"Its purpose is to support and promote the study and discussion of Europe, and to encourage and facilitate communication between Americans and Europeans. [...] Lastly, the events of 1989 and after in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe have shown just how important it is to have in the US people who understand the ‘other’ half of Europe – and how few they are. There is an urgent need to develop knowledge – both general and specialized – about Europe as a whole, and not just the western half of the continent. Universities and area-studies institutes, for so long concentrated upon western Europe, can not overnight acquire the same level of institutional support and specialized resources for teaching people about the eastern half. The Remarque Institute from its inception has treated the continent as a whole and works to disseminate understanding and awareness of all its constituent parts."