Who we are
FREEDOM AND IDENTITY IN CENTRAL EUROPE empowers voices that champion professional dialogue on freedom, human rights, democracy, and identity. We identify strengthening the transatlantic relationship as a core component of our work, drawing together lawyers and activists from Central and Eastern Europe as well as North America. Together, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the diverse communities and traditions that make up Europe’s eastern flank, promoting unity and mutual understanding within the region.
Mission
We believe that democracy and identity go hand in hand. Without the protection of democracy, identity can be threatened by totalitarianism, while democracy can become shallow and meaningless without strong identities. Strengthening both freedom and identity is crucial for a more peaceful and democratic world.
As a region with a rich tapestry of cultures, Central Europe has a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Considering the diverse traditions, regional peculiarities, and strong local communities that make up this part of the world is part of getting a better understanding on Central Europe. By promoting professional discussion on these vital issues, we aim to contribute to making better policy decisions on both sides of the Atlantic.
Through events, publications, and increased dialogue, we aim to explore the interplay between human rights and identity in Central Europe, and discuss the importance of religious freedom and cultural, linguistic, and national identities in the region.
Experts
New releases
Civil Society Can Help Rebuild Ukraine
Partnership with local Ukrainian NGOs and churches ensures the most efficient and speedy use of foreign aid.
the bumpy car ride on sometimes-unpaved roads takes a good thirty minutes to go from the center of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv to reach the Hebron IT Academy.
How the Ukrainian Meme War Defeated Russia
“This Content is not Available in your Country” A General Summary on Geo-Blocking in and Outside the European Union
The phenomenon of geo-blocking is one of the new challenges of the digital era. Geo-blocking is a modern form of discrimination that differentiates between con-sumers on the basis of their geographical location. The phenomenon ultimately affects the situation of the citizen concerned and may also constitute an obstacle to the single market. Digital time has put a number of issues to be resolved on the legislator’s table in recent years, one of which is the phenomenon of geo-blocking.
When the West Defanged Ukraine – The Budapest Memorandum, a geopolitical cautionary tale for the ages.
On May 10, Ukraine’s current president Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid homage to its first. Leonid Kravchuk “was the man who knew how to find wise words and say them so that all Ukrainians could hear them,” Zelensky said in tribute to his late predecessor. “This is especially important in difficult crisis moments when the future of an entire country may depend on the wisdom of one person.”
Council of Europe criticising Slovakia for violating human rights of national minorities
There’s No Easy Answer for EU and Ukraine
The War in Ukraine Reveals How Economic Dependency Kills
Will Ukraine Save the UN From Irrelevance?
The U.S. Ignores Human Rights Abuses in Slovakia at Its Own Peril
Foggy Bottom’s latest report on human rights abuses in Slovakia omits worrisome realities.
On April 12, the State Department published its annual human rights country reports. While certain countries and issues are being strictly scrutinized, serious human rights violations in the heart of Europe are consistently ignored. This goes against America’s own interests and undermines transatlantic unity at a critical time.