A PASOS debate to raise greater interest in public policy questions among the business community in Central and Eastern Europe was launched in Prague on 26 April 2007 at a conference, Fostering Philanthropy in Europe’s New Democracies. The conference set out to engage with business leaders and new EU member-states in strengthening business and government dialogue about good governance, open society and the rule of law, both at home and in neighbouring countries.
Chairman and Founder of the Open Society Institute, George Soros, was joined at the conference, hosted by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, by leading representatives of business and civil society in Central Europe, including Zdeněk Bakala, Chairman of RPG Industries, Robert R. Amsterdam, the defence counsel of jailed Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Vazil Hudák, Vice-President, Central/Eastern Europe and the CIS, of Citigroup, and Vita Terauda, PASOS Chair and Director of Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS in Latvia. The panel also included Lenka Surotchak, Director of the Pontis Foundation in Slovakia, and Martin M. Šimečka, editor of Respekt weekly newspaper. Alexandr Vondra, Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, presented the Czech government’s perspective, and the conference was opened by Dr Jeffrey Gedmin, the new President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Quotes from the conference:
"The activities of think-tanks benefit not only society but also the financial giver, who is exposed to information needs, and they help public discourse."
George Soros, Chairman and Founder, Open Society Institute
"PASOS and such forums can play a vital role in helping
philanthropy to come of age in Central and Eastern Europe, which is still immature. Hard work lies ahead to set up structures to minimise corporate and reputational risk. Giving money is the easy bit."
Zdeněk Bakala, Chairman, RPG Industries
"For think-tanks it is important to define the congruence of common interests with the corporate world, based on the belief that open channels with government are important, and that government makes informed choices and is held accountable. That is the common ground, looking for a move to public spiritedness, from social responsibility to civic responsibility."
Vita Terauda, Chair, PASOS