Professor BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI, Chairholder of the European Civilization Chair, participated in a conference held in the recently rebuilt Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius between 12 and 14 October 2016, on "The Cathedrals of the Capitals of the Two Nations: The Episcopal Churches of Kraków and Vilnius" – jointly organized by the Palace and the Royal Castle at Wawel, Kraków.
His own paper showed how bishops of Vilnius attempted to gain the far more lucrative bishopric of Kraków towards the end of the eighteenth century. In doing so he unveiled the mechanisms of high politics in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during its last years of existence.
From Vilnius, Professor BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI flew to Kyiv for the Natolin campus' study visit to Ukraine between 16-22 October 2016. He chaired meetings at the National University of Kyiv – Mohyla Academy with Ms Nadia SAVCHENKO, MP and Hero of Ukraine; and with the EU's Ambassador to Ukraine, H.E. Mr Hugues MINGARELLI. He also introduced and chaired the conference at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv on 21 October 2016. The speakers included the Vice-Rector of the UCU, Professor Miroslav MARYNOVYCH, who spoke eloquently on the difficulties inherent in bridging cultures, and Professor Yaroslav HRYTSAK, who summed up the themes of the study visit with a superb valedictory lecture.
Professor BUTTERWICK-PAWLIKOWSKI concluded the conference with remarks on Lviv's Lychakiv cemetery as a site where past, present and future generations of Ukrainians and Poles can meet – if they can overcome conflicting historical memories.