Tag: european union

Est-ce que tu parles Français ?

July 20, 2011 / / 1 Comment

Europe

Did you get it? Well if you speak French yes, otherwise it reads like “Do you speak French?”… Ok, big disclaimer, I don’t (yet) speak French! Please don’t reply in French, otherwise I’ll have either to harass my French labmates, or become a very close friend with Google translate.

My Citizenship is Italian, but first of all I feel European. Now, what a European citizen should do to make Europe a better connected place and more integrated?

I think, first is to understand each other. An more strong European idea among her citizen would be a good idea, and although these are tough times, I think its worth to re-raise, and try to re-state that is what we want (or at least, I want) as european citizen.

But “every big journey start with a single step”, and I embrace the “think global, act local” (put any other relevant favourite quote here), therefore I have decided to learn French.

Why? Well as I said it’s all about better understand each other and it’s time to give a little help and do something on this side.

Obviously everybody should start with what is possible for him/her. Consequently, for me, would be to try to learn a new European language, to increase the number of people which I could natively talk to, and understand better one more culture as well.

We really need to approach Europe as whole resource, using the strength of different cultures as resources and minimise the weaknesses.

First step is knowledge.

Dear Europe

May 13, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Please don’t do it.

Please, let’s not go back 30 years. The freedom to circulate in Europe as an European citizen is one of the most important freedom that has made our life easy.

Moving around, using the Identity Card, or the Passport, without having the necessity to apply for a visa or anything like that makes not only everything super easy and nice, but also gives a feel to be all the same, within the diversity. Together with the Euro and the flag these are the only tangible signs of an integration which has gone far, but has not yet complete..

We have to go to a more integrated system, where all Europe should be felt as our home. With the diversity of culture, language and maybe attitude, but still one big jam of people who leverage the strengths of each other and try to solve the weakness. The European Community, not only a political body, but a community of different people.

I understand this terrible wave of extreme right, with its xenophobic and racist ideas, is taking its toll on the possible decisions. But I think the other parties should make a stand. They should fight back this narrow-mind vision.

European Flag

Europe has been born by the vision of people who are now long-dead (Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul Henri Spaak, and Alcide De Gasperi), and who built this ensemble as a way to achieve peace and better conditions for everybody.

Europe should be at the forefront of integration, leading with a peaceful and calm approach, as an old continent should do. We’ve got tons of history and we did a disaster in the last century.

Let’s take another seat on this one.

Let’s make this one worth remembering as the century in which Europe took the lead in making the world a better place, starting within its own frontiers.

Let’s not think in three weeks span. Let’s think in 30-40 years time or even more. Let’s go ahead and make the European Community more connected and let it thrive.

In varietate concordia, United in diversity, Uniti nella diversitá, (Motto of the European Union), this is what Europe is.

This is why, this a great Community. And please, leave the door open, ’cause no Community is an Island. Let’s think BIG.