Aeub's framework and final programme

Initiatives of Change

Addressing Europe’s Unfinished Business | 1

Addressing Europe’s Unfinished Business through actions for a more peaceful, more united Europe

Caux, Switzerland, 27-28 June 2014

Overview: Framing the Conversation

The 100th memorial of the start of WWI and the 25th anniversary of the fall of

the Berlin wall is a unique occasion for European-minded political leaders,

historians and thinkers to address Europe's unfinished business. Recent

developments have underlined the need for and urgency of such a reflection.

Europe's unfinished business means the lack of articulation of the European project in accessible language and the lack of fostering a European spirit by way of

European history school textbooks, frequent joint war commemorations and

appropriate celebrations on the Day of Europe each 9 May. Is this situation not an

open door for a revival of narrow nationalism?

Europe's unfinished business means unresolved cross-border or dormant internal regional conflicts, unhealed wounds which have caused a string of armed conflicts in

Europe over the last 25 years. Peace is unfortunately as relative a notion in Europe

today as it is in other continents. The 2014 Crimean crisis comes as a particularly

brutal reminder of this fact.

Europe's unfinished business means new countries applying to join the European

Union without having fully appropriated the deep peace process that forms the basis

of the European project. This plays a role in the current lack of cohesion of Europe

and puts a question mark on its future.

The Caux approach

The approach of the seminar will be participatory and emergent. Participatory because each person brings valuable knowledge and insights to the table, and

emergent because the interaction of these contributions will, we hope, lead in new

directions. Through a combination of short contributions from speakers, interactive

plenaries and participatory workshops, we seek to co-create new approaches to

Europe’s unfinished business.

The daily schedule for the seminar illustrates our philosophy in practice. With an

emphasis on conversation and discussion rather than long speeches, we hope to

facilitate genuine dialogue among a diverse group of individuals, all active in

addressing the questions that matter for Europe.

An invitation

We invite you to join the conversation: seeking inner wisdom, reflecting on the role

of personal responsibility and integrity; creating relationships of trust; discerning

together where this is guiding us towards action, individually and collectively.

We invite you to experience this new approach!



Seminar Overview

Plenary sessions

Both days will begin with plenary sessions. The first day’s plenary will focus on

setting the context for the seminar and building connections between participants.

The plenary on the second day will start to draw out threads from the first afternoon of working group discussions and create cross-fertilisation between them to enrich

the ongoing discussions later in the morning.

The final plenary will draw together the next steps from each working group to capture the overarching direction of discussions and identify any key connection

points between them.

Working Groups

The working groups will be a facilitated space for exploring different perspectives,

exchanging expertise and moving towards actionable next steps. The working groups

will be oriented around four main themes.

Working Group 1 – Changing Paradigms in the Eastern Regions of Europe

Main Hall

Eliminating age-old rivalries, acknowledging Russia and Turkey as key contributors to Europe’s past and future, which ‘creative efforts’ are needed

to lastingly pacify those regions?

Working Group 2 – The Challenge of Immigration

Room 300d

In spite of the Schuman declaration’s intentions, economic imbalances

have continued and are leading to massive migrations which challenge

identities. Envisioning initiatives to raise the standard of living in poorer

countries, and initiatives for smoother integration of ‘newcomers’ to

Europe.

Working Group 3 – Ethnic Identity and Minority Rights in a Democracy

Room 300e

Drawing from positive experiences like Alto Adige/South Tyrol to prepare solutions for current unresolved issues: how to repair past mistakes and

create a respectful and positive environment for ethnic minorities?

Working Group 4 – War-based or Peace-based Identities

Room 400

In order for Europe’s youth to grow up as good national and European

citizens, speeches and writings about the past need to be carefully

revisited. How to make European values and vision a central reference in a

common foundation for teaching of history and European civic instruction?

Space for Reflection and Sharing

All conference participants are invited to join in the pre-breakfast reflection and shared silence in the Bay Window of the Main Hall starting at 7.15 am.

For many people a daily reflective practice is an essential source of wisdom and direction. In this pre-breakfast session, in the bay window overlooking the lake, there

will be a short input followed by a time of collective silence.

The space for reflection has been central to the Caux approach over 70 years, recognizing that wisdom of action relies not only on our capacity for analysis, but

also attentiveness to inspiration and the space to find what is right, not who is right.

'Give us the inner listening that is a way in itself, and the oldest thirst there

is.' – Rumi



'In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and that which is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life

is a long and arduous quest after Truth'. - Mahatma Gandhi

'The life around us, in this age, is preeminently one of rush and effort. It is the age of the express train and electric telegraph. Years are crowded into

months, and weeks into days. The stream has already entered our

churches, and stirred their quiet pools. Meetings crowd on meetings. The

same energetic souls are found at them all, and engaged in many good

works beside. But we must beware that we do not substitute the active for

the contemplative, the valley for the mountain top'. – Frederick Brotherton Meyer

If you intend to participate, please enter the hall in silence and be in your seats by

7.15 am.

The presenter will speak in English. Translation will not be available through the

headphones. If you need help, please sit with someone who can give a whispered

interpretation.

Evening Programme

The evening is designed to offer a less intensively discussion-based programme, at

the same time contributing to the reflection on the themes of the seminar. Different

options will be proposed simultaneously, based on films or presentations followed by

a debate on a theme linked to the European issues. Films and presentations will all

be facilitated.

Short film - Visions d’Europe/De Charlemagne à Schuman, a presentation by

Initiatives of Change Lorraine of a European historical perspective, reflecting the

vision of a region which suffered in many European wars. Room 300c

Facilitator: Charles Danguy

Short film – For the Love of Tomorrow, the stunning story of one woman’s change

of heart and her relentless initiatives to reconcile France and Germany. Room 300d

Facilitator: Antoine Jaulmes

Presentation – From Polarization to Participation, can people make a difference in/through European Institutions?, a case study of the INGO Dialogue Toolkit at

the Council of Europe. Can people make a difference in/through European

Institutions? How the IofC representative helps to make a difference through one of

the European Institutions by using the INGO Dialogue Toolkit. Room 300e

Facilitator: Christoph Spreng

Presentation – My Journey to the Great War and Back, encouraging children to

explore different perspectives on history through language by asking them to write

from the perspective of a foreign soldier in the First World War - in that soldier's

language. Main Hall

Facilitators: Thandi House/Birgit Piegeler-Hughes

Meals

The opportunity to share meals together is not an incidental by-product of living in

the same conference centre. They are as much the life and blood of the real

conversations of Caux as the programmed sessions. We encourage you to use these

as much as possible to take conversations further, connect with others in the Centre

in a more informal way.



Detailed Programme

THURSDAY 26 JUNE

14h00 onwards Early arrivals Main Hall

18h30-19h15 Dinner Dining Room

20h15-21h30 Introduction to Caux-Initiatives of Change Main Hall

FRIDAY 27 JUNE

08h00-08h45 Breakfast Dining Room

09h15-10h20 Arrivals/registration and welcome coffee Reception/Main Hall

10h30-12h15 Opening Plenary

Today’s Challenges in Europe

Antoine Jaulmes, France, President of the

CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation

Cornelio Sommaruga, Switzerland, Former

President of the International Committee of

the Red Cross and Honorary President of IofC

International

Catherine Guisan, USA, Visiting Professor,

Department of Political Science, University of

Minnesota

Aurora Martin, Romania, Russian Presidential

Academy of National Economy and Public

Administration

Open discussion

Facilitator: Robert Lancaster

Main Hall

12h30-13h15 Lunch Dining Room

14h00-15h45 Working Groups (see page 2 for more details)

Session 1: A Collective Vision

WG1 – Changing Paradigms in the Eastern

Regions of Europe

Moderators: Angela Starovoytova/Catherine

Guisan

Main Hall

WG2 – The Challenge of Immigration

Moderators: Cristina Bignardi/Kojo Jantuah

Room 300d

WG3 – Ethnic Identity and Minority Rights

in a Democracy

Moderator: Aurora Martin/Jens J. Wilhelmsen

Room 300e

WG4 – War-based or Peace-based

Identities

Moderators: Antoine Jaulmes/Thandi

House/Birgit Piegeler-Hughes

Room 400

15h45-16h30 Coffee Break and networking time Terrace

16h45-18h15 Working Groups

Session 2: Creatively Confronting the

Issues

(same

rooms)

18h30-19h15 Dinner Dining Room

20h15-21h30 Evening Programme (see page 3 for more

details)

Short film - Visions d’Europe/De Charlemagne à Schuman


Room 300c

Short film – For the Love of Tomorrow


Room 300d



Presentation – From Polarization to Participation, can people make a difference in/through European Institutions?

Facilitator: Christoph Spreng

Room 300e

Presentation – My Journey to the Great War and Back

Facilitators: Thandi House/Birgit Piegeler-

Hughes

Main Hall

SATURDAY 28 JUNE )

07h15-08h00 Space for Reflection and Sharing

The Personal Dimension of Change – A

European Perspective


Main Hall Bay Window

08h00-08h45 Breakfast Dining Room

09h15-10h30 Plenary

Emerging Patterns Towards Next Steps

Facilitator: Robert Lancaster

Main Hall

10h30-11h00 Coffee break and networking time

11h00-12h15 Working Groups

Session 3: Engaging in a Collaborative Way

Forward

(same rooms)

12h30-13h15 Lunch Dining Room

14h00-16h00 Closing Plenary

Plans and Commitments


Main Hall

16h00-16h45 Networking coffee and departures Terrace



ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Catherine Guisan teaches political science and political philosophy in the USA and

Europe. She is the author of Un sens à l'Europe: Gagner la paix 1950-2003 (Paris:

Odile Jacob) and A Political Theory of Identity in European Integration: Memory and Policies (Routledge: 2012).

Cornelio Sommaruga is a Swiss jurist and diplomat, who was for 12 years President

of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As a Swiss and

humanitarian diplomat as well as honorary President of Initiatives of Change

International, he has stood for human dignity and security, tolerance and dialogue,

conflict prevention and inter-personal reconciliation.

Aurora Martin is a professor, researcher and senior advisor in International

Relations. She closely works with the National Council for Combating Discrimination

in Romania and the European Center for Security Studies, George C Marshall. She

also teaches in the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public

Administration.

Antoine Jaulmes is the President of the CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation. An

engineer by profession, a historian by passion and European by conviction, he

suggests that 2014-2018 could be the time when Europe would overcome its mental

blocks and become the anchor for world peace which the founding fathers of Europe

had in mind.

FACILITATORS

Angela Starovoytova, Ukraine, Executive Director, Foundations for Freedom (F4F)

Birgit Piegeler-Hughes, Germany, translator, interpreter and tutor, co-founder of

Evident Language.

Charles Danguy, France, President of IofC Lorraine

Christoph Spreng, Switzerland, IofC Delegate to the Council of Europe

Cristina Bignardi, Italy, Consultant Project Management, Pace Adesso Peace Now

Jens J. Wilhelmsen, Norway, former member of the Caux Foundation Board and

author of The Art of Reconciliation – Witness of an Epoch on 3 Continents.

Kojo Jantuah, Ghana/Denmark/UK, Founder of Identity Pathfinder for Reconciliation

and Development

Thandi House, United Kingdom, translator, interpreter and tutor, co-founder of

Evident Language

Robert Lancaster, Australia/UK, process design and facilitation

COORDINATION TEAM

Adrian Dan Pop, Romania, AEUB contact developper

Antoine Jaulmes, France, AEUB head of project

Gracia Laurent, France/Mexico, AEUB conference coordinator