Library at Alba Transilvana's Perspective on Hybrid Warfare and Cultural Preservation: Is a Library Capable of Protecting a Nation?
Hear Me Out: Culture Is the Secret Weapon Against the Modern Warfare of Our Times!
Dr. Mireille Rădoi, the big boss of the "Carol I" Central University Library in Bucharest, geared up for the 16th edition of the Alba Transilvana Book Fair held in the historic city of Alba Iulia on June 20-22. Organized by the "Lucian Blaga" Alba County Library, the literary bash was a vibrant jam-pack of cultural expression, featuring the likes of Gelu Duminică, Ramona Mezei, Varujan Vosganian, and Horia Roman Patapievici.
Over the fascinating three-day fest, a rich tapestry of literary arts unfolded - from book launches and poetry slams to heated debates on controversial topics like identity, autonomy, and the evolving dynamics of our era.
Mireille Radoi opened with a powerful keynote speech, shining the spotlight on one of the most dangerous and insidious threats of our era: hybrid warfare. Quoting Sun Tzu, she emphasized that this modern form of aggression leaves no visible ruins, but rather "disoriented people, fractured communities, and nations that no longer recognize themselves." Hybrid war, she warned, "doesn't begin with an official declaration, but with a viral post. It doesn't conquer cities - it erodes collective memory, mocks symbols, questions history, and fragments language."
Expanding on these hidden mechanisms, Rădoi asserted that the ultimate target of hybrid warfare is not a political regime or institution - but identity itself. And identity, she argued, is protected through culture. "Culture is the immune system of a nation," she explained. "It is what endures when propaganda fades. What remains when the algorithms and information waves retreat."
Therefore, the first victims in any hybrid war are not economic or political targets - they are cultural, for it is in this arena that meaning, cohesion, and the limits of manipulation reside.
In her view, a culturally literate society - "not just schooled, but shaped through critical thinking and shared memory" - is the most challenging to divide, manipulate, or control. Culture, she stated, is "the invisible armor of a nation." And when that armor breaks, a nation doesn't collapse suddenly - "it withers from within, disintegrates quietly, and forgets how to recognize itself."
Libraries step into the fray, playing a vital role in this complex equation. "Libraries are barracks for the conscience," said Mireille Rădoi. They are more than just book storages, serving as lively centers for cultural education, nurturing critical thinking, discernment, and commitment to authentic values.
In a world overrun by disinformation, libraries offer "access to authentic information, promote reading and intercultural dialogue, and foster independent thought." So, a strong network of libraries becomes essential to a nation's security - not militarily but formatively - as institutions that empower a society to understand who it is, what it stands for, and what it must safeguard.
Mireille Rădoi closed the speech by presenting the attendees at Alba Transilvana 2025 with a potent call to arms - a "Proclamation of Culture as a Tool for National Security." Through this initiative, she advocated for placing culture at the heart of a nation's defense strategy - not only against military threats but also against symbolic and identity-based vulnerabilities.
Here's an excerpt from the proclamation, praising the importance of culture in modern warfare:
"In the age of informational chaos, we proclaim Culture as a tool for defending national security:
- On the Nature of Contemporary Warfare: Today's wars are not fought just with weapons, but also with lies, shame, and the vacuum of values disguised as freedom - delivered through series, algorithms, media manipulations, ignorance, and oblivion.
- Romania's Vulnerability: Romania is not only militarily vulnerable but also culturally disoriented, symbolically attacked, and ideologically seduced.
- Culture as a Shield: Culture is not a decorative element or a museum relic. It is our resilience's genetic code, our internal filter that aids in distinguishing between manipulation and truth.
- Restoring Culture in National Strategy: We call for culture to be recognized as a crucial pillar in national security doctrine, moving beyond its aesthetic value to understanding its strategic importance in defense.
- Defense Begins with Thinking: The erosion of collective memory and the relativization of truth are seen as critical challenges. If we no longer know what we stand for, we will not stand up.
- Affective Education: Our children must learn not only what Romania has been, but also why it is worth loving - through encounters with literature, history, music, people, and places that embody the heart of our identity.
- Culture as a Weapon of National Defense: In the name of memory and the future, we proclaim culture a tool of national defense. May walls fall, and cultures rise!"
So, in essence, Mireille Rădoi's message highlights the vital role that culture plays in national resilience and defence, especially in a time marred by hybrid warfare. By educating, fostering independent thought, and safeguarding collective memory, libraries serve as crucial bastions for our nations' survival in a world of manipulation and chaos.
In the blend of literature and discourse at the Alba Transilvana Book Fair, Dr. Mireille Rădoi emphasized the significance of personal growth, learning, and education-and-self-development in providing resilience against modern warfare. She stated, "Libraries, more than just book storages, serve as lively centers for cultural education, nurturing critical thinking, discernment, and commitment to authentic values." Furthermore, in her vision, a society that is culturally literate, "not just schooled, but shaped through critical thinking and shared memory," is the most challenging to divide, manipulate, or control, serving as "the invisible armor of a nation."
