The event will be organized by the Aspen Institute Romania, under the aegis of the Aspen Arts &
Society Program and the Aspen Dialogues Series, and under the umbrella of the George Enescu
International Festival. The event aims to contribute to the conversation around culture as catalyst
for societal growth and spiritual wellbeing. The event will take place at the Romanian Athenaeum.

The trends are visible and inescapable, as our society defines its priorities and recommits its principles
on which we build our future selves. Even though time after time it has been shown that culture
speaks not just to the identity of a civilization but also to its existence, each generation must face
the choice of defining their culture. Culture not as past tense, but as a living verb. As leaders in the
society today, it is our responsibility to create the choices that lead to a mature and significant
existence of diverse cultural identities, preserving the global heritage unaltered by extreme trends
that demand an unrealistic purity test. For culture is identity, and without its presence, our own
existence as a people is in question.

Aspen Institute Romania, as a neutral, balanced, multi-stakeholder convener, seeks to engage its
network of members, fellows and alumni and its wider community in a reflection process on the
current critical topics confronting our society and on how to ensure that the post-pandemic world
continues to reflect the ideals and ideas defining a good society. Under the Aspen Dialogues series of
events, we invite national and European public decision-makers, representatives of political parties,
private sector stakeholders, Ambassadors of key partners of Romania and representatives of the non-governmental and academic sectors to discuss these current challenges and debate with the Aspen
community on possible ways forward.

The Public Policy Programs of the Aspen Institute Romania seek to improve the formation of policy
through transparent, non-partisan, evidence-based, multiple stakeholders’ dialogue. Based on the
Aspen Method, our programs offer public decision-makers, private stakeholders and representatives
of the non-governmental and academic sectors an exceptional platform for reflection, aiming to reach
consensus on concrete policy recommendations in Romania’s most relevant policy fields.

 

Agenda

17:30 – 18:00: Welcome & Registration 

18:00 – 19:00: Conversation on Culture as a catalyst for societal growth and spiritual wellbeing

  • Cristian Măcelaru, Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, GRAMMY® Award Winning Conductor & Music Director of the Orchestre National de France
  • Dan Dediu, Composer, Professor at the National University of Music Bucharest

19:00 – 20:00: Networking Cocktail