Iosif Constantin Dragan, his Cultural and Ecumenical Action and the Dragan European Foundation
Essential Chronology
1948 – Brussels and The Hague – Iosif Constantin Dragan joins the European Movement and takes an active role within the movement in the Commission for Occupied Countries.
1948 – Brussels – Iosif Constantin Dragan becomes and active member of the European League of Economic Cooperation founded by Paul van Zeeland, the Belgian Prime Minister, in 1946.
1949 – Tangiers – Iosif Constantin Dragan opens the Sociétè de Radiodiffusion “Radio Europa” in Marocco too.
1949 – Rome – Iosif Constantin Dragan establishes Radio Europa Press Agency.
1949 – Paris – In the French capital city Iosif Constantin Dragan is one of the founding members of the Association pour l’intégrité de l’Eglise chrétienne whose specific aim is to bring the Catholic and Orthodox Churches closer together.
1949 – Rome – In Italy Iosif Constantin Dragan becomes a prime mover in the movement for the beatification of father Father Jeremiah of Valachia, a capuchin father of orthodox origin who was later converted to Catholicism (In 1959 Pope John XXIII called him a “hero of the faith”). To Iosif Constantin Dragan the beatification of Father Jeremiah was like a symbol of the much longed for union between the Eastern and Roman Churches.
1949 – Rome – 5th November. Iosif Constantin Dragan founds the Romanian Movement for European Union (Mişcarea Română pentru Unitatea Europeană), later changed to Romanian European Movement. Many intellectual and renowned Romanian expatriates, including Mircea Eliade e Nicolae Baciu, join the Movement.
1950 – Rome – The first issue of Bulletin européen, a free forum for Europeanism, is released on 15th March.
1950 – Rome – Iosif Constantin Dragan is appointed to the Italian Executive Committee of the European Movement.
1954 – Eastern Europe’s Tribune begins its monthly publications. Sub headed as A Monthly Review of Affairs relating to the “Other Half” of Europe, it changes its name the following year.
1954 – Rome – Iosif Constantin Dragan takes part in founding the Italian Association of Marketing Studies and becomes its Vicepresident. Professor Guglielmo Tagliacarte is elected President.
1955 – Eastern Europe’s Tribune becomes Eastern Europe’s Monitor. As decided by its founder, the entire editorial staff originate from the Danube countries.
1955 – Rome – The first issue of Pro Azione Cattolica Romena is released in August. The review is presented as Tribuna libera per la discussione dei problemi spirituali in relazione all’unione con Roma (a free forum to discuss spiritual issues vis-à-vis the reunification with Rome). The English edition Romanian Catholic Monitor and the Romanian edition Pro Acţiunea Catolică Română are published concurrently. These were monthly publications and were issued in the three languages consistently for 13 years until 1968.
1961 – Rome – The International Marketing Federation (IMF) is born. Iosif Constantin Dragan participates in creating the Federation. Furthermore he will be a decisive force in its establishement later on.
1966 – Iosif Constantin Dragan is appointed Vicepresident of the International Marketing Federation and represents Europe and Africa. During the following years he will work towards the creation of national marketing associations both in Spain and Greece.
1967 – Rome – The Dragan European Foundation was born unofficially on 29th April with the inauguration of the Roman premises.
1968 – Palma de Mallorca – The Dragan European Foundation was born officially on 15th June when it was officially registered in the Spanish resort. The Charter allows for new venues in other countries. The Foundation gathered under its umbrella the cultural initiatives, previously launched under different names.
1968 – Palma de Mallorca – The premises of the Dragan European Foundation on the island open on 19th June.
1968 – The periodical Azione Ecumenica Europea begins its publications in August, replacing the existing Pro Azione Cattolica Romena.
1969 – Athens – The Foundation begins its activities in the Greek capital on 27th January. Activities were to focus on ecumenism and the dialogue between the Christian Churches.
1969 – Münich – The Münich premises of the Dragan European Foundation are inaugurated on 23rd April, with the public lecture Vereintes Europa, eine Frage des Überlebens (United Europe, a Question of Survival). Activities continue until 1981 with the participation of Otto von Habsburg. Iosif Constantin Dragan launches Radio Free Europe in the German city.
1969 – Paris – 30th April. The series of round tables and meetings to discuss the project submitted by Iosif Constantin Dragan in the premises of the Dragan European Foundation in Rue La Fayette, for the establishment of the Université Multinationale Européenne (UME), begins in the French capital city. Representatives of cultural European centres and universities participate, including Denis de Rougemont (European Centre of Culture, Geneva) and Olivier Giscard d’Estaing (INSEAD). The project highlights the need for a new type of structure and teaching in universities.
1969 – Paris and Milan – The Foundation, chaired by its president and with the help of experts, develops a plan for Treaty for a Cultural European Community. This project dealt with reforming European education and training at different levels including: common European reform of university education, European Community recognition of educational qualifications, creation of a computerized and centralized European bibliographical system, spreading historical and cultural studies with a European perspective, collaborations between European universities, lecturer and professor exchange and international student mobility.
1970 – Madrid – 26th June. The Dragan European Foundation’s premises are inaugurated in the Spanish capital city.
1970 – Salzburg – The Foundation’s activities in Austria begin, with the collaboration of the Institut für Universalgeschichte, directed by Professor Alexander von Randa. These activities continue until 1975, and consisted of courses, programs and research on History of European Civilization. The Foundation’s Centre for Historical Research is later established in Venice by the president-founder.
1970-1972 –The project for Treaty for a Cultural European Community is submitted to the Education ministers of all the European countries and to the European institutions, and is discussed in stages by the Council of Europe, in the Consultative Assembly and the Commission for Culture and Education.
1971 – Timişoara – July and August. The Foundation organizes a seminar: Marketing Est-Vest. O nouă formă de cooperare economică europeană. Marketingul şi promovarea relaţiilor economice internaţionale (Marketing East-West. A new form of European economic co-operation. Marketing and the promotion of international trade relations). This was the first ever marketing seminar in socialist Romania. At the time Iosif Constantin Dragan was appointed Vice-President of the International Marketing Federation in charge of Europe and Africa.
1972 – Strasburg – The European Council assesses the project, Treaty for a Cultural European Community submitted by the Foundation. This was undoubtedly valuable but, by the same token, it was considered “premature”. The European Council’s report of 13th March 1972 read as follows: “nous devons qualifier de prématurée l’idée de la création d’un Ministère européen de la culture”, as described in the proposal. However, in Strasburg the commitment was made to review the Cultural European Convention signed in Paris in 1954 and to extend its application and geographical reach towards Eastern European countries.
1972 – Rome – The Foundation gathers a committee of experts in Rome to establish a European Tele-University. In the presence of representatives from the Council of Europe, from the education ministries and several European countries, executives of CNITE (Centro Nazionale Italiano della Tecnologia Educativa – National Italian Centre for Educational Technology), and RAI (Italy’s national radio and TV), Professor Giuseppe Vedovato, President of the Parliamentary Assembly at the European Council, submits the project for the European Tele-University.
1972 – Washington – On the 8th of April Iosif Constantin Dragan is elected President of the International Marketing Federation.
1972 – Paris – Edmond Giscard d’Estaing, in appreciation of Iosif Constantin Dragan’s project, writes: “the thought at the base of your Foundation is one of the most promising in Europe”. The high regard and encouragement from Giscard d’Estaing combine with the appreciation expressed by Schuman and Adenauer years before to continue in the European adventure. The collaboration with Edmond Giscard d’Estaing also takes body in several Foundation’s publications.
1972 – Iosif Constantin Dragan publishes Marketing for Africa’s Development: Building the Peace. This work reflects the author’s commitment to sustainable development in less fortunate areas in the world and the sensitivity – a feature of the Foundation – for promoting a culture of peace, which are deemed necessary in every thought and action, even in the industrial sector.
1972 – The first issue of Europa şi Neamul Românesc (Europe and the Romanian People) is published. The monthly goes on to publish 248 issues, until it ceases publication in 1993.
1973 – Milan – 13th February. Iosif Constantin Dragan founds the Italian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce.
1974 – The first issue of Noi Tracii (We, the Thracians) is released. This bulletin publishes research and studies on the ancient Thracian civilization, usually in Romanian and French (but with articles in English, Spanish and Italian). 217 issues were published between 1974 and 1992.
1974 – Athens – The Foundation’s commitment to ecumenism, and the close relationship between the president-founder and the Patriarch of Constantinople, makes possible the publication of Les Pacificateurs, a work of great importance towards building a dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches, and for the relationship between Pope John XXIII and Athenagoras, and Paul VI and Dimitrios.
1976 – Publication of Biserica Românească (The Romanian Church) begins.
1977 – Edizioni Nagard is launched in Rome.
1977 – London – Through a collaboration with the City University Business School of London, a week of studies on current problems in Marketing and Management development is organized. The week of studies is called Draganweek.
1977 – Geneva – On 19th June, the Foundation arranges in the Swiss city the commemoration of Aurel Popovici, the precursor of the European federal idea of the United States of Europe. Initiatives are organized and publications released afterwards to disseminate his thoughts.