Speech of HRH Prince Radu of Romania at the XVIIth Marmara Eurasian Economic Summit

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me to the seventeenth annual Eurasian meeting inIstanbul, one of the most prominent international conferences in the region. The Marmara Summit remains, after almost two decades, a rare example of how building trust, friendship and common interest is vital for our part of the world.

I also thank you for the inspired topic of the current session. Talking about long lasting development and the principles and values of good governance is not only necessary but it also represents a moral obligation.

As we all know, a common point of the democratic world today is the extraordinary prominence of politics in our public life. Super-democratisation means often “super-politicisation”. Virtues such as freedom, democracy, rule of law and human rights are present in our vocabulary and culture more than ever.

Nevertheless, practice teaches us that a stable society and a long lasting development need, apart from democratic values, a number of principles and virtues that cannot be obtained by vote or by elections. Values such as vision, identity, continuity, institutional ethics, professionalism, sense of duty, become more and more relevant today, in our super-politicised world.

A good system of governance comprises the political leader in partnership with first-class specialists, those who represent the institutional memory. Visionary projects are born by talent, generosity and sense of duty, not by political opportunities. Continuity means knowledge and respect towards institutions, not necessarily political skills. The value of an inspired leadership is that it is capable to create long lasting projects, created in accordance with the realities and aspirations of a generation.

Civil society has a major responsibility in teaching people the values of sustainable development. Intellectuals, scholars and artists, as much as influential journalists, could make a difference in helping our societies to value professionalism, altruism, sense of duty and ethics.

Nowadays, the most stable and respected societies make use of their traditions, culture and institutional competence to consolidate democracy, create prosperity and maintain rule of law and predictability.

Local governance is, somehow, closer to the community than the central administration. The local leader has more knowledge of and connection to the number of people they serve and has, therefore, a more important impact in the citizen’s life.

Of outstanding importance is to make sure that the young generations of our countries shape their cultural and professional horizon in respect with the values of long lasting development and institutional competence, as well as of ethics and sense of duty.

Last but not least, patriotism is an important tool in building a long lasting future for our societies. Sure, patriotism should not be confused with radical behaviour, but associated to loyalty and generosity, common sense and knowledge, dignity and inspiration.

Thank you very much!