European Elections and European conscience, our role.

Tuesday, 9 June 2009 | posted by Chiara Palieri

The European elections, we were all feverishly waiting for, came and passed at last.The results speak clearly:

• Italy – 10.20% Lega Nord
• The Netherlands – 14.80% PVV
• Austria – 17.87% eurosceptic list led by Hans-Peter Martin
• UK – British National Party wins their first seats in the EP
• a total turnout of the EP elections: 42.94%

Wheareas less and less people went to the polls to exercise their right for democracy, an increasing number of European citizens made a clearly anti-European choice for the only democratically elected body in the EU.

In spite of all our efforts.

Does it mean we need to surrender?

Does it mean that all we have been doing was in vain?

Let’s stop for a second. We know it, moving mountains is not easy.

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones”, they say (Chinese proverb, as usual – the Chinese must know a lot about mountains).

If there is something we learn, is to never stop fighting for what you believe in.

Courage and belief do always bring positive effects in the long run.

Let’s stop and reflect upon what are the problems.

What is needed to bring European citizens closer to the EU, to make them understand its meaning?

• Information, information, information (dramatically lacking)
• Making the democratic process attractive, as the EU does not speak to people
• Getting to people, speaking to them, informing them, since school time: if EU institutions are explained at school, this is still done in a totally aseptic way, which stays on the books and does not give any lively and vivid image to the youngsters

I've always thought that being a Changemaker means making a change anytime possible.And i feel it as a moral duty,raising awarness among young people,doing INFORMATION and engaging myself to build a better EUROPE.And what is the first step to build a better EUROPE?IS TO VOTE!To excercise your right.During this elections,me and my organization,AEGEE Europe worked hard on it.

AEGEE Europe is the biggest interdisciplinary student associations in Europe; it is represented by15.000 students, active in 232 academic cities, in 43 countries all around Europe, which presents amazing culture variety. AEGEE is a secular, non-profit organization, not linked to any political party. All projects and activities are based on voluntarily work of its members.

Some Polish AEGEE antennae created a successful project in order to reach youngster's attention towards the elections and the EU.The Polish youth project "YOUrope needs YOU" was even awarded the first European Charlemagne Youth Prize (ECYP) on 19 May in Aachen. Through a series of high school workshops run by university students, this project uses informal methods to convey to teenagers interesting facts about Europe. The second and the third prize went to the "European Festival of university theatre of Albi" (France) and to "Gumboot Diplomacy" (Germany) respectively.

 We are the ones who,thanks to their amazing experiences in AEGEE, can speak to other people and spread our enthusiasm.

We are the ones able to inspire people and to give them 1, 10, a million reasons why being together in Europe is good, why is it useful, why it
makes us grow so much.

Did we just stay and watch?

No sir.

The amazing Y Vote 2009 Campaign informed so many young and not-so-young people all over Europe, spreading colourful enthusiasm and
bringing EU policies and their very actors close to the youth. So successful,it enters directly in the EP on the night of the elections.

YOUrope needs YOU did not win the most prestigious prize a European youngster can aspire to for nothing! Their unique effort to bring a REAL Europe full of hope and opportunities to the younger generation was duly recognized. 

Our two biggest and most succesful projects worked exactly in this direction. And the effort and dedication of our members working on them are simply – moving.

However, does it mean that what we do makes sense only within the EU?No, we go beyond. AEGEE was the open door to
Polish, Hungarian, Czech youth before they were part of the EU, and now is the same for Croatia, Serbia – and other countries which will enter the EU only in a very long run (if at all). We’ve been building an European society even before the EU stepped inside, and we are still doing it now. It was not and it is not in vain.

Once again, I rediscover in those days the profound sense of what we are doing. An organisation which does not (only) talk into open space, but does, produces, builds, aiming at the very core of the problems of our beloved continent. A sense which goes BEYOND ourselves, BEYOND
our – great – network, and builds the society of tomorrow.

Beyond prejudices

Beyond internal conflicts

Beyond unmovable mountains.

We go beyond.

Bravely.