16 september 2019 # School events

Regional Civil Servants Forum at the 16th YES Annual Meeting

As part of the Yalta European Strategy, the Ukrainian School of Political Studies has been holding the Forum of Regional Civil Servants for 100 politicians and civil servants from different parts of Ukraine for the fifth year.

This year, the theme of the meeting is “Happiness now. New approaches for a world in crisis”. The participants of the Civil Servants Forum joined the discussion with global experts on how to ensure citizens well-being, develop communities and regions, and how well-being affects policy-making.

Speakers at the 16th Annual YES Regional Civil Service Forum include: Victoria Nuland, Ambassador, Albright Stonebridge Group Senior Advisor and Brookings Institution non-resident Senior Fellow; Tymofiy Mylovanov, Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine; George Ward, Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Activity, London School of Economics and Political Science; Phil Breedlow, Emeritus Professor at the School of International Affairs, Sam Nunn, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe; Aliona Babak, Minister of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine; Jón Gnarr, artist and writer, Mayor of Reykjavík (2010-2014); Andriy Illarionov, Senior Advisor, Cato Institute; Niall Ferguson, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Daron Acemoglu, Professor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Jeffrey Sachs, Professor, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development, Columbia University; Ivan Miklos, Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Group for Supporting Ukrainian Reforms; Kateryna Maternova, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of the European Commission for Enlargement and Neighborhood Issues; John Tefft, US Ambassador to Ukraine (2009-2013) and Russia (2014-2017); Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, Trade Representative of Ukraine.

Pavlo Sheremeta, managing partner of Proryv.in.ua, moderated discussions.

Christopher Pincher, Minister for European Affairs of the British Government, told the Forum participants that Ukraine had become the last front line in Europe’s long struggle for freedom, security, and democracy.

According to the Minister for European Affairs of the British government, the example of Ukraine demonstrates that democratic values need constant protection.

Ukraine proves that we cannot take democratic freedoms for granted – these values require constant vigilance to protect them from sabotage and subversion.

Christopher Pincher assured that the British government would continue to support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and democratic values.

Jón Gnarr, the former Mayor of Reykjavik (2010-2014), shared his experience of developing the Icelandic capital with regional officials. According to Mr. Gnarr, working in an elected position radically changes the attitude towards politics and politicians.

I had a prejudice against politicians. You know, I summarised various judgments - such and such. But when I became one of them, I realised that politicians are the same people, like you and me, as teachers. They are just ordinary.

Daron Acemoglu, a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, gave a speech on eradicating corruption. In particular, he noted that the effective fight against corruption requires the consolidated efforts of the entire civil society; more is needed to create unique bodies to combat this phenomenon.

According to the professor, anti-corruption bodies, in fact, often even worsen the situation; they are perceived as imposed by elites. It is impossible to solve the problem of corruption simply by creating somebody. It is necessary to ensure that society becomes an equal partner in implementing reforms. For these reforms to be promoted by civil society and the mass media, thereby pushing the government and the judiciary to set fair rules of the game and enforce them.

The professor drew attention to the example of Finland and the Scandinavian countries, which managed to eradicate corruption and achieve a high standard of living.

Ukraine also has a potential advantage that comes from two sources. The first is a political tradition that dates back to the days of Cossacks and Austro-Hungarian parliamentarism. The second is the propensity of people to participate in protests. This is an energy that needs to be developed and institutionalised. If this is not done, protests turn into revolutions but do not have a lasting effect.

Niall Ferguson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, said during the Forum that the state and politicians cannot make people happy. People find happiness only if they make an effort on their own.

It is a mistake to believe that the state will provide us with happiness in the 21st century. This is a grand illusion, and our conference should not conclude that the task of government is to give people joy. You and only you should achieve happiness; no one else will give it to you.

Niall Ferguson has warned that politicians’ attempts to make citizens happy can lead to constructing a closed totalitarian society. The historian believes that pursuing happiness as a state policy ends in oppression – we should remember this lesson. You quickly lose your freedom when you expect the state to provide you with joy. This is the main lesson of the middle of the 20th century.