Finally together?

The general consensus is that migration and identity don’t go hand in hand. Migration entails exposing one’s identity in the quest of a future away from home, experiencing an odyssey with no guarantee of a safe landing. It happened in the past, with forced migration flows from Africa to America, from Europe to the Americas and Australia, from Southern Europe to Northern Europe. It happens again today, with the new immigrants arriving from Asia and from Eastern Europe. Despite the many – unnoticed – efforts, reception and integration are an exception, rather than being the rule. The theme of European identity – which was developed only recently, considering the continent’s century-long history – has become central in the European debate, due to large migration flows from new EU Member States and Third Countries ensuing enlargement. Only in rare cases has the theoretical concept of “European citizenship”, the precursor of ‘European identity’, become part and parcel of European citizens’ everyday life. For reasons linked to questionable immigration policies, owing to loose border controls, given the fact that by nature mankind tends to elude frontiers (also for good purposes), and due to the choice of a lifestyle that is not dictated by the desperation of millions, European society has radically changed its face. London and Paris are not longer the only cosmopolitan cities they were in the 19th century. The Old Continent includes thousands of cities, medium and small, where large migrant population prompt the need to (re-) define the concept of identity’ in a more enlarged, intercultural, receptive and “integrating” manner. For both the native and immigrant population, “respect and mutual understanding” should be the leitmotif. When put into practice this way of life produced formidable results. Identity thrives on external cultural contributions that help it become a source of spiritual enrichment for communities capable of crushing racism, rage, envy and violence in favour of integration. Different skin colour, language and religion should trigger curiosity, mutual understanding, confrontation and dialogue. Third millennium European identity cannot and must not be merely based on geography, place of birth and history. The new intercultural reality, characterized by the poor and rich, by the integrated and the segregated, by the well disposed and ill-disposed immigrant population must be addressed as a whole. And if a common denominator is not found it risks exploding. Widespread criticism holds that European identity is being threatened by increased visa requests, residence permits, lump labour, and illegal migrants’ delinquency.This threat does exist, but the greatest danger is focusing merely on the negative aspects, whereby migration consists in an identity loss. Indeed, the problems ought to be addressed and countered, if necessary sanctioned, just like those of the native population. There is an urgent need to expand the debate on European identity to include the theme of dialogue, door-to-door integration, to combat against racism starting from the school environment; positive cases do exist. Let us treasure them to ensure that migration and European identity will finally walk hand in hand.