” “At the crossroads of history

“Today Europe finds itself at one of the most important crossroads in its history. For the first time it has the chance to give itself a system based on fair and democratic principles”: from this consideration Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, took his cue in a wide-ranging reflection on “Europe and the World” which he gave in the Sala Zuccari of the Senate of the Italian Republic, in Rome on 4 April. His audience included the highest authorities of the State, including the president of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and the president of the Senate, Marcello Pera. This was the third “lesson” on the problems of globalization, given under the auspices of the Italian Senate, following those of Senator Giovanni Agnelli and Henry Kissinger. Other “lessons” will follow in the months ahead: the speakers will include the president of the Convention for the future of Europe, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, and the President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso. During his visit to Italy, Havel was also received by the Pope in the Vatican. In his reflections in the Senate he also touched on the prospect of the unification of Europe and its enlargement to the countries of central and eastern Europe. This is against the background of the debate now going on within the Convention for the future of Europe, in which the twelve candidate countries seeking EU membership, including the Czech Republic, are also participating. No point in “competing” with the USA. The construction of a union of “citizens and nations must be accompanied by a “rigorous process of self-examination”, urged the Czech president, and co-founder of the civil rights movement “Charter ’77”. We need to “combine the commitment to European unification – Havel explained – with a serious and profound reflection on ourselves, on the tendencies of modern civilization which was born in Europe, on the fundamental problems of human existence on earth, on the happiness and hopes of mankind”. We must stop trying to “compete” with the USA: “Cannot Europe live well without having to run after or try to overtake America? Is the quality of life due solely to competition?”, asked the Czech president. And he posed a further question: “Has not the time come when the political Europe ought seriously to reflect on its own civilization?” He suggested as a reply: “Today Europe has the opportunity not only to demonstrate to the world that many different nations may co-exist within a supranational and democratic union, but also to inspire the world in another way: to set an example, i.e. demonstrate that it’s possible to live well on this earth by placing the emphasis on values such as the beauty of a landscape or a house, affection for one’s fellowmen and respect for those who will live on this planet when we have left for the kingdom of shadows, rather than on the production of profit and the growth of the gross domestic product”. Changing the world by starting out from ourselves. According to Havel, “the time has come when Europe ought finally to give up thinking it must export itself to the whole world and replace this notion with a more modest intention, but one more difficult to pursue: that of beginning to change the world by starting out from ourselves, even at the risk that no one will bother to follow our example. Yet someone must after all take the first step!”. There’s no lack of opportunities – pointed out the Czech president – at the beginning of this new millennium for a reflection on Europe’s responsibility to the world. Even in the course of this year various forums will be held at which debate will be focused on such fundamental questions as the future shape of the common institutions and the fundamental laws of the union of European States; as well as on the Union’s planned opening up to the countries that were once behind the Iron Curtain, or on the Union’s relation with the other entities of the current multipolar world!”. If we pursue this reflection with courage, Havel concluded, “we won’t be wasting our time”. I.I.