Latest videos

Imagine Europe in 2050

by Leonard Preisler

Hi everybody, I’m Leonard and I live in Trier which is a city close to the border of France and Luxembourg. Thinking about the future of Europe I consider the European flag with its twelve golden stars on the blue background as a symbol of the important questions Europe will be facing over the next years. The twelve stars in the circle represent the unity of all European peoples although each country sustains major parts of its autonomy. Nevertheless, it becomes obvious that this flag also makes aware the huge challenge Europe has to cope with: the centre of the circle is empty. We have to ask ourselves: What keeps the stars together and what keeps the stars from derailing their orbit and falling apart? The basic question is: What could be the connecting power in the centre of this symbol, what could be the uniting power in the heart of Europe? The answer to this question is: we need a European Identity. Collective identity is formed in public communication processes within societies. The two main principles which support this communication process are first the emergence of a common European public and second the democratic participation of European citizens. At the moment, a common European public does not exist. The European public is segmented into partial public spheres due to culture and language barriers. I suggest that on the one hand national media have to europeanise, meaning that their reporting has to include European matters in a broad way. On the other hand, we strongly need transnational media which reach out to a European audience. Transnational media could for example broadcast the elections to the EU-Parliament as a European media event. The crucial link between these ideas for a European public and my vision of a new kind of democratic participation within the EU is interactive communication. In my opinion the EU should definitely extend their appearance on social media. However, social media communication cannot replace real interaction between humans. We need direct and close contact between the EU and the citizens. Right now, Europe is happening in Brussels, Strasbourg or Luxembourg and decisions do not seem to be transparent and comprehensible. Europe has to be local: in our cities, in our villages and in our neighbourhood. Hence, I suggest that the EU should strengthen voluntary social and political participation in municipalities. The EU could for example provide financial support to local clubs or reimburse municipal politicians for their voluntary commitment because these people stand up for European values every day. In addition, we need to build European centres in our cities and in our rural regions. These centres would provide the premises for clubs and parties to support them in their civic commitment. If we manage to accomplish the named goals for our European future, I am sure that we will have developed a European Identity in 2050 which has the power to unite the centrifugal forces that divide Europe at the moment.

 

Imagine Europe in 2050

by Sezer Aksoy 

Hello every beautiful heart and wonderful mind from all over the world! This is Sezer Aksoy from Turkey, Eskişehir. First of all, concerning the main topic, I would like to ask you a question. Can you really imagine 2050? Is it not too far away from now? These questions remind me of the voice of Dr Emmett Brown from “Back to the Future”. He was talking about nowadays more than 30 years ago. And this was like yesterday for me. The speed an power of the time is really unbelievable. Solitude, isolation, are painful things and beyond human endurance. I think Jules Verne was talking about the future at that time with this sentence. Look at the words we have mainly used during the last years: migration, refugees, moving from here to another place. What would you say if I offered you to change all these words into: hospitality, neighbourhood, sharing. As Jules Verne asserted, we cannot live alone on this planet. And we really should change something about our perspective. So this is how I imagine 2050. Never stop imagining and working for your dream. All border is there to be crossed. So just work, imagine, and find something you would like to change about the world. I am really excited to see all of your works! I hope to see you soon!

 

I imagine, therefore I create

by Ashkhen Grigoryan

Imagine Europe in 2050? 30 years ahead?

Yes! Exactly! I do imagine Europe in 2050 and I am the creator of it.

If you, my dear friend, believe in the indissoluble nature of being the creator of the reality, You will easily start to weave the cobweb of it.

A question arises in your mind how do I weave my type of cobweb?. I will tell you now.

I have a belief in human being. I have a belief in the union of individuals. I do believe that we are on the way of opening up our inner voices and we have already started looking inside us. We have become kinder and more sympathetic towards other persons. We are going back to the nature and we have regained the long ago forgotten appreciation of the essence of the nature.

No matter that the way to the perfection is intricate, we are there on the track and there are many of us.

You will say I am a dreamer? I will answer you yes! I have a belief in the coming true of all the dreams that are in harmony with the universe.

And, eventually, I have a feeling of now remaking the famous saying by René Descartes“Cogito, Ergo Sum” “ je pense, donc je suis”, instead saying “ I imagine therefore I create”- “J’imagine, donc je crée”.