fact files" "

The Final Declaration” “

The European Council meeting of 14 and 15 December adopted, as programmed at Nice a year ago, the “Laeken Declaration on the future of the European Union”. In the eight-page document it is affirmed that the fifty years of European integration have been able to guarantee a period of peace and prosperity to the continent […]

di Redazione

The Convention” “

The European Council meeting at Laeken decided to convene a Convention with the mandate of examining the fundamental questions relating to the future of the Union and formulating possible responses. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, former President of the French Republic from 1974 to 1981, was designated President of the Convention. He will be assisted by two […]

di Redazione

governance" "

Closer to people” “” “

Ever since taking office, the European Commission led by Romano Prodi had included among its priorities the drafting on a White Paper on “governance”, or the art of governing, at the European level. The French member of the European Council Jerôme Vignon was given the task of coordinating the work of the so-called “Governance Task […]

di Redazione

The White Paper” “” “

On 25 July 2001 the Commission adopted the White Paper on European Governance, one of the priorities of the executive led by Romano Prodi. The aim of the White Paper is to promote a reflection on the state of the EU institutions and on (new) forms of European government: “rethinking our way of constructing Europe”, […]

di Redazione

peace" "

Switzerland: interreligious prayer” “

Representatives of various religions gathered in the Protestant church of St. Jervase in Geneva on 16 December, to pray together for peace. Exponents of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Moslem confessions expressed, in a joint declaration, their concern following the events of 11 September 2001 and for their consequences in the various countries. […]

di Inès A. Chittilappilly - Geneva" "" "" "

70,000 youngsters at Taizé” “

“Today more than ever an appeal is raised to open ways of faith deep into the night of humanity”. This is the opening exhortation of the letter written to youth by frère Roger of Taizé for the year 2002. Translated into 58 languages (of which 23 Asian and 7 African), the letter has as its […]

di Redazione

A march for Europe” “

The March for peace from Perugia to Assisi in the autumn of 2003 will be dedicated to Europe as a “means of promoting peace in the world”. The fifth Assembly of the UNO of Peoples will be held in Perugia on the same theme in the previous days. Just a few days before the introduction […]

di Redazione

Voices from the Holy Land” “

“Peace between peoples is not just established between the clauses of international accords. It is built on the basis of justice and given roots by vanquishing selfishness, intolerance and violence”. So writes Father Stanislas Lalanne, secretary general of the Conference of French bishops in the editorial that opens the most recent number of SNOP, the […]

di Redazione

France" "

Compensated for having been born” “

Can life be considered a detrimental or prejudicial condition? That is the question that is being posed by the French political class at this time, following two shock sentences of the Supreme Court of Appeal, that recognize the prejudice of having been born handicapped in the case of two handicapped children, Nicolas and Lionel. These […]

di Maryvonne Gasse - Paris" "" "

editorial" "

Words for tomorrow” “” “

As Christmas approaches, and the frenetic period of so-called Christmas shopping dawns in our consumer society, the Italian publishing house Città Nuova is publishing an Italian version of Father Joseph Wresinski’s book, Words for Tomorrow, 15 years after its first edition in French. Father Joseph (1917-1988) is one of those churchmen who, like the Abbé […]

di Jean-Dominique Durand " "lecturer in contemporary history, University of Lyons" "" "" "