: 19.45-20.00

20.00: Second panel: Democracy after Covid-19. Strengthened or Weakened?

The panel aims to discuss the state of democracy, and liberal democracy in particular, in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The actions of governments in combating COVID-19 are overwhelmingly negatively perceived by citizens. During the panel, we will answer the question as to where these reactions come from. The relationship between politicians and experts will also be discussed in this context. The coronavirus pandemic has brought about restrictions on an unprecedented scale. Are we getting used to the restrictions and how do they affect democracies? We will talk about reactions to the restrictions in various countries and their sources. We will also talk about the revolutions during the coronavirus times – from the Black Lives Matter protests to movements such as QAnon. The panel will aim to summarise these phenomena and to answer the question of what the balance sheet of such changes looks like.

Panellists:

Kick-off for the discussion – Jan-Werner Müller, Princeton University, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin

Mark Leonard, ECFR
Zdzisław Krasnodębski, MEP
Paola Mattei, University of Milan
Anna Lührmann, V-Dem Institute
Will Dobson, Journal of Democracy
Karolina Wigura, Kultura Liberalna

Chair: Dariusz Rosiak, Author of the Podcast “State of the World Report”

Guests:
Timothy Garton Ash, University of Oxford
Jarosław Kuisz, Kultura Liberalna
Ralf Fücks, Zentrum Liberale Moderne
Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian
Sebastian Oberthür, GOVTRAN
Nina Witoszek, University of Oslo
Joanna Stolarek, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Tomasz Sawczuk, Kultura Liberalna
Agnieszka Lichnerowicz, TOK FM
Jan-Werner Müller, Princeton University, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin
Mark Leonard, ECFR
Zdzisław Krasnodębski, MEP
Paola Mattei, University of Milan
Anna Lührmann, V-Dem Institute
Will Dobson, Journal of Democracy
Karolina Wigura, Kultura Liberalna
Dariusz Rosiak, Author of the Podcast “State of the World Report”

This year the Warsaw European Forum is accompanied by a unique seminar, which seeks to stir the discussion and expand on the topics raised during the conference – the climate crisis and ‘green’ liberalism.

The point of departure for our discussion is the dual challenge to the liberal ideal of freedom posed by the conjuncture of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasingly pressing climate crisis. In the aftermath of the pandemic shock and in the face of increasing environmental pressure, what is the future for freedom, both economic and political? Does the coordinated response of European Union member states lead us to a ‘planned economy’ or is it merely a long belated correction of globalization and a capitalist system gone astray, which sparked these crises in the first place? Following the response to COVID-19 which involved political exceptionalism and top-down restrictions on individual freedom, we might also worry about similar limitations to our lifestyles, mobility and established habits justified by climate change mitigation. At the same time, a broader responsibility for societies, local communities, vulnerable individuals and finally–the planetary system–requires self-limitation. How can liberalism strike a new balance between individual freedoms and responsibility? When is state coercion a threat to freedom and when is it an unavoidable corrective that protects citizens from asocial libertarianism and anarchy? Finally – what is the promise of the European Green Deal vision? Is it merely a technocratic plan which will further boost the power of European Commission bureaucrats or to the contrary – a hope for turning European societies towards sustainability, justice, and the revival of liberal democracy following the hard blows sustained from populist challengers in the last decade?

Ralf Fücks (Center for Liberal Moder­nity) and Dr. Kacper Szulecki (University of Oslo) will introduce the topic and present their views on a “green” liberalism which can respond to these new challenges. However, the ultimate aim of the seminar is to give the floor first and foremost to its participants. We hope to develop a mutual understanding of liberalism’s future and identity in the times of climate crisis, COVID-19 pandemic and various solutions, like the European Green Deal.

11.00-12.00 Webinar, Part I

Input for the discussion: Ralf Fücks

12.00-12.15 Break

12.15-13.15 Webinar, Part II

Input for the discussion and summary of the first part: Kacper Szulecki

Guests:
Ralf Fücks, Zentrum Liberale Moderne
Dr. Kacper Szulecki, University of Oslo

Introduction, Ralf Fücks (Zentrum Liberale Moderne):

Kacper Szulecki’s statement (University of Oslo, Kultura Liberalna):

Full webinar:

Phot. Szymon Aksiemionek

Opening of the conference by Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski:

Introductory lecture, by Professor Timothy Garton Ash from the University of Oxford:

First panel: Green Liberalism: A Remedy for Europe’s Crises?

Second panel: Democracy after Covid-19. Strengthened or Weakened? with introduction by Jan-Werner Müller, Princeton University, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin:

Full recording of the confernce:

Kultura Liberalna asked several questions to the panelists of the previous editions of the conference “Cracking Borders, Rising Walls” regarding the future of European integration in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Below we publish their answers.

Conference posters designed by Piotr Kieżun.

Photos by Ewelina Kamińska