Conferință românească la Oxford

Speech of His Royal Highness Prince Radu of Romania in the opening of the Second Conference at Oxford University organized by the Berendel Foundation
Ashmolean Museum, Thursday September 8, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It s with great pleasure and hope that I join you tonight, in the Second Conference organized by the Berendel Foundation at Oxford University.

I know how much enthusiasm, generosity and vision have been put in the creation, last year, of the First Conference, dedicated to a philosophical and historic view on Humanism.

Last year, the First Cantemir Prize awarded an important volume on the Cantemirs, father and son, two remarkable Romanian scholars of the Middle Age.

In fact, Crown Princess Margarita and I are delighted to learn that the Cantemir Institute at the University of Oxford is going to be established soon, in the next twelve months perhaps. We enthusiastically support the future Institute and happily offer our partnership to its projects.

Tonight we all agree, by our presence and, some of you, by your scientific contribution next two days, that a theme such as « Crafting Humans. From Genesis to Eugenics and Beyond » is a relevant and probably necessary one to be analysed nowadays.

In the last 150 years, the members of the Romanian Royal Family shaped their leadership according to the challenges of their époque and geography: the disregard towards the aspiration of freedom and Independence of our people, the Bolshevik threat, Fascism, then Communism in different « emballages », then cynicism and cowardice, and more recently, irresponsibility and incompetence in public life and in the democratic world of power.

They always believed in the human capacity and tried very hard to protect their Nation and their countrymen against any policy, idea, movement or interest contrary to their liberties, dignity and pride.

It is, therefore, a great pleasure indeed for me tonight to present the Second Cantemir Prize to professor Alison Bashford and to Professor Philippa Levine for their valuable, generous and inspired work, putting together texts and ideas of leading scholars from across the world, and entitled « Oxford Handbook of the History of Eugenics ».

This collective work explores the limits of humanity and some forms of inhumanity invented and performed in the name of humanity.

I only hope that this exceptional volume will be able to offer the leaders of today (be they politicians, scientists, artists, journalists, people with money or civic activists) knowledge and understanding of the balance between scientific research and technology, on the one hand, and ethics and decision-making, on the other hand.

Congratulations to Professors Bashford and Levine!

Aseară, joi 8 septembrie 2011, la Muzeul Ashmolean din Oxford, a avut loc deschiderea oficială a celei de-a doua conferințe anuale (2011) a Fundației Berendel la Universitatea din Oxford. Cu acest prilej, am prezentat Al Doilea Premiu Cantemir profesoarelor Alison Bashford și Philippa Levine, de la Universitatea din Sydney, pentru lucrarea “The Oxford Handbook on the History of Eugenics”, publicată în anul 2010 la Editura Oxford Press.

Conferința va avea loc vineri 9 și sâmbătă 10 septembrie și va fi găzduită de Oueen’s College, cu tema: “Crafting Humans: From Genesis to Eugenics and Beyond“. Vor prezenta lucrări oameni de știință de reputație mondială, de la mari universități de pe trei continente, precum Moshe Idel, Frank R. Ankersmit, Merryn Ekberg, Jörn Rüsen, Paul J. Weindling, Antonis Liakos, Longzi Zhang, Roger Griffin, Alison Bashford, Nicholas Agar, Yehuda Elkana, Dan Stone, Volker Roelcke, alături de compatrioții noștri Sorin Antohi și Marius Turda.