On 11 November, we hosted the first meeting in our series of thought-provoking meetings focused on the nexus of philanthropy and democracy in Central Europe: a conversation with Pulitzer-prize winning American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum.
Applebaum was a natural choice for this inaugural conversation: she has long been a keen observer of the changes in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). In 1988-1991, she covered the collapse of communism in CEE as the Warsaw correspondent of the Economist magazine and the Independent newspaper. She received the Pulitzer Prize for her 2004 book Gulag.
During the meeting at our headquarters in Warsaw, Applebaum spoke about
- How democracy is not a given – rather, it is a constant process of negotiations.
- The role of entrepreneurs and their families in supporting democracy in CEE and how important is for philanthropists to find a piece of the puzzle they care about.
- How the culture of philanthropy in the United States supports democracy there.
- The importance of civic education at schools.
The talk was attended by members of PFI’s growing community, including philanthropists, entrepreneurs, investors and others engaged in strengthening democratic resilience in CEE.
Further meetings in our series will be announced shortly by email.
To find out more about our events or to join our community, please send us an email.
