I did not feel concerned about the EU… Speech text by Estelle VALETTE, MASSILLON

Unlike my friend Ombeline, I wasn't given a book about Europe in primary school. It was only eight months ago that I got interested in Europe. What is Europe? Why did we create it? I had never asked myself these questions before. And I'm not the only one who just recently got the chance to learn about Europe. Many people have some knowledge about it but not enough. Yes, we have our nationality but, in addition, we have the chance to be European. But it just so happens, I don't really “feel” European…

In the past, Europe has accomplished so much: the Euro, the preservation of freedom and giving aid to poor countries in challenging times. Europe has created new jobs and implemented measures to take care of the environment for future generations. All of this is great, but I had to look for all of this information. I had to appreciate Europe’s achievements through my own research. If I hadn’t had the curiosity to learn about Europe, I would not know much about it. I believe there is an enormous lack of information about Europe nowadays. There is so much that we take for granted. The European Union and its member countries want to solve important problems such as international crime and terrorism, hunger and poverty, pollution and climate change. But from my point of view, at this time, the most essential thing is to help the youth to feel more European because the EU’s future is the youth! And nothing will or can be done without us!

I spoke with my foreign friends about the EU. A Romanian friend told me that she didn’t feel European. Even though Europe has helped her country a lot, by revitalizing Romania's economy, she didn’t know much about the EU. For some French people it’s the flag that we can find on our driving licence. For another friend, from Mexico, Europe is just a rich area to the east. I ask you: can we consider Europe as just a rich region of the world or an alliance between governments?

Over the last months, I have learnt things about Europe, but I’m still far from knowing all about it. I now realize that being European means sharing our wealth and being proud of our diversity. It’s the possibility to discover other cultures, customs, and languages; to be more open-minded. One century ago, we did not have this chance. The EU is not just a continent or an alliance between several governments; it’s an opportunity to live in diversity, to learn things about other countries.

Nowadays, the link between European countries seems to be breaking up. Fewer students are taking part in the Erasmus programmes. Why is the feeling of being European, which was slowly being forged over the years, now decreasing? Firstly, to get on to Erasmus you have to wait for the second year of studies (having started the administrative procedure one year earlier, which includes providing school reports, a covering letter and a reference letter). If you're accepted, you then have to fill in yet another form. This programme, in fact, is only really open to a particular age group. Maybe, we can open up the Erasmus programme to more young people, like pupils in high school?

How can we reinforce or rebuild the link between the EU member states? In education, there is a specific programme about Europe. Some schools take trips to other countries in Europe. Pupils stay with host families and learn so much. But others don't have the opportunity to go on such trips with their school. We could create holiday camps for all children so that they too could learn about other countries, or about the origins of their families, to visit a new city, and improve their foreign language skills. They will meet people from different cultures and perhaps create links with one or more of these people who will maybe become friends.

Earlier, I was not concerned by Europe but I am going to be more interested in it from now on because I have chosen to be. We must give people like me the will to know more about the EU so we must give them more information and the feeling of belonging to Europe. But, don’t forget, to be European is more than having a privileged status; it's a shared way of life.