Round table discussion “Social standards and social ethics in Eastern Europe” round table takes place in the capital of Belarus
On 23 January 2010, a round-table discussion “Social standards and social ethics in Eastern Europe” round table discussion took place at the Minsk Institute of Legal Science. It was organized by the European Humanities University (Lithuania), the “Crossroads” journal, the “Oikumene” Centre, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Scholars and public figures from Austria, Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, and Russia took part in the discussion. The DECR deputy chairman hegumen Philipp (Ryabykh) addressed the meeting on behalf of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations. The Byelorussian Exarchate was represented by A. Aleshko, assistant to Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk.
The participants in the seminar discussed the following topics: “Sources of social ethics. Transformation of the social ethics structure in Eastern Europe. An ethical idea of Eastern Europe in the 21st century”; “Interaction of social ethics standards with other normative systems. Legal culture and social ethics. Interrelations of individual and social ethics. Use of social capital in Eastern Europe. Confidence in East European societies”; “Influence of social ethics on public relations. Relationship of social ethics and mass media policy. Ethics of economic activities in Eastern Europe. Ethical issues of political processes. Particular features of civil society formation in Eastern Europe. Problems of decriminalization in East European societies.”
The representative of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations noted that it was necessary today to mend am “patrimonial” flaw of the modernist style in its attitude to religion. “Having experienced systematic religious persecutions, the East European countries have more advantage and a clear view for finding a solution to an all-European problem to work out a social model which would preserve the achievements of “modern project” in other spheres of social life, but would at the same time allow religion to take part in it at full value,” said hegumen Philipp.