Spending three weeks in former Soviet-bloc countries that have suffered from ideological, ethnic and economic extremism makes this Canadian appreciate our stable political system, affluent economy and multicultural society.

Visiting a concentration camp near Prague (Terezin), seeing bombed out buildings from the Second World War, remnants of the Nazi and later Soviet occupation and more recent conflicts (the Balkan war of 1991-95), and museums depicting the horrors of ethnic cleansing are stark reminders of the consequences of political, racial and religious fanaticism.

The current refugee and immigrant crises stemming from the Syrian conflict are current and constant reminders that the world’s problems have a habit of spilling over into regions such as the Balkans, which has seen more than its fair share of conflict.

Croatia, the Czech Republic and Hungary suffered greatly during past conflicts, the most recent of which ended only two decades ago. Yet, these countries are rebuilding themselves and their economies, not through grandiose five-year plans, but through government investment in infrastructure and private-sector investment ranging from family-owned businesses to multinational corporations.

Croatia, while still a relatively poor country, has made tourism a major priority, building a major toll-road system (the 400-kilometre A1 Highway from Zagreb, the capital, and down the length of the largely coastal country) to allow wealthy tourists – mainly from Germany, Italy and France – to visit Croatia’s historic towns and villages.

Hotels, villas and casinos dot the Dalmatian coast – another Cote D’Azur or Riviera (at half the price). Commercial development is restricted on the country’s islands, where large national parks, such as Plitvice and Mljet, preserve the distinctive flora and fauna for future generations.

Hungary has made significant investments in wind power, while both Prague and Budapest (cosmopolitan cities with populations of 1.3 million and 1.7 million, respectively) have older, but surprisingly efficient mass-transit systems. Small, fuel-efficient cars are the rule, making Canadians’ obsession with trucks and SUVs seem wasteful and grossly impractical by comparison.

All three countries belong to the European Union, but continue to use their own currencies. They’re rebuilding and modernizing their economies, while preserving the priceless architectural heritage bequeathed to them by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as by earlier rulers, such as the Ottomans, the Venetians and the Romans.

While Canada has much in terms of natural wealth and a stable political climate, we have much to learn from our eastern European cousins when it comes to making the most of our urban spaces and protecting the natural environment, which is considered a precious commodity in Europe and not something to be exploited.

But we should remember the high price Europeans have paid for being seduced by extremist doctrines based on ethnicity and class, race and religion, and reject politicians and political parties that use division, fear-mongering and even hatred as tools to gain votes and power.

We’re truly blessed to live in a country that has been relatively free of the nationalism, tribalism and sectarianism that has riven countries like Croatia. If Canada has too much geography and not enough history, that’s not altogether a bad thing.

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