Dream and responsibility” “

A Europe understood especially as a “construction site”: much has been done, but so much still remains to be built. In this spirit, 400 young people came to Strasbourg, to the seat of the Council of Europe, from the 45 states that are now members of the first continental institution, founded in 1949 when the EEC was no more than a dream to a few visionaries. They included Germans and French, students from Tallin and San Marino, Catalan and Italian volunteers, aspiring Belgian and Russian trades-unionists. Also present were scores of representatives from other continents, experts of the Council of Europe, World Bank and NGOs from around the world. At the centre of the debate were issues like globalization, human rights, the eradication of poverty, the protection of the environment, education and inter-generational relations. YOUTH AND ADULTS TRAIN IN DIALOGUE. The event, with the title “Europe, youth and globalization”, envisaged plenary discussions conducted with the help of experts, a series of workshops, moment of exchange and celebration, which enabled the young participants to tackle, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the main challenges posed to humanity by our age. The aim of the meeting was to “train” the participants (aged between 18 and 30) in dialogue, on the basis of their own experience and ideals. The main speakers included the secretary general of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer, the chairman of the advisory Committee on Youth, Lasse Thue, the mayor of Strasbourg, Fabienne Keller, and the chairman of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Youth, Lord Russell Johnston. “Globalization will be what we make of it – declared Schwimmer, in his opening address -. The contribution of the Council of Europe may make globalization positive thanks to our unshakable faith in human rights, the rule of law and democracy”. For her part the mayor Fabienne Keller said: “Whoever has the good fortune to live the European dream in a continent of peace and prosperity, has the responsibility to spread peace and democracy in the world”. A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AT THE HEART OF EUROPE. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of scores of associations involved in the educational, civil, religious, trades-unionist and cultural fields. Scouts, federalists, various national university groups, Pax Christi, Red Cross, organizations active in fair trade, AMSED (Association migration solidarieté et echanges pour le développement), Youth Action for Peace, ETUC (European trades unions), Helsinki Citizen Assembly, and various federations of European parties, rubbed shoulders together and joined in the discussions. Colourful and imaginative, sociable and down to earth, dressed in jeans and T-shirts with the colours of soccer teams, or in serious grey suits, these young people from every corner of the old continent peacefully “invaded” the Council of Europe, bringing with them a breath of fresh air, exchanging ideas and doubts, and denouncing delays and contradictions in the process of European integration. The issues on which they most focused their comments were education in multiculturalism, the development of the poor nations, the need to invest in education, the campaign against Aids, and the chance of finding a job “that does not force one – as Maria, from Spain, explained during one of the work groups – to think just of career and income”. “WE MUST BECOME MULTIPLIERS OF EUROPEANISM”. The delegates unanimously rejected any form of war, terrorism and violence, with special attention to children and women: “Still today we are being discriminated against everywhere – said Paula, from Hungary -. Advertising exploits women to sell merchandise, while prostitution is a new form of slavery under the eyes of everyone”. These young people did not hesitate to denounce the risks inherent in the Web after praising its potential for global communication. Almost all spoke in English. They showed great willingness to listen to others. They told of the curiosities in their own countries. Many came from religious groups and movements (Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox and Muslims were present). A recurrent theme was that of the relation with parents. Ivo, a 25-year-old Russian in search of employment, said without half terms: “We feel under excessive psychological pressure from adults about our emotional and sex life. On this aspect of our life we claim greater freedom and trust”. Ferdinando, from Holland, brilliant and extravert, tried to look beyond the meeting: “Here in Strasbourg everything went well. We’ll take home with us so many suggestions and a new experience for many of us. But what can we now do to ensure that this Europe does not remain in the hands of professional politicians, bureaucrats and bankers? I think – he suggests – that each of us ought to become a multiplier of Europeanism by creating in his or her own country opportunities for exchange, study and European awareness”.