Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice had the honour of welcoming Professor Carl Luna from the University of San Diego. His visit was hosted by the Vice-Rector for Internationalization, doc. Ing. Silvia Ručinská, PhD.. Professor Luna was accompanied by Mgr. Veronika Džatková, PhD., from the Faculty of Public Administration, who had previously initiated academic cooperation with him during her research mobility at the University of San Diego.
Professor Luna is the Director of the Institute for Civil Civic Engagement and a long-standing political analyst contributing to local, national, and international media in the United States. During his stay at UPJŠ, he participated in a working meeting with representatives of the Department of Public Policy and Theory of Public Administration and the Department of Social Studies. The meeting focused on the development of joint academic and project-based activities.
On 2 October 2025, Professor Luna delivered a public lecture entitled “Restoring Democracy in the 21st Century.” In his presentation, he emphasized that democracy cannot be taken for granted; rather, it represents a dynamic process requiring the active engagement of citizens. He highlighted the necessity of strengthening dialogue on civic participation and stressed the individual’s responsibility in safeguarding democratic values.
The lecture was followed by an interactive discussion with students from the Faculty of Public Administration, who participated within the framework of the course “Political Participation and Civic Activism”. The discussion addressed questions related to the functioning of democratic institutions, the impact of globalization, the spread of disinformation, and the decline in public trust. The students’ active involvement demonstrated that the issue of democracy remains highly relevant for younger generations and is essential for fostering a responsible civil society.
The event provided significant insights into contemporary challenges facing democratic governance and identified ways in which democratic processes may be strengthened in response to new social and political developments. It further confirmed that democratic values are firmly embedded in the academic environment of UPJŠ, where dialogue among experts, faculty members, and students is actively supported.
The lecture was organized within the framework of the project Audit of the level of internationalisation and implementation of internationalisation projects of higher education institutions and research institutions.
