The Central University Library „Carol I” in Bucharest, in partnership with the Paneuropean Union – Paneuropa Romania, organized on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in the institution’s Aula, the international conference “Christian Democracy, Conservatism and the Challenge of the Extremes,” followed by the launch of the homonymous volume, recently published by Eburon Academic Publishers. The event provided an opportunity for reflection and dialogue on the role that traditional center-right ideologies in Europe can play in facing the challenges posed by the rise of political extremes, within an increasingly fragmented and tense European context.

The event was attended by prominent figures from the academic and cultural spheres, as well as representatives of civil society interested in the ideological developments within the European space. In the opening of the conference, Associate Professor Dr. Mireille Rădoi, the General Director of the Central University Library “Carol I”, highlighted the institution’s role as a space for intellectual balance and responsible dialogue. Alongside her, speeches were delivered by Alexandru Nazare, President of Paneuropa Romania, former Minister and MEP, and Federico Ottavio Reho, Senior Researcher at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and editor of the newly launched volume. The audience included students and young researchers from the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA), the Faculty of Business Administration in Foreign Languages (FABIZ) of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), and the University of Bucharest – the very audience to whom the volume and debate are directly addressed.

The volume “Christian Democracy, Conservatism and the Challenge of the Extremes” brings to the forefront a lucid reflection on how Christian values can guide public discourse in a Europe searching for its identity markers. The book brings together contributions from European thinkers who analyze the relationship between tradition and modernity, freedom and responsibility, in a context marked by successive crises – from the global pandemic to the war in Ukraine and demographic challenges. Central to the discussions were essential questions regarding the future of the European project, the role of ethics in public policy making, and the need for a reconciliation between reason, faith, and solidarity.

The organization of this editorial event at the Central University Library „Carol I” has a twofold motivation: on the one hand, to bring to the public’s attention a well-articulated reflection on the values that can support European cohesion in an uncertain future; on the other hand, to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue between researchers, students, theologians, philosophers, and civic actors interested in the reconstruction of a public space based on solid principles. The relevance of the volume lies in its ability to bring into equation faith and reason, tradition and change, offering valuable benchmarks for those who think about the future of Europe not only in geopolitical terms but also in cultural and moral ones.

Federico Ottavio Reho stated that “without a renewed reflection on the moral and spiritual foundations of our societies, the European project risks becoming a mere technocratic construct, devoid of soul.” This warning sets the tone for the entire volume and invites a focused rethinking of the direction Europe is heading.

During the event, Alexandru Nazare highlighted the need for a revaluation of the spiritual dimension in the European construction. He stated that, in the current geopolitical and economic context, Europe needs a lucid reassessment of the values that have underpinned its founding project. “We must return to what initially gave meaning to European integration – a set of shared moral values that inspired cooperation, solidarity, and peace. We cannot build Europe’s future solely on market mechanisms and economic instruments. We need a rediscovery of the common ethos that offers cohesion and long-term vision.” According to him, without this symbolic and axiological reestablishment, the European Union risks fragmenting under the pressure of successive crises and social division.

“The Library is, by excellence, a space of memory and critical thinking, and a debate about the spiritual dimension of European construction could not have found a more appropriate setting. We have a duty to cultivate these essential conversations that help us understand not only who we are but also where we are headed as a society. In a world in constant transformation, Europe needs a deep anchor in what defines it: culture, solidarity, and responsibility toward the future. The Central University Library ‘Carol I’ is itself an expression of King Carol I’s vision, who, through this institution, not only wanted to create a center of knowledge but also place Romania on the axis of European values, where humanist spirit, reason, and freedom meet,” said Associate Professor Dr. Mireille Rădoi, Director of the Central University Library „Carol I”.