Newsletter Aspen Institute Prague No. 3

NEWSLETTER ASPEN INSTITUTE PRAGUE | MARCH 2013
| ASPEN DNES: WHY DO I CARE ABOUT POLITICS? |
| INTERNET ECONOMY BRUNCH |
California elected Arnold Schwarzenegger governor in 2003
and again in 2006. Barack Obama received a key endorsement
from Oprah Winfrey during the 2008 presidential campaign.
And countless other celebrities have exerted tremendous
influence over the political process in recent years: from
swaying voters with endorsements, to using wealth to
shape public policy and, in some extreme cases, even taking
government office. In early February 2013 the Aspen Institute
Prague hosted a public event together with the largest daily
MF DNES —“Why Do I Care About Politics?” — to debate
the implications of celebrities participating in politics. In
attendance were popular Czech personalities, such as actor
Jiří Mádl, businessman Stanislav Bernard and MP Jiří
Šlégr, who discussed this issue of growing importance in
Central Europe. The widely followed event was streamed live
on iDnes.cz and can be seen on the Aspen Institute Prague’s
YouTube Channel.
The internet is one
of the major driving
forces behind the
Western economy,
constituting a large
and growing share
of the countries’
GDP. This statistics
also holds true for
Central European
countries: In 2011 the Czech Republic reported the fastest
growing internet economy in Europe. Recent analyses, such
as the OECD studies, show that this burgeoning industry is
helping to offset the costs incurred by the latest Euro-zone
crisis. The Aspen Institute Prague organized a brunch on
February 12, 2013 that brought together industry leaders
to engage a wide variety of issues on the internet. Among
topics discussed were barriers to expanding e-commerce
and the government’s role in shaping the internet’s future.
Participants left with a better understanding of and desire
to increase the internet’s importance in Central Europe’s
economy.
| ASPEN INSTITUTE YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM |
As part of the Aspen Institute Prague’s first Young Leader’s
Program, a diverse group of up-and-coming CEOs, policy
makers, and artists spent four days in Slovakia exploring
the meaning and importance of leadership in today’s world.
»
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ASPEN INSTITUTE PRAGUE
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PA L A C K É H O 1 , C Z 1 1 0 0 0 P R A H A 1
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W W W. A S P E N I N S T I T U T E . C Z
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[email protected]
NEWSLETTER ASPEN INSTITUTE PRAGUE | MARCH 2013
Program participants attended lectures, workshops and
moderated discussions led by prominent figures in Central
Europe such as European Commission Vice President Maroš
Šefčovič as well as hockey legend and MEP Peter Šťastný.
Speakers discussed different aspects of leadership, including
motivation, ethics, decision-making, team building and
media management. Through bringing together a variety of
perspectives into one discussion, the program’s main focus
was on broadening the vision of Central Europe’s emerging
leaders. The Aspen Institute believes it succeeded in this
mission as one participant claimed, “The seminar was an
experience I will long remember. You did manage to remove us
from our daily routine, which in itself is an achievement. And
you made us think & reflect [about leadership].”
| RENATIONALIZATION OF EUROPE |
The Aspen Institute Prague just released the winter issue
of Aspen Review Central Europe. In response to the rapidly
evolving economic conditions in Europe, the Aspen
Institute Prague selected “the Renationalization of Europe”
for the cover story. Featured under this section are articles
on the re-birth of Ukrainian nationalism and Hungary’s
rising dislike of Europe. In the political and cultural
sections, scholars analyze the current state of European
identity and its flirtation with federalism. Also included are
experts’ thoughts on the
future of the Eurozone
and what lessons Europe
can draw from the South
Korean economic model.
The
Aspen
Review
comes again in three
different
languages—
Czech, English, and
Polish—and can be
purchased at selected
bookstores or online.
Individual
members
and corporate partners
receive
automatic
subscription and can
read the quarterly in our
online reader.
THE ASPEN INSTITUTE PRAGUE OFFERS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS AND THREE LEVELS OF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A PART OF ASPEN PRAGUE, PLEASE FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
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ASPEN INSTITUTE PRAGUE
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PA L A C K É H O 1 , C Z 1 1 0 0 0 P R A H A 1
|
W W W. A S P E N I N S T I T U T E . C Z
|
[email protected]