Nicholas Tate, Advisor to the MCC Learning Research Institute, highlighted the importance of the Classical Education Project at the “Battle for the Soul of Europe” conference held in Brussels.

In his remarks, he argued that the restoration of Europe’s cultural self-confidence cannot be separated from the question of education, and in particular from the renewed and contemporary strengthening of classical learning — including literature, history, philosophy, and the humanities.

The conference was organised by MCC Brussels with the aim of bringing together scholars, politicians, and public intellectuals to reflect on Europe’s cultural, political, and economic direction at a time of growing uncertainty. Speakers broadly agreed that Europe is facing not only institutional and economic challenges, but also a deeper crisis of identity and cultural confidence, which will shape the continent’s long-term capacity for action.

Within this broader intellectual framework, Nicholas Tate emphasised that the Classical Education Project is not a nostalgic return to the past, but an effort to provide a solid intellectual foundation that enables younger generations to understand Europe’s civilisational heritage and to carry it forward responsibly. He stressed that education today represents a civilisational stake: if Europe loses its connection to its classical traditions, the foundations of its identity will inevitably weaken.

Overall, conference participants warned that Europe’s future cannot be secured through technocratic solutions alone. Discussions focused on cultural identity, sovereignty, the limits of democratic governance, and the defence of Europe’s civilisational traditions. The conference concluded with the message that Europe can only renew itself by reconnecting with its intellectual and cultural roots and using them as a basis for responding to the challenges of the 21st century.