We are delighted to invite you to the first international event of the FREI – From Resistance to European Integration project, taking place on 27–28 May 2025 at the Bruno Kreisky Forum in Vienna, Austria.
Funded by the European Union’s CERV - Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, the FREI project explores the very diverse national journeys from totalitarian regimes towards democracy and European Union membership, focusing on the struggles for democracy and human rights in five EU member states: Italy, Austria, Greece, Portugal, and Romania.
What to Expect?
The two-day event will feature:
Focus sessions on Austria’s history, including:
Dealing with the Nazi past and the role of the third and fourth generation
Overcoming totalitarianism and rebuilding democracy
Contemporary approaches to telling Nazi history
Resistance and anti-fascist remembrance since 1945
Presentations of national Paths by partner organizations, highlighting key historical experiences and challenges on the road to democracy in various countries.
Interactive discussions on how to create inclusive remembrance narratives that resonate with diverse communities today.
Why Join Us?
The International Opening Event marks the launch of an inspiring transnational journey. By connecting historical memory with current challenges, FREI seeks to foster a deeper understanding of democracy, human rights, and European integration across generations and communities.
Join us in Vienna to shape the future of remembrance and democracy!
draft AGENDA:
DAY 1, 27th MAY:
10:00 - 10:45 Opening & Introduction
10:45 - 12:00 Austrian Local Path:
Nazi Past and the 3rd Generation, Jennyfer Scheer, Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien (Jewish Community of Vienna)
Overcoming totalitarianism: the SPÖ in (re-) building democracy, Matt Berg, John Carroll University, Cleveland
Telling Nazi History Today, Laura Langeder, Mauthausen Memorial
Fighting fascism since 1945, Andreas Kranebitter, DÖW
Q&A
12:00 - 13:00 Break
13:00 - 13:30 Italian Path to Democracy, Erasmo Mancini, Movimento Europeo
13:45 - 14:15 Greek Path to Democracy, Pyrrhus Mercouris, European Expression
14:15 - 14:45 Break
14:45 - 15:15 Romanian Path to Democracy, Ana Zlibut, Writers' League Timisoara
15:30 - 16:00 Portuguese Path to Democracy, Filipe Guimarães da Silva, Mario Soares Foundation
DAY 2, 28th MAY:
10:00 - 10:40 Future Practices and Perspectives for Pluralistic Remembrance, Anne Wiederhold-Daryanavard und Michael Podgorac, Brunnenpassage
10:40 - 11:00 Remembrance and Democracy in a Changing Europe, Eva-Esther Sobotka, Fundamental Rights Agency
11:00 - 16:00 Remembrance Tour Vienna, Stefan August Lütgenau, Foster Europe Foundation
The programme might be subject to change.
REGISTRATION:
The conference is organised within the FREI – From Resistance to European Integration project, a two years project funded by the CERV - Citizens Equality Rights and Values programme of the European Union. The project highlights the facts that democracy was established in fierce struggles and against resistance in each of the countries and that European integration fostered and developed wealth, peaceful, free, liberal democracies. It analyses the pan European efforts to develop our representative democracy further, to find new ways of inclusion and participation (Conference on the Future of Europe) and highlight the fact that the integrated Europe created wealth. The project addresses the shared but highly divers history of totalitarian regimes in five EU Member States, the shared but again diverse process of overcoming totalitarian rule, democratic transition and the individual processes of joining the European Union. The project addresses a mixed target group with a focus on the younger generation (students 18-29) as they will be decisive for the future of our democracies and the European project of Integration. Finally, in the international events (final conference in Strassbourg) and by digital communication (digital exhibition space), the project will reach a wider European public interested in the issue or related to citizens education.