Printer-friendly version

The “Young Europe” international network, the international Youth Human Rights Movement and the Free University with support from the World Youth Movement for Democracy invite you to join the awareness-raising action “Europe as a fact or Europe as a choice” (May 17 – 32, 2008) for European youth.

Why is it important?

On May 8th and 9th the whole Europe celebrates the end of World War II, the day of victory over the fascist regime. This day is not only a cause to tribute respect to the immortal feats of the veterans of the front, home front and resistance, but the anniversary of the birth of a new Europe as well. After the horrors and destroying of the most painful war in human history, the European people started building the “European house” on the ruins of the pre-war-Europe – a political, economic, social and cultural community of all the European nations, a space within which the end of the international hate and rivalry should be put and the repetition of the horrors of the totalitarian regimes of the mid-20th century should become impossible.

In the after-war years May was not accidentally marked by some key dates for this house’s building. Thus, in 1948 from May 7 to 11 the Hague Congress took place, in the course of which more than 1000 delegates from nearly 20 countries were discussing the possible forms of cooperation in Europe and argued for the benefit of founding the European Assembly. On May 5, 1949 in London the Statute of the Council of Europe – the international organisation playing a key role in promoting the principles of Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy in European countries, today uniting 47 states – was signed. At last on May 9, 1950 the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman came out with a declaration in which he proposed the idea of European economic integration and gave a push to founding the European Union.

The last two dates claim the right to be called the Europe Day – a holiday aiming at involving European states’ citizens in the process of European integration.

What do we propose?

The Europe Day is not only a day for large-scale celebrations, but also a good opportunity to discuss what Europe is and what its future will be. We invite young people from the member states of the Council of Europe to think together about the main European values, by which we mean Human Rights, Human Dignity and a developed civil society.

We propose you to become an initiator or participant of the annual discussions for youth on the topic “Europe as a fact or Europe as a choice?”. The possible questions for discussion are as follows:
What is Europe? Is a label attractive for many people and countries or a humanist project to be developed?
Does Europe have borders and where are they?
What does it mean to be a European? Is one born a European or becomes a European? Do you feel yourself European?
Who needs Europe and what for? How can I contribute to the development of the project “Europe”?
Europe and European values: Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy. Are these values actual for your country, your region?
What is the role of young people in Europe: are they its inhabitants or builders?
etc.

If you want to take part in the awareness-raising actions devoted to the Europe Day or become an initiator of public discussions in your city, please, contact the working group: may@youngeurope.org.

For more information, please, visit the website of the “Young Europe” international network: http://youngeurope.org.