Summer Academy 2022
“Should compromise really be our goal?” is a problematic question that is particularly relevant for democracies, full of opposing views. Yet it also seems obvious that COMPROMISE is a crucial criterion of a free and resilient society – it is what holds groups together. But can we compromise on all issues at state level, is this always possible? Are there areas in which a compromise no longer seems ethically justifiable and is tantamount to giving up? These and similar questions were discussed at the “Jaunimo debatai” Summer Academy 2022, which took place on 19-21st August in the beautiful palace of Duke Mykolas Oginskis in Plungė.
Experts from the fields of politics, ecology, architecture and science gave participants an insight into the nuances of the general topic of compromise. For example, during a panel discussion, Daiva Žeimytė-Bilienė reflected on compromise in journalism and spoke about moderation between guests with completely different views; the director of “Architektūros fondas”, Martynas Germanavičius, focussed on compromise in socio-economic contexts when planning a public space. The historian Dr Nerijus Šepetys discussed the June 1940- ultimatum to Lithuania and considered the various possibilities of historical alternatives, while, during an interactive debate, politicians Matas Maldeikis and Linas Linkevičius helped participants better understand the process of compromise in international politics. You can get an insight into the specific ideas that emerged from all these events in the infographic gallery:
In addition to the guest presentations, academy participants were able to get together for numerous leisure activities: As part of our academy programme, we visited the Samogitian Art Museum, took part in a protmūšis and listened to lectures by members of our own association. We would like to thank Vasara Liutkevičiūtė, who presented the concept of a four-day work week and led the discussion following it, and Rūta Vyšniauskaitė, who gave a lecture on the “Crisis of Public Intellectuals”. We were also delighted by the final classical music concert of the Summer Academy, where our association members once again performed not only for participants of the event, but also to the general community of Plungė.
By organising the Summer Academy 2022, we wanted to deepen the understanding of young people in Lithuania about the importance of compromise, stimulate critical thinking on this topic and contribute to building a mindful society. We would like to thank its participants for contributing to the organisation and success of the event. We are also grateful to our partner and sponsor, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), for their support and assistance in organising the academy.
The Summer Academy is just one of many events organised by the association to promote democratic values, critical thinking and civic engagement. Read more about our other events in the projects section.
A few snapshots from the event:
