After the dissolution of the totalitarian systems and the removal of the "Iron Curtain" across Europe, a reshaping of the whole of Europe in freedom and justice was finally possible. This is a historical, political-cultural, spiritual kairos.  

At the same time, we are contemporaries of epochal socio-cultural upheavals:

• Globally, a scientific-technical, social and mental revolution is currently taking place, comparable to the "Industrial Revolution" in the 19th century.
• The modern goals, programmes and paradigms are losing their plausibility, and it is laborious to grope and search for more advanced post-modern goals and programmes.  

For the people in the reform states, additional difficult challenges and burdens arise at the same time:

• External and internal transformations from political totalitarianism and from a centrally administered economy to a pluralistic, liberal democracy with a high degree of individual responsibility and new tasks for institutions at all levels and for civil society.
• Rapid integration into the "construction site Europe", into a large area with unfamiliar and unclear framework conditions, systems of values and rules.  

Challenge and test for social ethics  

This agglomeration of upheavals is shaking up the familiar economic, social and mental structures and calling previous values and structures into question. This exciting and challenging situation calls for well-founded hope and orientation. For this we want to make socio-ethical contributions in a Catholic perspective and ecumenical attitude. In particular, we promote:

• the exchange in the field of social ethics between the countries of Central Europe.
• the exchange between academic social ethics, social education and social work.
• Specifically, we organise conferences on social ethical concerns of our time, promote relevant publications and support social education activities.  

Members  

• Professors, lecturers, assistants at universities and colleges with social ethical tasks or interests.
• Pastors, leaders and staff of adult education institutions, lay apostolic movements and other organisations as well as individuals with social ethical commitment
• Individuals, institutions, organisations, companies as supporting members.