Liberty Seminars
The Liberty Seminars is a project organized by a Slovenian classical liberal think tank Društvo Svetilnik[1] (eng. the Lighthouse Association). The seminars take place in the Bohinj Valley of Triglav National Park in north-western Slovenia.
The first edition of this project had only one seminar (Liberty Camp) held between September 14-20, 2008. Only a year later, the second seminar (Freedom and Transition) was adder to the project. The fourth Liberty Seminars took place between September 13-26, 2011. The fifth Liberty Seminars are expected to take place in September 2012.
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[edit] Seminar #1: Liberty Camp
This is the first week-long seminar held at Hotel Jezero[2] on the shores of Lake Bohinj. It focuses on exploring the historical, philosophical and economic foundations of a free society through lectures, small group discussions, movie screenings, debates and presentations. The purpose of the seminar is to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing Europe today. It explores and discusses a range of issues including:
- the origins, meaning and theories of civil and economic rights
- the rule of law and property rights in a free society
- government’s powers and its proper limitations
- theories of justice
- the nature of a liberal democracy
- ways of strengthening civil society
This seminar is especially designed for college students or recent graduates from the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe who are interested in the proper workings of a free society.
[edit] Seminar #2: Freedom and Transition
Freedom and Transition is the second week-long seminar held at Hotel Jezero[3] on the edge of Lake Bohinj. This seminar is focused on the advanced study of liberty in European transition countries. Debates and lectures go beyond the basic principles of classical liberal thought, while examining the breadth and depth of two decades of economic and political developments in post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe. The range of transition issues include:
- economic and political institutions
- informal rules, the rule of law, and economic growth
- governance and corruption
- public sector transparency
- public choice theory
- markets and morality
- crony capitalism
- failed vs. successful privatization
This seminar is specifically designed for graduate students, junior scholars, young professionals and advanced undergraduate students from the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe who are well versed in the principles of the free society and interested in advancing the ideas of liberty more effectively across the region.
[edit] Funding
The Liberty Seminars in Slovenia are funded solely by private contributions. The 2011 Liberty Seminars were supported by a grant from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. Among other sponsors who helped financially or in kind were (in alphabetical order): Adam Smith Institute (ASI), Cato Institute, Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), International Policy Network (IPN), Inštitut Karantanija and the Pejovic Family..
[edit] Faculty of both seminars
The 2011 faculty:
- Daniel J. Mitchell, Cato Institute, USA
- Urban Vehovar, Društvo Svetilnik, Slovenia
- Katarina Zajc, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Mateja Rek, Faculty of Media, Slovenia
- Mark A. Calabria, Cato Institute, USA
- David Greenwald, II. gimnazija Maribor, Slovenia
- Milica Vukotić, UDG, Montenegro
- Tanja Štumberger, Atlas Economic Research Foundation, USA
- Philip Hanson, Chatham House, UK
- Primož Kocuvan, Društvo Svetilnik, Slovenia
- Tanja Kosi, University of Primorska, Slovenia
Also on the faculty between 2008-2010:
- John H. Moore, Grove City College, USA
- Svetozar Pejović, Texas A&M University, USA
- Wayne Crews, Competitive Enterprise Institute, USA
- Ružica Šimić, University of Zagreb, Croatia
- John S. Baker, Jr., Louisiana State University, USA
- Anže Burger, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Tomasz Mickiewicz, University College London, UK
- Matej Kovač, Enterprise Institute, Slovenia
- Krassen Stanchev, Institute for Market Economics, Bulgaria
- Andrei Illarionov, Cato Institute, USA
- Ivica Urban, Institute of Public Finance, Croatia
- Borislav Ristić, Katalaksija, Serbia
- Miroslav Prokopijević, University of Beograd, Serbia
- Rado Pezdir, University of Maribor, Slovenia
- Janez Šušteršič, University of Primorska, Slovenia
- Ljubo Sirc, Centre for Research into Post-Communist Economies, UK
- Bernard Brščič, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Marijana Bađun, Institute of Public Finance, Croatia
- Aleksandar Novaković, Katalaksija, Serbia
- Benjamin Stafford, Foundation for Economic Education, USA
- Matija Žepič, Društvo Svetilnik, Slovenia
[edit] Staff of both seminars
- Tanja Štumberger, Executive Director
- Catinca Hanganu, Program Manager
- Primož Kocuvan, Communications and External Relations Manager
- Milutin Pavičević, Audio-Video Manager
[edit] Location
The Liberty Seminars take place in one of Central Europe’s most beautiful regions, the glacial valley of Bohinj, which is located in the southern part of Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps of Slovenia. Bohinj is the most popular glacial valley of the Julian Alps, located in the southern part of Triglav National Park. The park is considered a wonderful example of Slovenia’s natural and cultural heritage. It is also one of the oldest national parks in Europe and the only national park in Slovenia. It was founded as long ago as 1906 and originally comprised the area of the Triglav Lakes Valley. In 1981 the park was enlarged and now covers an area of 83,807 hectares, including the Slovene Julian Alps almost entirely. The highest point of the park, and also in the country, is the peak of Triglav mountain (2864m), from which the park takes its name. The lowest point can be found in the Tolminka gorges (180m).[4]
