A COMMON PURPOSE

By Joelle Schmitz

Joelle Schmitz, a former Frank Fund Recipient, is a Fulbright Scholar at McGill University in Montreal . She attended the conference as one of the four outstanding winners to our "Redefining Europe " Essay Contest. Joelle has also recently joined the Ashburn Institute and has contributed since then to developing our programs. With her belief in pro-active approaches toward world peace, her dynamism and her commitment to our mission, she truly represents the next generation of Ashburn Institute leaders.

" H i", I mumbled, stumbling into my room at the Lunik Hotel Prague after 12 hours overnight above the Atlantic . I was greeting Pri , another AUD essay contest winner, similarly destroyed by a week of travel. "Hi", she said, looking up. After a few words, we agreed to sleep, then talk.

We awoke, several hours later, somewhere in the middle of dinner with Bob Frantz, Joe Drew and of course Marielle near Wenceslas Square .

To be in Prague - a city founded on intellectualism - on a trip surrounded by supportive new friends who shared a love for the city and for academic activism - was a once in a lifetime experience. I had been to a dozen conferences in my fledgling career, but this was different.

This was special .

The AUD Redefining Europe conference in Prague was unique first and foremost, in what it lacked. Noticeably absent was the oppressive air of many academic events - that in which one can become lost among the hundreds of eyes seemingly fixated upon: (1) the affiliation on your nametag and (2) the more important scholar just behind you. In protest of this repressive dynamic, I had refused to label myself with a magic- markered "Harvard" for years. When I arrived, I had been expecting a similar scenario in Prague and was already looking forward to getting back home.

But the Ashburn conference was instantly different. The difference was only adequately explained as a function of the individuals involved (in alphabetical order): Bob, Captain Hudgens , Joe, Marielle, Martin, Rob - arguably the most unpretentious and genuine intellectuals I've ever known. Then there was Mariuz , Mitchell, Marc - it soon began to occur to me that everyone associated with AUD and the Ashburn Institute seemed to have fulfilled a "brilliant. yet, nice " prerequisite to association. The astonishing Jiri Payne and John Bok , the astonishingly polished contest winners and extraordinary delegates from all parts of the world - individually and collectively represented a rare and felicitous combination of intelligence, hubris and vivacity. Indeed, it was that synthesis which afforded us a uniquely effective intellectual and intercultural exchange.

And exchange, we did. Regaled by first-hand accounts of the Velvet Revolution by real-life heroes John and Jiri . Engaged by the truly original ideas from the United States , Poland , England , Canada , France , Italy , and the Czech Republic . Inspired by the noble example of our leaders and the humble dignity which with they directed their lives. Moved by Captain Hudgens accounts of families and friends lost to war. Motivated by Bob, Joe, John, and Jiri's implicit sacrifices to upheaval. In consequence, it was the fastest I had witnessed any group "gel". Our expedited association was manifest in the high quality of our intellectual exchange as we struggled to further the field. Standing metaphorically upon each others shoulders within the delegate's room at the Prague Parliament, we amassed the thoughts of nations towards the ideals of global unity. The Prague Parliament, which had housed the discourse to advance a nation, now in a more humble sense housed a discourse to advance the world. Young and old, experienced and inexperienced, far and wide: unified toward a collective aim in an incredibly unique atmosphere and an incredibly inspiring environment.

On Tuesday, I sat on the plane home realizing that I was asking myself why? What was special about the Ashburn Institute, that it could collect such remarkable people to produce such a unique experience? It occurred to me then, that it is purpose . For all of our widespread diversity, we shared one thing in common: belief in the ideals of federalism, of unity among nations, of the pursuit of truth as a mechanism of conflict avoidance. In the final analysis, these are enlightened aims which will continue to attract enlightened thinkers and forever afford us a unique capacity for genuine exchange, within the microcosm of our conference, and the macrocosm of our world.