Historians on the trail of a cultural dialogue

Overcoming of stereotypes negatively influencing the course of interstate relations – such goal was set yesterday by the historians from Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, who inaugurated a series of discussions “Dialogue of cultural memory in the space of ULB (Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus)”, at the University of Vilnius. The cycle involves twelve lectures and discussions to be held alternately at the University of Vilnius and Warsaw.

According to the Lithuanian historian, prof. dr. hab. Alvydas Nikžentaitisa, one of the initiators of the series of scientific meetings, the idea of the organisation of such cycle was dictated by the life itself. “The deterioration  of Polish-Lithuanian relations, day by day , makes us, scientists unable to remain aloof from the events. Moreover, we should establish a dialogue on issues that were often not possible to be raised by politicians representing our countries” – said Lithuanian historian.

Yesterday meeting, the first from the planned cycle, was not accidentally devoted to the concept of the Polish post-communist foreign policy, based on the views of prominent representatives of the Polish emigration thought – Jerzy Giedroyc and Juliusz Mieroszewski. According to the organisers of the meeting, despite the passage of time, the concept of ULB, providing for the redefinition of the Polish eastern policy towards its neighbors, such as Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus, is still valid.

“It seems to me that Giedroyc, who is glorified by European intellectuals and to whom historians of Central and Eastern Europe refer very often, is a really little-known person. I am glad that we came back to him today. We returned , so in a way of academic discussion, in a way of argument, we can reach a rapprochement between historians and thus develop a common denominator, which, I hope, will help improve our relations, “- said after the meeting Michal Kopczynski, Ph.D. from the Historical Institute at the University of Warsaw.

Apart from  M. Kopczyński, Ph.D., the first discussion of the “Dialogue of cultural memory in the space of ULB (Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania)”, was attended by historians: Jan Malicki from Warsaw, Andriy Portnov from Kiev, Vladas Sirutavičius and Alfredas Bumblauskas from Vilnius.

Cyclical meetings of the project of cultural dialogue will last until June 2012.

http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/historycy-na-tropach-dialogu-kulturowego