In Prague, on 25 February 2020, the Polish Institute, the Centre français de recherche en sciences sociales and the publishing house OIKOYMENH held a public debate on "How to Build a Republic", to mark the publication of the Czech translation of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s last political work, the Considérations sur la gouvernement de Pologne et sur sa reformation projetée of 1771. This is also the last work of the philosopher to have been published in Czech, thanks to support of the Polish Institute in Prague directed by Dr Maciej RUCZAJ.
The translator, Dr Hana FOŘTOVÁ, of the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, was joined on the panel by Professor Gabrielle RODICA of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Lille and the Chairholder of the European Civilization Chair at the College of Europe in Natolin, Professor Richard BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI.
The debate, held at the Academic Conference Centre in the heart of Prague’s Old Town, and attended by about forty persons, was moderated by Dr Jan KVĚTINA of the Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The lively discussion revolved around ideas of liberty, independence, national identity, the rhetoric of resistance to cosmopolitanism and what would now be called globalization, and Rousseau’s unique bond with the republican values of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Chairholder’s participation in the event continues the Chair’s research theme on "The Fate of Freedom".