Europe is more than one day

There is a day for Europe. However, the creation of the European Union is more than just a day, often marked by peripheral initiatives, toasts to the youth and rhetorical speech. On May 9 recurs the celebration of the Schuman Declaration. As customary, the communication of the written proposal by Jean Monnet, read out to journalists by Robert Schuman, the then French Minister for Foreign Affairs, is recalled for the occasion. A peace scenario motivated the European project from the onset. For Schuman, for De Gasperi and for Adenauer, the three “fathers” of Europe, it was crucial to place the production of the raw materials that could have sparked off a war, which at the time constituted military power namely, coal and steel, under a high authority. Robert Schuman’s opening phrases underlined the intent to realize a common project for a continent that in the course of approximately two decades experienced two world wars. “World peace can be safeguarded only by creative efforts commensurate with the dangers that threaten it”. This is the true challenge to Europe, at the time and at all times. In 1950, the need to regulate commercial strategies whilst promoting relations between European peoples was aimed at curbing the risk of armed conflicts. The goal was partly pursued, considering the rebuilding of Central and Eastern European Countries that took place over the last decades of the 20th century. Today, Schuman’s proposal must be urgently recovered. With the same words, but within the framework of Third Millennium problems and challenges “world peace can be safeguarded only by creative efforts commensurate with the dangers that threaten it”.Just like 60 years ago, the preservation of peace is at stake. Nowadays, peace involves individuals and society as a whole. Peace was obtained by integrating diversity without infringing the respect of cultural and religious identity or realms. Just like 60 years ago, a creative effort is needed; a creative effort that will spark off development and economic models, providing a dignified life for all, ensuring justice and the equality of all peoples. Just like 60 years ago, there is widespread awareness of the dangers that threaten the much longed-for peace, bearing in mind that peace should never be neglected. Today these dangers consist in the risk of faulty skills and poor rigour characterizing the cumbersome bureaucracy of European governance, along with the danger of withdrawing from a project requiring ongoing commitment and effort by all European stakeholders. Already in this century, an active, sensitive protagonist of the European building declared that when it comes to the future of Europe “fear should not exceed the will”. “Tomorrow is often presented as something bleak and uncertain. The future is viewed more with dread than with desire”.These words by Pope John Paul II are taken from the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa , issued in 2003. The document reaffirms the presence of “Jesus Christ, alive in his Church, source of hope for Europe”. In the document, the Pope that experienced the price of freedom in Europe, who fought for the establishment of the fundamental rights of European populations, claims that the Continent is experiencing a crisis in hope. This is due to “the attempt of imposing an anthropology marked by the absence of God and of Christ”. In 1950, the Christian identity of Europe and of the “fathers” of the European Union determined the creation of a project for the peace of European populations. Today this identity cannot be forgotten nor concealed. The risk is that of forgetting and concealing the project for the unity of European Countries in its entirety.