JÁN FIGEĽ

First Slovak European Commissioner
First Special Envoy for Religious Freedom outside the EU
Founder of European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
President of Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe (FOREF)

Key Domains of My Lifelong Engagement

Slovakia
My Homeland

Religious Freedom
and Human Dignity and Rights

Europe – Peace, Integration and Innovation

Marriage
and Family

Christian Democracy

Latest in the news

Education: the Key to Europe’s Future

6 March 2006

English

Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Völkerverständigung andCoudenhove-Kalergi-Stiftung ForumKlosterneuburg, 6 March 2006 Dear Dr. Alois Mock, Dear Dr. Josef Hoechtl, Minister Gehrer,Excellencies,Distinguished Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen, IntroductionThe conference organisers suggested that I should speak about education as the key toEurope’s future. Clearly, education does, in many respects, open doors to the future.This is true at the level of the…
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The European Qualifications Framework: The road from consultation to Recommendation

27 February 2006

English

European Qualifications Framework (EQF) conferenceBudapest , 27-28 February 2006 Distinguished guests,Ladies and Gentlemen: I am delighted to be here in Budapest. I would first like to say that I am verygrateful to you, Mr Magyar for hosting this event and organising it jointlywith the Commission. You showed your enthusiastic support for the development of the…
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Is there a European culture?

15 February 2006

English

London School of EconomicsLondon, 15 February 2006 Ladies and Gentlemen,My thanks to the organisers and my warmest greetings to all of you heretoday.It is a privilege and a pleasure to come and speak here in this worldrenowned institute.It is always a pleasure to be back in London. London is more than acapital. It is a…
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Knowledge Society: A Response to the Challenge of Globalisation

8 February 2006

English

Harvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts, 8 February 2006 Ladies and Gentlemen,Dear Students, It is a privilege and a great pleasure to be standing before you today. First of all, Iwish to thank for giving me the opportunity to meet you. I had a curious conversation a couple of weeks ago. I was telling a friend of myupcoming…
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Unity and Diversity: Europe’s Approaches to Culture and Languages

7 February 2006

English

Georgetown UniversityWashington DC, 7 February 2006 1 Introduction Few places are more comfortable for me than a conference hall in a greatAmerican university. As you know, my responsibilities as EuropeanCommissioner include higher education and culture, so this campus and thisaudience make me feel at home. Centres of learning on both sides of the Atlantic bear…
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Intervention in the panel “Muses and Sirens”

28 January 2006

English

Conference “The sound of Europe”Salzburg, 28 January 2006 Distinguished guests,Ladies and Gentlemen, Introduction First of all, I would like to thank Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, President ofthe Council of the European Union, very much for his invitation to thisconference. I also congratulate the Austrian Presidency as a whole fororganising such a high profile event at a…
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Multilingualism and its challenges

12 January 2006

English

33th General Assembly of the International Association of ConferenceInterpreters (AIIC)Hotel Bedford, Brussels, 12 January 2006 Distinguished guests,Ladies and Gentlemen,Milí hostia,Vážené dámy a páni, I am very pleased to be able to address you here today, on the occasionof the thirty-third Assembly of AIIC, the International Association ofConference Interpreters. May I begin by extending to you…
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Towards an EU Strategy for Cultural Heritage

7 December 2005

English

European Cultural Heritage Forum—Europa NostraBrussels, 7 December 2005 Your Royal Highness,President Sigmund,Chairman Sifunakis,His Excellency von der Gablentz,Distinguishes guests,Ladies and gentlemen, What does the European Union do for cultural heritage today? Culture 2000 and Culture 2007 Programmes This is an example of how a derelict Evangelical church may become a cultural centre and art museum. on…
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Education and Entrepreneurship”

7 December 2005

English

Education to Entrepreneurship — SME UnionBrussels, 7 December 2005 Ladies and gentlemen,It’s a pleasure to be here today to speak to you about entrepreneurship and education(Slide 1).In doing so, I would like to place my comments in the context of the widerframework of the revised Lisbon strategy for Growth and Jobs. It is clear thateducation…
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Holding the future in your hands

11 November 2005

English

National Taras Shevchenko UniversityKyiv, 11 November 2005 Distinguished Professors,Dear students,Ladies and Gentlemen: I like to open my speeches telling audiences why I decided to be with them andwhy participating to their event is important to me. As I was preparing for this occasion, I looked for the words that would expressthe very special feeling I…
Read more: Holding the future in your hands