International Scientific Conference 
«European identity and political challenges: old concept, new vision »

Voronezh, 5-7 July 2016

Nowadays we are observing the value-laden discord in the EU-Russia relations. One of the causes of this phenomenon is the lack of mutual understanding between the EU and non-EU countries about European identity and what it means “being a European”.

To analyse the phenomenon of European identity and to find the ways how to overcome contradictions in perception “to be European”, the International Scientific Conference “European identity and political challenges: old concept, new vision” will be held at Voronezh State University from 5 to 7 July 2016.

The event is organised by Voronezh State University in the framework of two EU-funded projects:“EUinDepth: European Identity, Cultural Diversity and Political Change” (FP7 Marie Curie Actions) and “ProEU: To be European in Russia: pro and contra” (Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Actions), where the latter provides the platform for the conference.

The following key issues will be discussed during the event:

• current vision of Europe from the perspective of the European and non-European citizens;
• boundaries of the European civilisation on the contemporary geopolitical map;
• European values and their evolution;
• internal and external challenges faced by Europe and its capacity to address them;
• identification of obstacles and benefits in being European in Russia.

The agenda will approach these questions by taking three separable, but connected problematic fields performed by 3 panel sessions: “European Identity: Conceptual and Civilization Aspects”, “European Identity: crisis or challenges?” and “Identity via Education” as well as the roundtable discussion “To be European in Russia: pro and contra”.

The conference provides an opportunity to demonstrate the results of the research that the partners have achieved so far and further collaboration in the framework of the EUinDepth project. 
We will be very grateful if you could join in our survey and disseminate the questionnaire among your colleagues. We have received answers from Russia, Belgium, Germany, the UK, Moldova and Ukraine, but unfortunately there are not enough of them to come to valid conclusions. The questionnaire has been put online in English http://goo.gl/forms/aSIahEF3nc and in Russian http://goo.gl/forms/ckvp01pSVi.

The joint efforts taken on the research and conference as the promising platform for discussion and reflection on European Union issues and processes will boost cross-cultural dialogue and develop mutual understanding between the EU and non-EU countries, and foster the dialogue between the academic world and policy-makers in the context of intercultural communications.

Venue for this event is Voronezh State University. 
To confirm your participation in the International Scientific Conference “European identity and political challenges: old concept, new vision”, please fill in Registration Form and send it to zavialova@vsu.ru up until 25 March 2016. 
We look for proposals for twenty-minute talks addressing these outlined fields of research until 31 March 2016 to zavialova@vsu.ru 
The publication of a collection of essays based on the papers given at the conference is planned.

Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact
Dr Alla Akulshina akulshina@vsu.ru 
Ms Lilia Zavialova zavialova@vsu.ru 
Centre for International Project an

http://www.ric.vsu.ru/en/euidentity2016/