The Quest for a Wider Europe

For the first time since its inception, the European Union is facing an existential crisis. The troubles with the common European currency, the euro, reveal deep-seated problems in the Union's mission. Yet the quest for a wider, more inclusive Europe remains central to the European ethos. H. E. Dr. Baconschi will address the future of the great European experiment, discussing the way forward toward a stronger, more stable, and more representative Union.

Dr. Baconschi was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on December 23, 2009. Previously, he was Ambassador to the Republic of France (September 2007-December 2009), Portugal (2002-2004), and the The Holy See (Vatican) (1997-2001). He held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including State Secretary for Global Affairs (January 2005-September 2006) and Director General in 2001, and was Presidential Adviser on political affairs between October 2006 and August 2007. Minister Baconschi was awarded numerous distinctions by the Holy See, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and others.

Before joining the diplomatic career, he was Director of Anastasia Publishers, in Bucharest; editor-in-chief of the "Spiritual Life" (on the National Public Television), advisor with the Ministry of Culture and editor with the Biblical and Mission Institute's Publishing Office of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

He graduated from the Bucharest Theological University Institute in 1985, went for an ABD degree (Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies) at Université de Paris IV-Sorbonne (1991), was awarded a PhD in Religious Anthropology and Compared History of Religions at Université de Paris IV-Sorbonne (1994) and then took post-doctoral studies as a Fellow of the New Europe College of Bucharest (1996).

He published over 10 books in French and Romanian and speaks English, French and Italian.