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The heritage of the Nobel literature prize winner Czesław Miłosz and his role in defining the European identity were discussed at a commemorative event in the European Parliament. On the occasion of poet’s centenary the commemoration was organized by the permanent representations of Lithuania and Poland to the European Union together with member of the European Parliament prof. Leonidas Donskis.

Opening the event, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis has remarked that the life story of Czesław Miłosz was the embodiment of the quest for Europe, its strength and its tragedies. “The multinational and multi-religious Vilnius, the city of his youth, was a guiding influence in his quest for the cosmopolitan spirit,” ambassador Raimundas Karoblis said. “It is very difficult to find a person who would be a truer citizen of the world, truer European, than Czesław Miłosz.”

President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek made a keynote speech, followed by a documentary Czesław Miłosz’s Vilnius by Vytautas Damaševičius and Juozas Matonis.

A panel discussion moderated by of the host of the event prof. Leonidas Donskis analyzed the political, societal, cultural and literary aspects of the heritage of Czesław Miłosz. Professor Egidijus Aleksandravičius of Vytautas Magnus University, Andrzej Romanowski of the Cracow University and member of the European Parliament Bogusław Sonik took part in the discussion. Participants of the commemorative event were invited to see the exhibition Sugrįžimas / Powrόt / Return by Vytautas Magnus University chronicling the return of the acknowledged poet to Lithuania after 52 years.

The centenary of the poet and diplomat who was born in Lithuania and worked in Poland, United States and France, has been included by UNESCO in the commemorative dates list. The parliaments in Lithuania and Poland have declared 2011 the year of Czesław Miłosz.