The Shape of Czech Republic & Central Europe discussed in the Aspen Annual Conference

On 29 – 30 November 2017, Aspen Institute Central Europe in cooperation with Hospodářské noviny hosted a two-days annual conference The Shape We’re In: Czech Republic & Central Europe, a flagship public event of the Prague-based organization. High-profile guests, experts and leading personalities presented and discussed their opinions on major substantive issues affecting the world today. In its first day, the conference focused on the Czech Republic. The panelists debated on several key topics, including economic competitiveness, quality of governance, education, national security or quality of life. In the last session of the day, recommendations for the government were debated and summarized. The audience was actively included. Not only have the participants submitted their questions during the debate, but they have also expressed their opinion through a voting system, actively choosing which topics should be prioritized by politicians. The Shape of (Central) Europe was discussed during the second conference day. Czech and foreign experts and decision-makers assessed recent developments in Central Europe and addressed current opportunities and challenges. Ulrich Speck, Senior Research Fellow from Elcano Royals Institute commented: "Now we need at least a symbolic step towards integration." The conference was concluded by a discussion on the prospects of the Transatlantic Partnership after Brexit and the first year of Trump presidency. The Annual Gala Dinner followed the conference and it was attended by many distinguished guests. Keynote Speech was presented by Nicholas Burns, Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations, Harvard Kennedy School, and Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.