Following the failure of the EU Constitution and a financial crisis that has smouldered for months, Europe's leaders have decided to pause for reflection. And there is plenty to think about: What can we do to reduce the risks posed by overaged societies, slack economic growth and dwindling jobs, together with increasing social inequalities? While the boundaries of the European Union shift further and further eastwards, external pressures increase. Who should be allowed to enter "Fortress Europe"? And within Europe, new social fault lines are appearing along religious divisions: are the headscarf debate and the caricature scandal the harbingers of a clash of civilizations?

Once again, Europe seeks its identity, with the help of well-known personalities and passionate Europeans. They include statesmen and corporate directors, philosophers and scholars. At the invitation of the Allianz Cultural Foundation, they will come to Munich to speak about their visions of Europe's future. In collaboration with the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Allianz Cultural Foundation has arranged a lecture series entitled "Debate on Europe".

In lectures and discussions, the speakers will address current European issues and burning questions. Bronislaw Geremek, Robert Picht and Michel Rocard analyse the current EU crisis and describe possibilities for a new start. Henning Schulte-Noelle, Peter Sutherland and Joachim Wuermeling examine the competitiveness of European economic and social models. Rem Koolhaas and Peter Sloterdijk look at aesthetic forms of expression and collective identity models for future Europeans. Ulrich Beck, Navid Kermani and Daniel Cohn-Bendit discuss social integration strategies in a cosmopolitan Europe. Leoluca Orlando and Otto Schily show how Europe is under threat from corruption, and criminal and terrorist organizations