On the 9th of May we will celebrate Europe Day and through this online dialogue we will discuss the EU project: after 75 years of peace within the EU, how do we move forward?

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2020,  Europe Day

Time: 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.

Once you register on  https://www.utrechtindialoog.nl/bijeenkomsten/europa/

you will receive an email with the link and the password that will allow you to participate. Participation is free of charge.

Languages: Dutch and English

It’s been 70 years since the Schuman Declaration and we have enjoyed 75 years of peace in Europe. What about the future?

The European Union, which embraces 513 million inhabitants and a great diversity of Countries, cultures and identities, is a unique project in the history of humanity. It is the greatest peace project that followed the Second World War. Robert Schuman once said: “The European co-operation and integration could not, and must not, be limited to an economic and technical endeavour: it needs a soul, an awareness of its historical roots and its present and future responsibility, together with a political will to serve the common human ideal”. Thirty years ago, in 1989, we witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall: it was a promising event, one that took us all, Easterners and Westerners, by surprise. A wave of euphoria swept over all Europe: peace in Europe, peace for all!

In 2020, 70 years since the Schuman Declaration, we will discuss the development of this human project and, above all, how to keep on making it better. We will speak about culture and values in Europe: how do we deal with our differences and what do we have in common? Which are our historical roots? What kind of future do we desire for Europe? Which are the main challenges that Europe must face? How can we work together to promote a stable peace in Europe, and which values are indispensible for this objective? We will try to answer these questions during our small groups’ discussions.

Program
2.00 p.m. Interactive introduction of the theme
2.15 p.m. Video by PAX: ‘Four future scenarios for Europe in 2040’
2.20 p.m. Dialogue at the ‘tables’ (parallel session with groups’ discussion)
3:20 p.m. Plenary session to gather feedback from the dialogue sessions

Together for Europe in the Netherlands actively supports this initiative, organized by  Pax voor vrede en Comité Europadag Utrecht. Hope to see you!

Beatriz Lauenroth 

Photos of people: ©Canva