At the beginning of June, Warsaw hosted the „Reclaiming Classical Education II” conference, bringing together educators, researchers, and policy thinkers concerned with classical education from across Europe and the United States. The international event was jointly organized by the Ordo Iuris Educational Center and the Learning Research Institute of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC).
The conference welcomed experts from Poland, Hungary, the UK, France, the US, Canada, Australia, Slovakia, and Turkey. Its goal was to present a range of perspectives on classical education and to propose this educational model as a solution to the ongoing crisis in schools and universities.
The conference was opened by Jerzy Kwaśniewski, President of Ordo Iuris, and Milán Constantinovits, Director of Academic and Educational Affairs at MCC. Kwaśniewski emphasized the critical importance of the event, stating that "the debate about the form of education concerns the future of nations and our entire civilization." Constantinovits highlighted that "the diversity of knowledge and experience gathered here shows that we are united, and our shared goal is the preservation of classical education."
János Setényi, Director of the Learning Research Institute, and Artur Górecki, Director of the Ordo Iuris Educational Center, continued with their opening speeches. Setényi stressed the importance of cooperation among the various conservative traditions and the diversity within the conservative community. Górecki focused on education’s role in the full development of the human personality and the refinement of reason.
The opening keynotes were followed by the first panel discussion, featuring Thibaud Gibelin (historian, political scientist, MCC), Artur Górecki (Ordo Iuris), Pál Szabolcs Nagy (Head of the MCC Center for Law and Society), and Alka Sehgal Cuthbert (Director of Don't Divide Us), moderated by Áron Fekete (Project Manager at the Learning Research Institute). The panel focused on the role of classical education, the significance of religion, and the status of the teaching profession. Discussions emphasized the relationship between faith and reason, the moral authority of teachers, and the importance of tradition. The panelists agreed that education should be grounded in virtue, not merely in skills.
Nicholas Tate, historian and former Director of the UK’s National Curriculum Authority, gave a keynote address on the relationship between education and the nation-state from a British perspective. He drew attention to the phenomenon of “oikophobia” – the rejection of one’s own home or heritage – which he argued is further amplified by today’s educational systems.
The second panel followed Tate’s speech and was moderated by Richárd Fodor (Head of Research, Learning Research Institute). Panelists included Piotr Kaznowski, Cornelis Schilt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Lux Mundi Foundation), Joanna Williams (MCC visiting fellow, essayist, author of How Woke Won and Women vs. Feminism), Nicholas Tate, Alex Standish (University College London), and Artur Górecki. A lively debate arose over whether classical schools can thrive if they place strong emphasis on faith or national identity. Joanna Williams argued that students can be educated through the history of their own nation-state without this necessarily amounting to nationalism. Diligence and the pursuit of truth are values students can adopt even without external ideological frameworks such as faith or nationalism.
A highlight of the conference was the book launch of „Reclaiming Classical Education”, co-edited by Joanna Williams and Richárd Fodor. In her speech, Williams emphasized that the book not only addresses current problems but also looks to the past. She spoke about the challenges of editing a 16-chapter volume with contributors from different countries and editorial approaches. Though the book does not present a uniform view, it creates space for debate. “This is not a 2,000-year-old instruction manual – this book brings the best of the past to today’s children,” she said, pointing to the failures of current educational models and the alternative offered by classical education.
In the next keynote speech, Liliana Śmiech, Director General for International Affairs at the National University of Public Service in Hungary, discussed how education was used as a tool under communism in Poland to shape “loyal citizens” – and how a more refined version of this influence can still be observed today.
The penultimate panel was moderated by Joanna Williams, with participants Dennis Hayes (University of Derby, UK), Stuart Waiton (Abertay University, UK), János Setényi, Suay Acikalin (Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University), Liliana Śmiech, and Mike Gonzales (The Heritage Foundation, USA). The discussion centered on the major challenges facing national education systems. According to Setényi, people often shy away from confronting real problems in their daily lives, and thus we need metaphorical “crusader knights” to lead the way. Suay Acikalin emphasized that education is also a matter of national security – every country must ensure that it has well-educated citizens.
The final keynote address was delivered by Milán Constantinovits, who underscored the irreplaceable role of teachers in education. He highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that in-person presence and human relationships in schools are irreplaceable.
The closing panel, moderated by Enikő Szakos, featured Jonathan Butcher (The Heritage Foundation), Martin Luteran (Anton Neuwirth College, Slovakia), Paweł Milcarek (philosopher, editor of Christianitas), Paige McPherson (Fraser Institute, Canada), and Glenn Fahey (Center for Independent Studies, Australia). The discussion focused on the influence of global networks on classical education. Martin Luteran introduced the extensive network of classical schools operating in the United States and expressed hope that a similar structure might be developed in Europe, where it is currently lacking. He noted that such a network could inspire institutions and that development requires courage and risk-taking.
Dr. Artur Górecki, Director of the Ordo Iuris Educational Center, summarized the conference: “This event offered a chance to understand different interpretations of classical education. But one thing was clear: classical education is the only realistic alternative to the centrally controlled, liberal-leftist ideology-dominated educational model.”
The conference was formally closed by János Setényi, who thanked Ordo Iuris for their hospitality and praised the openness and courage of the participants. He concluded by saying that this meeting may only be the beginning – the start of a European intellectual and educational movement that builds on classical values while responding to the challenges of the present. Classical education is not merely a theory – it is a living tradition. And it has begun anew.
