What role does education play in the spread of democracy? This question – especially relevant to NYU in recent years as the global network expands – was the main issue at the 19th Forum 2000 Conference in Prague, which brought together over 150 politicians, activists, diplomats, artists and student leaders from around the world to debate the topic at over 50 panel discussions. NYU Prague faculty played an active role in the organization of the annual event, hosting a panel exploring how the writings of Vaclav Havel resonate in Europe today.
According to NYU Prague professor Petr Mucha, „Forum 2000 is to human rights what Davos is to economics– it is the place where people of many different backgrounds and cultures come to share ideas about global issues that affect us all. It is a unique event that has an open atmosphere and welcomes to public. World leaders share ideas with human rights activitists who have struggled– and it happens thanks to the legacy of Vaclav Havel.“ Forum 2000 was founded by former Czech President Havel in the year 1996, and every year it creates a platform where delegates share experiences with each other and the public.
Speakers at this year’s forum included Nobel laureate Frederic de Klerk, renowned British philosopher Roger Scruton, and Alex Chow- one of the student leaders of the umbrella movement in Hong Kong, and dissidents from around the world.
NYU Prague student Oriana Mansur (CAS 17), a Politics and Middle Eastern Studies major, came to Prague knowing that she wanted to volunteer for the conference. She was chosen to be a reporter– assigned to attend 5 panels and write a one-page summary of each. „Forum 2000 is a great way to inform people about problems in the world and discuss solutions,“said Mansur. „The panelists – who are often activists, journalists or dissidents – have great ideas but might not have the power to change things. Forum 2000 can help their voices be heard.“
The former mayor of Caracas, Lopolodo Lopez, was notably absent from the conference, as he is in jail for allegedly conspiring against the authoritarian Venezuelan regime. „I was shocked to learn that someone is killed every 20 minutes in Venezuela – and that there are 78 political prisoners,“said Mansur, whose mother is Venezuelan. To highlight the atrocities around the world, the speakers at the opening ceremony were all dissidents who gave testimony about their personal experiences fighting against totalitarian regimes – including Lopez’s wife, who was speaking on his behalf.
Unsurprisingly the refugee crisis in Europe was a main topic in many discussions. At the panel at NYU Prague, speakers considered what Vaclav Havel would have said in light of the current situation. Irina Lagunina, the head of the Russian Department at Radio Free Europe, traced examples of how Russian media is influencing the media in Western Europe. „Demons can awaken other demons,“ wrote Vaclav Havel – words that she believes still resonate today, as populist leaders use fear and misinformation to incite extremist views.
Sister Cyril Mooney, an Irish nun who founded a school for underprivileged children in India, urged listeners at Forum 2000 to think about education of the heart, not of the brain. Petr Mucha agrees. „Education is becoming more compartmentalized – more about how to get a better job, and lacking an ethical, spirtual aspect. Education should be about love of knowledge –if that is missing, then democracy can be endangered.“
Video recordings of many panels of Forum 2000, including the opening ceremony, can be found here: http://www.forum2000.cz/en/projects/forum-2000-conferences/-2015/video-recordings/