“I wish Europe to discover herself anew. We need a strong Europe, we want to remain together, we want to be united and we love Europe. Europe, do rediscover your true self and be more European!” “I wish that Europe will manage to integrate people arriving into Europe, ensuring them a full welcome, also at humanitarian level.” “I wish that in the future Europe will be more active at local level; close to the people, providing support at grassroots level, so we may learn what Europe is all about, what it truly is.” These are some of the wishes of young Europeans for the Feast of Europe (May 9), collected by SIR in a video, marking the celebrations of May 9 1950, when Robert Schuman presented the Declaration that defined the cooperation project between Germany and France and heralded European integration. The words of young people from France, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Croatia, Austria, voice the yearning to witness the growth of that original process. Young people call for a Europe marked by increased solidarity, openness, strength, tolerance; a Europe “capable of embracing the diversity” of its inhabitants.
“Europe is the best place to live, the place with the greatest cultural richness and traditions, which all others are seeking to replicate in order to be similar to us”, said Mattia from Croatia. “I wish Europe to reach out to all the peripheries of the southernmost realms of Europe, where live youths who have limited opportunities”, added Marco Riccio from Naples. “I wish Europe to see a high voter turnout and that citizens will cast the right vote”, reiterated a young man from Hungary. “May Europe’s motto ‘united in diversity’ correspond to the facts, that people may not only identify in it but that it may also be implemented in our territories, communities, through concrete projects”, is the hope expressed by Giusy from Salerno, who wished “a happy Europe to everyone, to all those engaged in carrying out concrete projects on a daily basis.”
