Centre for Christian Foundations and Values in Europe (CFVC)
Identity and mission
The Centre for Christian Foundations and Values in Europe (CFVC) #NetworkofValues, of the Royal University Institute of European Studies, was created with the mission to study and raise awareness of the roots of European culture. The coordinator of the centre is Álvaro Silva Soto, deputy director of the RIDEE.
In 1982, Saint John Paul II urged Europe to rediscover itself. From Santiago, said the Holy Father at the time, "I send you, old Europe, a cry full of love: Find yourself again. Be yourself. Discover your origins. Revive your roots. Revive those authentic values that made your history glorious and your presence on the other continents beneficial. Rebuild your spiritual unity, in a climate of full respect for other religions and genuine freedoms. Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Do not be so proud of your achievements that you forget their possible negative consequences. Do not be depressed by the quantitative loss of your greatness in the world or by the social and cultural crises that affect you now. You can still be a beacon of civilisation and a spur to progress for the world".
That call is still relevant today and, indeed, more urgent than ever. Responding to it requires an understanding of what Europe is, what its origins are and what values have made it a model for so many peoples. The Centre for Foundations and Christian Values in Europe fully assumes this task with the conviction that the study of its identity is the best way to ensure that our continent remains a space of freedom and opportunity from which culture, art and thought continue to project themselves into the world.
To achieve this, the centre aims to become a privileged space for meeting and dialogue between all those who, from different countries and fields of knowledge, share the vision of a renewed Europe based on its principles; it aspires to form a group of collaborators willing to join forces to rediscover the history, art and philosophy that, together with Christianity, shaped the great European project, and its objectives include supporting all initiatives that arise in this regard.
Areas of activity
History of Europe and European integration
Christian values
Philosophy and political science
European art, literature and culture.
Activities
Courses and seminars
Conferences, congresses and public events
Cultural activities
Publications: articles, books and reprints.
Prizes for students (TFG, TFM...) or for external academic or cultural works (art, literature, music...) that contribute to renewing and/or raising awareness of the European tradition.
Collaborations
Universities: Francisco de Vitoria, University of Valencia, UCAM, Philantropos...
Publishers: Encuentros, Actas, Homo Legens, Dykinson, Marcial Pons...
Think-tanks: Center for Fundamental Rights, Nazione Futura...
Foundations and associations: One of Us, NEOS, European Fraternity, Disenso, FAES...
Media: Trece, Intereconomía, 7NN, ElDebate, la Gaceta, The Objective, The European Conservative...
Public and private cultural organisations.