ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Futures Studies in the European Ex-socialist Countries INTRODUCTION ERZSÉBET NOVÁKY, VIORICA RAMBA VARGA, MÁRIA KALAS KŐSZEGI Being on the eve of the 21st century we came to the conclusion it is time to summarize the information on futures studies in our East and Central European ex socialist countries between 1960 and 2000 and make them known far and wide.

From a historical perspective we intended to give a comprehensive and comparative picture about these activities in the individual countries. This idea was inspired and guided by an important consideration. The researchers who have been active since the sixties have accumulated enormous experience, which is not yet compiled for internationally consumption for the future. It is our common interest today, that this accumulated knowledge not be allowed to disappear.

Therefore, our fundamental goal was: to provide a stage for the members of the previous generation to present their activities and results to convey their store of learning to the next and the forthcoming generations and to help them amid their different but not less difficult circumstances. Viorica Ramba Varga , from Bucharest, as her idea, worked out a Questionnaire for having systematized information on futures studies from this region.

Her conception met with the future-oriented thinking and commitment of the two Hungarian futurists - Erzsébet Nováky and Mária Kalas Kőszegi - we three (members of the World Futures Studies Federation) immediately set up an Editorial Board in Budapest. We finalized the Questionnaire and worked out the concept and the structure of a book.

To reach our aims we turned to the well-known and experienced futurists and scientific committees/societies of the countries in this region to participate in this historical work. Appreciating their known valuable futures studies activities we had every hope to be partners in this venture. Our intention was to have information from all of the European ex socialist countries.

At the end we succeeded in collecting country studies from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the USSR/Russia and Yugoslavia. Here we have to express our thanks for the valuable contributions of everyone ready to send us their materials in time. Special thanks for their enthusiastic participation.