Paneuropa: Coudenhove-Kalergi’s 125th Birthday is an Obligation and a Mission

The values and visions of the famous Paneuropa founder are more relevant today than ever – a symposium on his 125th birthday marks the kick-off for a series of congresses celebrating 100 years of Paneuropa.

Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi’s idea, first articulated in 1922, to create ‘Paneuropa’, likely laid the foundation for the later unification of Europe. His tireless work over half a century first created awareness of the advantages that continental integration would bring – and the serious disadvantages it would avoid. The generation of the founding fathers of a united Europe also left no doubt about their inspiration by the Austrian of Bohemian-Japanese descent, for example, Winston Churchill in his famous Zurich speech. Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi’s legacy is therefore also an obligation and a mission.

Symposium on the 125th Birthday – Mandate and Mission for (Pan-)Europe

This year, Coudenhove-Kalergi would have celebrated his 125th birthday. A welcome occasion to commemorate his work. The Paneuropa Movement Austria’s symposium this weekend, which addressed several aspects of his life, served as the prelude. The symposium took place at Vienna’s ‘Club Stephansplatz 4’ in cooperation with the Europagesellschaft Coudenhove-Kalergi.

The event began with a presentation by Graz historian Anita Ziegerhofer, undeniably one of the most outstanding researchers on Coudenhove-Kalergi. Journalist Stephan Baier, once the closest collaborator of Otto von Habsburg, Coudenhove-Kalergi’s successor as President of the Paneuropean Union, reflected on the collaboration between these two outstanding Europeans. Pavo Barisic, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, former Croatian Minister of Science, and Secretary-General of the Paneuropean Union, reflected on education policy as a core concern of Coudenhove-Kalergi and the foundation for the future of a prosperous Europe.

The event concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Paneuropa Youth Chairman Philipp Jauernik. Among the pressing issues identified, alongside improving the educational landscape, was security policy. “There can be no doubt that much more intensive police and military cooperation, especially in protecting the EU’s external borders, is vital for Europe’s position on the world stage,” Jauernik emphasised.

Prelude to a Larger Commemoration Towards 2022

In approximately three years, the Paneuropean idea will celebrate its 100th birthday. Preparations are already underway in the national sections of the Paneuropean Union to increase their public presence for this anniversary. The path there will be lined with symposia, conferences, and town hall meetings – for example, on Europe Day, 9th May 2020, when another Otto von Habsburg symposium will take place in Vienna.

“For the Paneuropean Union, its second president, Otto von Habsburg, is just as important as its founder,” explains Rainhard Kloucek, Secretary-General of the Paneuropa Movement Austria. “Therefore, we want to carry forward the intellectual legacy of these two great Europeans and connect it with essential future questions.” Celebrating Coudenhove-Kalergi’s 125th birthday with a high-calibre symposium was merely the beginning, Kloucek added.

Feature image: from left: Stephan Baier, Philipp Jauernik, Pavo Barisic, Rainhard Kloucek