Reasserting Europe's values - EESC Civil Society Media Seminar - 2018

The 12th Civil Society Media Seminar on Reasserting Europe's values, held in Athens, started on 22 November. It gathered more than 150 participants from the three Groups of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) together with press and communication officers and journalists from the Greek media. The seminar was formally opened by Isabel Caño Aguilar, the EESC Vice-President for Communication, who stated that civil society is actively trying to reassert the European values. In his speech, which opened the debate, the EESC President Luca Jahier, spoke about the challenges that liberal democracy is facing in the European Union ahead of the European elections. The opening session of the seminar included speeches by Georgios Katrougalos, Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, and Georgios Makropouliotis, Head of the EC representation in Greece. The two panels raised key issues and topics which feature high on the agenda when it comes to the defence of the European values and freedom of press and liberal democracy against illiberalism. The discussion between the different members of the panels gave rise to lively exchanges and debates with the audience.