front page" "
A summit of intellectuals organized by the Nexus Institute was held in Rotterdam in late December 2004. The conference, with the title: “Europe: a fine idea?” was the fifth of a series sponsored by the Dutch Presidency of the European Union. Since last September, this cycle of conferences has seen the participation of over 200 intellectuals from Europe and beyond. The aim is to promote a reflection on the values that have constituted the basis of the European project and its identity. The idea is the result of a debate within the Netherlands begun by the Prime Minister Jan Balkenende. We need to salute the courage of the Dutch premier in enlarging this debate at the European level. The Rotterdam Conference followed other debates held in The Hague, Berlin, Warsaw and Washington. Intellectuals and men of state tried in their discussions to identify the values that represent the soul of the European project. They spoke a lot about freedom, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and tolerance as fundamental European values. In recognizing these values, the European Union is also committed to promoting them. They also insisted on the need to encourage European citizens to give proof of fairness and boldness in realizing the European project. President Barroso, moreover, has affirmed the primacy of culture over the economy and encouraged the EU to invest more heavily in culture and education, given that these are the key elements of the European system of values. This proposal was one of the recommendations that came out of the conferences, subjected to the attention of Prime Minister Jan Balkenende and presented to the European Council in December. At a time when the new Commission is having to tackle complex questions such as the Lisbon Strategy, the revision of the financial forecasts for the period 2007-2013, transatlantic relations, and those of the EU with its neighbours, in particular with the Ukraine, it is important to understand our identity, our values and the model of society in which we believe. Organizing the education of all generations on the theme of Europe is an essential condition for good governance, if we want citizens to support their leaders through their commitment in the social field with a view to maintaining the European model of society. The Rotterdam Conference was an ambitious attempt to define the source and goals of the European identity. Its decisions would have been even richer in content if efforts had been made to include the voice of theologians and religious thinkers in the panel. The next semesters of the revolving Presidency of the Union will have to draw on the efforts of the Netherlands to lay the foundations of the European project, advance the debate and promote it in all the provinces of the member states. If that is really so, greater efforts will have to be made to incorporate the representatives of religions, and in particular the Christian component of the European conscience, in the debate, in such a way as to ensure the endurance of Europe and, indeed, its competitiveness.
