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We, the Citizens of the
Peoples of Europe...
by Martí Olivella <romania@fx.ro>
Heavy rains all day. The
river's almost bursting out of its banks. The four groups
brought their work together in the morning. In the afternoon,
the Southern Mediterranean delegates gave their view of
North-South relations across our shared sea. Then, a rainy
visit to the beautiful city of Bratsov and Bran Castle (the
mistakenly but legendary castle of Count Dracula!).
Our meeting is a living
experience of the question we are trying to answer: How
can we turn diversity, commonly a source of conflict, into
a source of richness and harmony?
It is not different values
that divide us, but the different priority we give to the
same shared values. But how hard it is to understand what
we each mean by "citizenship" (belonging to a
Nation State or also a set of rights that goes with it...)
How difficult it is to draw conclusions when some of us
have been preparing the topics for months and others - because
of our desire to extend the meeting to more countries than
were present originally - have just come into the dynamics
of the discussions!
Embarking on a shared project with the
East
===========================
Many in Eastern Europe
can now be heard to say: "we don't want to be second-class
citizens, and we don't want to find ourselves in a new form
of dependence". We must therefore come up with a process
to listen to what Eastern Europe wants, exchange views...
as we are today here over these few days, to listen, enter
into a dialogue and embark on a shared project. The EU has
no other challenges in terms of strategy and can afford
to take on this major European project, shared from the
Atlantic to the Urals, and encompassing:
The Europe of Territories
(supranational, national, subnational, local...); organized
under the principle of active subsidiarity and solidarity
(problems must be solved wherever they arise, but territories
unable to solve their problems alone must be given help).
The Europe of Citizens.
Based on active participation of citizens, with mechanisms
for participation, influence and decision making (fighting
for the right to people's initiative and popular referendums
in Europe).
The Europe of Institutions:
redesign Europe's institutional system with European universal
suffrage, a legislative body that takes the Europe of Territories
into account, a Constitution or Joint Charter beginning
with the words "We, the Citizens of of the peoples
of Europe..."
The Europe of Dignity:
economic growth and employment are a means, but they have
become an end in themselves. The goal of employment and
growth are to improve the survival and dignity of everyone.
In Europe, employment has not only been a means of survival
but also the basis of personal identity and social recognition.
Now that the employment crisis is under control, we must
seek other forms of survival and social recognition.
The Europe of Solidarity:
the other side of the coin was shown by our Southern Mediterranean
friends. The European states that created Israel within
the framework of the United Nations cannot go on refusing
to apply UN resolutions on withdrawal from the occupied
territories and the return to their homes of four million
Palestinian refugees. The tragedy of Algeria also cries
out for us to take responsibility.
Until tomorrow (the last
day!)
>From Sinaia, Rumania,
Europe, 19 and 20 June - European Continental Meeting
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