The 8th International Conference of the Aquileia Euro-region, organised by Mitteleuropa and hosted by its President, Paolo Petiziol, was held on 19 October 2012 under the title “Europe – Fragmentation or Recomposition? Duty and courage to speak about it.”
The gathering aimed at highlighting, in a friendly and non political tone, the importance of the main principles of the Cultural Association, Mitteleuropa as well as of the European Union, such as co-existence and mutual respect in the Old Continent composed of many small-medium sized nations and different religions. In order to foresee how Europe will look like in 2025, the participants went beyond their functions, tasks and titles, and according to Petiziol, this was the actual “added value” of the annual meeting.The Conference was supported by the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and by the Central European Initiative. CEI Deputy Secretary General, Zoran Jovanovic stressed the importance and the real meaning of the words cooperation and solidarity, in order to guarantee stability, cohesion and political unity in Europe.
The “Mitteleuropa” Cultural Association was founded in 1974, when the idea of the friendship among Central European countries and peoples was hampered by the existence of the Iron curtain. However, it is still active, especially in the field of culture, and in the fields of economy and politics.