President Grybauskaitė welcomes participants of Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s conference

The Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s conference was held in Vilnius for the first time. More than 100 politicians, political scientists and historians attended the conference.

According to the president, Europe is solving new challenges that it faces. Europe must change as it always has done. This conference takes place every two years in different Central and Eastern European countries. Vilnius has been chosen this year because of Lithuania’s active foreign policy and European stance, the presidential press service said.

Grybauskaitė said that everyone was responsible for tomorrow’s Europe, which will be diverse but must unite everybody for a common idea and peace.

“Today we all deal with new challenges facing Europe. Europe must change as it always has done. We all have a huge responsibility for the future of Europe. It must be different, but unite us for the common cause, unity and peace,” she said.

Konrad Adenauer was the first post-war Chancellor of West Germany who led his country from the ruins of World War II and forged relationships with Western nations. According to the President, this German politician fostered the vision of a united and peaceful Europe. For 60 years now the foundation has been contributing to the implementation of this vision, working heartily with Europe’s political and economic leaders and youth.

The foundation’s political education programs “aim at promoting freedom and liberty, peace, and justice”. They focus on consolidating democracy, on the unification of Europe and the strengthening of transatlantic relations, as well as on development cooperation, and value-based politics. They seek to promote dialogue between politicians, business people, clergy, scientists, and other communities.