About us
Mission Statement
European Values Center for Security Policy is a non-governmental, non-partisan institute defending liberal democracies against dictatorships since 2005.
Through its malign activities People’s Republic of China is threatening liberal democracies across Europe and Indo-Pacific. Our mission is to analyze these threats, provide actionable policy recommendations and advocate them among our political, security, and business leaders.
The work of the European Values Center for Security Policy upholds the principles which have been evolving in Europe for centuries and gave birth to political institutions of liberal democracies. To us, “European values” mean three fundamental values that embody the pillars of the liberal democratic way of government: personal freedom, human dignity, and equality. We believe that democracies in all their diversities should not be strategically dependent on dictatorships and authoritarian regimes and therefore, democratic alliances should be built and strengthened. With our headquarters in Prague, our objective is to build trusted alliances between European and Indo-Pacific like-minded partners against the common threats. As the first European think tank to have established a permanent office in Taiwan, we are uniquely positioned to foster closer cooperation between democratic actors in the two regions.
To meet these goals, we pursue research and educational activities. In addition to publishing analytical papers and commentaries for the media, we organize and work in partnership to organize conferences, seminars, networking meetings and training sessions for professionals.
Name
The name ‘European Values’ refers to the basic principles which have been evolving in Europe for centuries and gave birth to political institutions of liberal democracy. Such institutions can be found in Northern America, Australia and at many other places all over the world. In our terms, the ‘European values’ are the ‘values of Western civilisation’.
Logo
Winged Pegasus in a jump is the main symbol of our logo. It represents vitality and strength of a horse combined with lightness and freedom of a bird. This is the way we aim to contribute to the public debate. Pegasus, on which heroic Bellerofontés defeated monstrous Chimera (symbolising delusion), concurrently refers to the Ancient Greece. It is the thoughts of Ancient Greek philosophers together with Roman laws and Jewish-Christian tradition that create the three main roots of the European (Western) civilisation.
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How we understand European Values
To us, “European values” mean three fundamental values that embody the pillars of the liberal democratic way of government: personal freedom, human dignity, and equality. Although every healthy democracy introspects on the health and scope of other precepts in everyday governance, we believe that these three watchwords furnish a solid foundation for the society to which we all aspire. Thanks to the political systems based on these principles, the Western world is the freest, safest, and most prosperous part of the world.
I. Personal freedom
The value of individual freedom has undergone many trials tests in Western civilization., and the development of free individuals, firms, and political institutions, is an ongoing process of observation and experimentation. To stimulate liberal democracy, we need a consistent fulfilment of freedom and rights in all their civic and political forms, the achievement of which has so far nourished the best fruits of our civilization.
Of paramount importance is the matter of freedom of speech, which provides the most crucial safeguard against totalitarian tendencies and the flattening of open public discussion. However, we do not pursue freedom without boundaries, but one linked to adequate responsibility. It begins with each individual and such behaviour that does not do unto others what one does not want others to do unto him.
II. Human dignity
Human dignity underpins constitutional systems of all the countries of European Union and generally Western world. We find crucial that all men and women be held equal in dignity and rights, as stated in the very first article – in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – of our Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Human dignity must be intensively, constitutionally, and legally protected. , Western countries, especially after their experience with totalitarian collectivist arrangements such as Nazism, Fascism, and Communism, know the devastation that awaits when we neglect this responsibility.
The goal of constitutional protection of human dignity is the one to maturing of as a free and self-responsible citizen, who has primacy over the state and keeps its powers in check every limit a daily basis. We regard the dignified person as upright and self-confident, free and civic and politically active, especially when in contact with state institutions and political representatives. The state is to serve its citizens, and not the other way around.
III. Equity
We see equity as equality of all people before the law and the just rule of law where the rules apply to equally to all. Equity ensures equal opportunities for everyone, so that they can use their talent and commitment to pursue their own happiness and satisfaction within a functioning free society.
We distinguish between equity and equality; promoting equality is a tendency to offset social differences. This should be done by a sensitive democratic state acting in proportional support for the weakest and disadvantaged who cannot help themselves.
