Senate's Tariceanu: 30 years after the collapse of dictatorial regimes in Eastern Europe, we celebrate value of freedom

Senate Chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu said on Monday that on the 30th anniversary of the collapse of the dictatorial regimes in Eastern Europe "the value and power of freedom" are celebrated, along with the privilege of living in democratic societies,"which offers opportunities and hopes to the majority of citizens." "What we are truly celebrating today, 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the dictatorial regimes in Eastern Europe, is the value and power of freedom, along with the great privilege of living in democratic societies that offer opportunities and hopes to the majority of citizens. Over the last three decades, our societies have had to learn a new lesson every day. The story of democracy and freedom was not a simple one, rather characterised by multiple, difficult, and sometimes unpredictable challenges. Eastern Europe, including Romania, underwent profound political, social, economic and cultural changes and experienced both the benefits of democratisation and the dilemmas that have accompanied the process," Tariceanu told an international conference on 30 years from the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the role cultural diplomacy in defusing frozen conflicts. He indicated that the current challenge to all East European leaders is to engage the societies they lead in maintaining peace, finding solutions to address prolonged conflicts and building a more prosperous future. "Market-oriented reforms, liberal values, European culture, NATO membership, and EU membership have all been real objectives planned to be achieved at the same time and in a very short time. That is why the only solution was to start a rapid political transition toward a system centred on the rights and freedoms of every citizen. Based on this 30-year democratic story, with all the good and bad parts, the current challenge to all Eastern European leaders is to engage our societies in maintaining peace, finding solutions to address prolonged conflicts and building a more prosperous future. That is both a privilege and a responsibility," said Tariceanu. He also talked about the importance of cultural diplomacy, showing that it is a "form of smart power." "We now realise the importance of developing dialogue, co-operation and strategic partnerships on the one hand at regional level in the case of Eastern European countries, and on the other, globally, through cultural diplomacy. The power of cultural diplomacy in building bridges among communities and nations, as well as in building peace and settling conflicts should not be underestimated. Cultural diplomacy is indeed a form of smart power. Through our efforts and the dimension of cultural diplomacy we can come to a better understanding of our cultural differences, the peculiarities of each nation and, above all, our common interests that bring us closer. Only through mutual support can we achieve security and our economic and social goals. Thus, we need to look at cultural density not as an element that divides us, but rather as a driving force toward co-operation, because each culture is, in fact, a unique set of opportunities," said Tariceanu. The event, hosted by the Senate, was organised by the Romanian Foundation for Democracy with support from the Romanian Government, in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Levantine Culture and Civilization Studies, the Romanian Senate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)