EUParliament/Taize: Daul calls Thousands of enthousiastic Young People to make a Better Europe

 

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking just a few Monhs before the crucial 2014 EU Elections, In the middle of an exceptional ambiance of Thousands of enthousiastic Young People, in and outside of EU Parliament's majestic building in Strasbourg, most obviously stimulated by an obvious desire to raise some profoundly Critical Questions from the point of view of Topical Popular aspirations for a well developed European construction closer to EU Citizens' real needs, the Head of EU Parliament's biggest Group, that of Christian-Democrats/EPP, Joseph Daul, French MEP from Strasbourg, recently elected in Brussels also as New President of the European Peuple's Party, (the largest in the EU, with 12 Prime Ministers and 73 Member Parties from 34 Countries), launched in conclusion, and replying to queries by 17-35 years old, socio-professionaly active youngsters from the Ecumenical "Taizé" movement for a Unity of Christians open to cooperation with other Religions and beliefs in front of main new challenges facing today Humanity (Comp.f.ex.  : ....), a vibrant Call to act for a Better Europe.

-------------------

    Opening a topical Debate on "New Forms of Poverty" and "New Forms of Solidarity", 47 Member Countries' strong (including Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Armenia,  etc), PanEuropean Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law watchdog CoE's deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Bataini-Dragoni from Italy, exceptionaly leaving her scheduled Speech aside, (accessible in the Web), prefered to focus here into stressing  from the outset mainly that, as a matter of Principle, for the CoE, "Poverty is a Violation of Human Rights".

    Things become even more serious when Societies are currently undergoing also through a "Crisis of Values", which risk also to affect "precisely those Values that we need most, as Solidarity, Fairness, etc", the experienced CoE's No 2 leader warned from the outset.
--------------

     - "I am proud" to be a part of the same European movements with some among the most important EU's Founding Fathers, siuch as Schuman, Adenauer, de Gasperi, and others, launched from the start the President of both EU Parliament's largest Group of MEPs and EU's biggest Political Party, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Joseph Daul, immediately triggering a vibrant 1st massive Applause by a fully filled EU Parliament's Plenary chamber, from the 1st seat of its huge Hemicycle, up to the last seat at the Vistors' launch...  - "And I'm glad" to welcome ypu here, "you, who are the Sun in Europe's Future", Daul added, naturally getting anew another massive applause by more than 1.500 Young People aged 17-35 from many European Countries...

     - We are crossing through a(n Economic) Crisis, but we shall succeed to overcome it, "All Together", with EU's 28 Member Countries, thanks also to European "Solidarity" after many "Sufferings" of several People, such as f.ex. in Greece, etc., he went on to say.

    => "You (Young European People) must Help us (EU Politicians) to develop EU Solidarity and do even Better than what this EU, which brought us many advantages, including f.ex. Peace, Democracy, etc., has already achieved, Daul invited.

-----------------------------

    + This includes also facing often the "Brakes" that several National States use to put whenever there is a need for the EU to advance further in European Integration, added critically on this topic Liberal French MEP Nathalie Griesbeck, from Metz, (in addition to her own observations for recent developments in Ukraine, also spoted by Daul and other MEPs as well as "Taizé" Young People, but which go beyond the specific viewpoint of this Article, obviously focused on EU's Identity and Future : Comp, however, on Ukraine, various related "EuroFora"s NewsReports published recently, such as, f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/ukraineintaizeeventforfriendship.html )

    - F.ex., "in the previous Elections, some 60% of Young People didn't even Vote !", denounced "Green" French MEP Karima Delli, , the Youngest in EU Parliament, (and, therefore, apparently ignoring the fact that on 1999 and 2004, the sudden Fall of Participation was worse than in 2009)... And, at the same time, "there are too many Gaps ; F.ex. between Rich and Poor, between Politicians and Citizens, etc ",   she criticized, asking for "more Dialogue" and "Solidarity", without droping "alone any (EU) Countries or Citizens, but advancing All Together", (as her collegue Daul had just highlighted : Comp. supra).

    ++ German MEP Jürgen Klute, from EuroLeft group, stressed that, in addition to "Economic Integration", it's also "Social Justice" that is needed, in the EU and elsewhere in the World, where "we have to Fight against "New Forms of Poverty" adding that EU Parliament, together with EU Commission, Council and in cooperation with National/Regional-Local initiatives, whenever possible, "are Working" on cerrtain concrete aspects of that, (including, f.ex. inside a margin of EU Funds for Young People, SMEs, unemployed, etc., which were recently adopted by EU's Multi-Annual Financial Perspectives 2014-2020. Thus, "we (EU) have to Agree to a New type of Solidarity", he concluded.

    - In doing so, we must not forget, however, the "Enormous Change" that the EU already succeeded to bring to EU Citizens, f.ex. during the last 35 Years, before which, there were ony Nine (9) EU Member States : F.ex., in order to simply travel from Munich to Strasbourg, (both located near Germany's South, in the middle of the EU), the Train Stopped, then, at the Rhine river's borders, for a Police Control of almost 1 Hour, and in order to Change Machines for France, etc.. At the same time, just in order to visit the Eastern part of my Country, Germany, I had to get a "Visa" and "cross the Iron Curtain", experienced ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Berndt Posselt from Germany, denounced.

    + On the contrary, recently, I was able to Fight f.ex. for Croatia's Accession into the EU, which has just become its 28th Member Country, he added positively, succeeding on this concrete point to trigger a rare but genuine Enthousiasm for EU's Enlargement in this case, expressed also by a large Applause from an EU Parliament's Hemicycle full of Young People aged to vote, (On Croatia, See also Infra for more). And in front of EU Parliament's Building in Strasbourg, you shall see a double series of Metalic Pillars supporting all EU Member States' Flags, which were brought here by the Leader of the Historic "Solidarnosc" Movement from Poland : Lech Walesha", Posselt pointed out, applauded.

    => In fact, "what we (EU) are Missing" now "is Real European Men and Women, a real Community of Europeans !", stressed in conclusion the experienced German MEP, former Journalist. Inside the EU, "there are Differend Languages, .. but there is a Community of culture, with Solidarity, Human Rights and Democracy, Christian Values, etc, Posselt observed. stressing that "this is Not only for the Past", since "the EU is Not a Christian Museum", but able to become "Open to Inter-Religious Dialogue" today,.

    >>> Since for Europe, with its Christian character, it's important to be "a Continent of Solidarity" : Because "EU will Survive only if it cares also for Other Countries", without staying "Blind to the situations of Other States, out of the EU, Posselt added, allmost adopting a "Gaullist" profile, (it's true, faithful to his own personal activities inside EU Parliament, where he is particularly active in EU Identity and Human Rights' issues).                         
---------------------------------

    Between the various more or less Topical Questions raised to the Panel of MEPs by some among the 1.500 present Young People, (beyond the recent purely Geo-Political developments in Ukraine : Comp. Supra), the 1st concerned, indeed, Human Rights of Ukranian demonstrators :

    - MEP Griesbeck replied that recent visits on the spot, both by herself and other MEPs, contrary to rumours, hadn't met any serious obstacles from the National Authorities to enter the country, move inside and meet People, with the only exception of some Youngsters who had been reportedly "badly Beatten by the Police and arrested, whom we couldn't visit, neither us, nor even their Famiilies", as said the French MEP, (inevitably reminding the recent case of Young peaceful Demonstrator Nicolas B., who had been chassed, brutaly arrested in Paris and immediately jailed for more than a Month in scandalous conditions, including in Total Isolation even from his Family and Friends for a too long Time, simply for participating  in Peaceful Popular Demonstrations of critcis against a controversial and unpopular Draft Law imposing Homosexual "Mariages" and threatening to oblige Children to be submited to the Authority of Homosexual couples, even Total Strangers to their Natural Family, under pretext of "Adoption", contrary to the will of a large Majority of French People, as all Polls revealed : See relevant denonciations by various NGOs to "EuroFora" at the CoE, and published earlier this year, f.ex. : ... ).    

    - But, in fact, these People are not demonstrating only for Ukraine's accession into the EU, but also "for respect of Fundamental Rights as Citizens", she pointed out, apparently agreeing with a previous declaration by Joseph Daul, who had saluted from the outset those Peaceful Ukranian Demonstators who "give a lesson of Democracy", as he said, anouncing his intention to send more and more MEPs to visit Ukraine.

    + While CoE's deputy Secretary General Battaini-Dragoni reminded the fact that both the Ukranian Government and the Opposition have recently agreed a proposal by CoE's Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland to set up an independent Inquiry, (headed by ECHR's former President, Nicolas Bratza from the UK), on alleged Violences reportedly committed during the first Demonstrations, which is currently evolving.

--------------------------
EU COMMON CULTURE
-------------------------------

    + Meanwhile, reacting strongly to a Critical claim by another participant, who felt that the EU would be a kind of Patchwork made of very Differend Countries, from most points of view, German ChristianDemocrat MEP Posselt stressed that, in fact, "EU is not just about Economy only, but has also a Common Culture" :

    - F.ex. "Christianity, Jewish tradition , Greek Philosophy and Roman Law, etc. are among Europe's Common Roots, which were all mixed up through History, creating a Common European Culture with Differend Colors", so that the EU is "Not at all an Artificial Construction", as he underlined.

    Diversity is good, but EU has also a Common Culture, where Values, and particularly Human Rights are at the center of Modern Europe, based on the principle of Respect for Human Dignity, which has beed recently placed at the 1st Article of EU's Charter for Fundamental Freedoms, Berndt Posselt observed.
----------------------------------
    Naturally, one of the most favorite Questions among Adult Young People turned around the ways for the EU  to tackle the Global Economic Crisis, as well as to fight against rising Social Inequalities and mainly extreme Poverty in various cases :

    + Developing further on the Global Economic Crisis' issue, President Daul observed, as far as EU Parliament's current powers are concerned, that, even if it's true that EU Commission still detains a quasi-Monopole for Legislative Initiatives, (i.e. in order to table Draft Bills), in exchange, MEPs can, f.ex., add certain Important Changes in crucial Draft Laws on which they have to Vote for Adoption, as it was f.ex. recetly done by establishing an EU Monitoring Mechanism over Member State's Financial Management.

    => In fact, "Today, the Real Debate is about the creation of a New European Economy, including key Social and Fiscal aspects", so that many "MEPs intend to push for Establishment of a Real Europe of the economy", Daul anounced.
---------------

    - Replying to anotheer relevant question, EU Parliament's vice-President,  Hungarian ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, Dr Lazlo Surjan, (who was chairing the meeting).  stressed the crucial importance of Education in the Fight against Poverty : - Both in the Difficult problem of Roma, as well as in other cases,  it's only by Educating young people in order to be able to find Jobs, whenever their "Integration is a Challenge", Surjan stressed.

    While EuroLeft's German MEP Klute preferred to point anew to an inter-institutional EU agreement to "get out of Poverty (at least) 20 Million People by 2020" as he said, adding, rather vaguely, that "we are Working on it"...         
--------------------------------------   
    => When a vibrant Polish Group of Youngsters insisted into raising "the Last" Question, its Spokesperson : a Young Polish Girl, asked MEPs how is it possible, in an EU which proclaims Respect for Human Rights, to "see cases where People are Starving by Hunger", because "they don't have Money to buy Food", while so much "Money is spend f.ex. on Armies and Wars", as she said.

    - Daul dared tackle himself this Hard Issue, by observing from the outset, that it's not only EU's responsibility to act in this domain, but also that of National States, Regions and Local Authorities, etc., all together :

    - Indeed, "we can't tackle all the problems at an EU level alone", he pointed out, noting that often we must act also "at the nearest possible level", closer to the People concerned, f.ex. that of Municipalities, in cooperation with Regions and EU Member States, etc.

    F.ex., returning back to the previous debate about Education as a means for Socio-Economic Integration, (Comp. Supra), Daul added that grassroots observers in several EU Countries, such as Romania, etc., had warned him that, in fact, a good and practical way to convince f.ex. Roma People to bring their Children to School, was to offer them regularly there a Hot Meal...

    But, fortunately, Daul noted, at least you can be here (at EU Parliament) during Holidays, instead of being obliged to take any job just to survive, as others are sometimes obliged to do, he friendly tackled the present Youngsters, (who had, however, reportedly , only given 35 or 75 € for 4 Days of Food and welcome in Voluntary People's Homes, for the organisation of collective Events, etc, so that they didn't really have to be particularly Rich themselves, many among them having thus a possibility to participate, even if they might have been Poor)..

    + Meanwhile, on a Global level, EU is the Biggest Aid Donor in the World", and we don't have to be ashamed at all, on the contrary, reminded Daul. As for the Defence policy expenses, if the EU hasn't any Military capacity, it is threatened to become voiceless and irrelevant in 10 or 12 Years time, he warned, adding that even in order to deliver Humanitarian Aid, "we (the EU) cannot always rely on Mr Putin's and Mr Obama's Helicopters", as he pointed out..

    => In fact, EU offered us already many benefits, including Peace, but is Not Perfect at all, and many more things have to be settled even Today. But,  - "You are the Future : Do Better than what we managed to do until now !", stressed President Joseph Daul in a franc and emotional Call to the 1.500 Young People who applauded vividly in conclusion.

--------------------------------------    

Exceptionally full of obviously interested Young People until the End of a  2 Hours long Debate, (from the Hemicycle up to the Visitors' Galery, with New Groups entering inside whenever some left their seats, and so forth), EU Parliament's popular success with the European/International Ecumenical Movement "Taizé" during  Chrtistmas/New Eve Holidays naturally implied some hard work also from  its Press/Information Office Director, the experienced  Luis Martinez Guillen, who interrupted his Family Holidays and travelled to Strasbourg specially for this event.

However, many more Young People, who were interested in EU Parliament, among the some 30.000 participants to Taizé's 2013 European meeting in Strasbourg ,were obliged, by lack of space/staff for larger, mass visits, to stay outside of the Building. even if most of them were, in fact, participating in various other events near EU Parliament, eager to become able to Visit it too.

As f.ex. a Group of Croatian Young People, from EU's brand new Member State, smiling interrogated afterwards "EuroFora", raising many Interesting Questions about the way EU works in real practice...

 The most actively involved, Orijeta, an Engineer from the Historic Euro-Region of Triest, among various other Topical issues, (including, naturally, the forthcoming May 2014 EU Elections, where Croatians will participate for the 1st time), while wondering about the best orientations of EU's Economic policies, particularly as far as finding ways to safeguard a competitive European Industrial and/or Agricultural production is concerned, expressed also a more Moral Concern, socio-politically interesting :  - "We all have certainly to earn our livelihood, working in one way or another, but nowadays People generally don't like those who do everything only for Money, and nothing without money", she criticized. - "F.ex., someone who only paints for Money, is Not an Artist !", the New EU Citizen observed.

 This obviously reminds a notorious Contradiction betwen an old, Bureaucratic, Mercantile and Petty-minded MisConception of what really Journalists should be, which unfortunately still keeps some remnants f.ex. in certain French or other Corporative selfish lobbies' interests, downgrading and reducing it practically down to a mere ordinary Job like many others in the Marketplace, with the only difference that is should be .. anyone who is simply ...Paid by a Business whatever, that Fiscal a.o. services have qualified as "Press" or "Media", rightly or wrongly, entirely or only in part..... I.e. something Totally Differend from the famous, crystal-clear Definition which is given (from a point of view of Citizens' Freedoms in a Democratic Society) by the Pan-European Court of Human Rights, which notoriously focuses, on the Contrary, on the real Substance of the Content of a Person's Activities, providing the only available Legal Protection of Journalists according to Human Rights' caselaw: that of Freedom of Press/Expression,  to those who regularly search, find, prepare and Publish News of serious Importance for the Society, on Public Issues which seriously Affect People's Lives.    

           
Naturally this could, or even should, be adequatly associated also with the Respect of at least an elementary Ethical Deontology specific for all Journalists, (as, f.ex; several CoE-related and other, Independent, European and/or International Organisations, movements, personalities, etc. have already suggested during recent years : Comp. also experienced long-time former European/International Federation of Journalists' former Secretary General, Aidan White, currently Director of the "Ethical Journalism" Network).

In addition to being Faithful to the Historic sources of "Noble Journalism", at its Beginnings in Europe and elsewhere in the World, Isn't all that, in fact, Topically related, directly or indirectly, also with the notoriously current Need, acutely felt Today inside the EU, for the collective creation of a real European Public Opinion, free and willing to engage into Topical Debates on the most Important EU Developments which seriously affect EU Citizens' lives, and eager to actively contribute in the Collective creation of a "European Dream", efficiently based on an artful combination of solid Real-Politics and attractive Values, able to Stimulate wide Popular Support for a Healthy and much needed today, deeper European Integration ?

 - By the way : -  "The company for which I work as engineer, has helped to produce the Glass ceiling of EU Parliament's building" in Strasbourg, added to "EuroFora" Orijeta, the Young Croatian author of the above mentioned "Artist" proverb (Comp. Supra), speaking, with obviously Topical Symbolism, of that superb Huge Glass Bulbe which covers majestically the Lower-level Construction in massive Concrete, succeeding to give a vivid impression of an overall crystal-clear, EU Citizen-Friendly  and Transparent European Democracy...

(../..)