The deliberation of the Nobel Committee that awarded the Peace Prize to the European Union was greeted with deserved pride. Such a prestigious award honors the past and the present, but there is also the future. An in-depth analysis is necessary, and we took advantage of the availability and kindness of Mrs. Brigitte Ferrari, President of the European Movement-France of the Alpes-Maritimes, to better understand where Europe is heading…
Nice-Premium: This award was rightly celebrated by all, but it is also a surprise…
Brigitte Ferrari: Today, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the European Union. This may be surprising at first glance. This award is always reserved for great resistances in authoritarian regimes or for individuals who have greatly worked for peace in the world or elsewhere. Hence, this prize is highly symbolic. Why? Because it is the recognition of the role of European construction. Its primary function, its first result is to have durably established peace between Nations that fought for centuries and were at the origin of the two last world wars.
Nice-Premium: A prize is also a recognition of exceptional human action…
Brigitte Ferrari: Today, we must pay homage to the will of visionary politicians like Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, to name just a few, whose ambition was to preserve peace in Europe, which they succeeded in doing!
This peace has spread across the European continent as it expanded, with significant moments for democracy and freedom of peoples, as evidenced by the accession of Greece (1981), Spain, Portugal (1986), and the former Eastern European countries in the 1990s. The gradual disappearance of the Eastern bloc, with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, allowed the European continent to reunify. This moment marked our memories because it represents, in some way, the reparation of the harm suffered by the peoples of Eastern Europe, who fell under the yoke of the former USSR, at the time of peace settlement (Yalta). And today we are strong with 27 States living in harmony and peace.
Nice-Premium: How to see the future of European construction?
Brigitte Ferrari: If this vast enterprise of peace is today strongly celebrated, is it not to remind us that the struggle must continue? Today’s generations were born in peace and prosperity. They seem to perceive little beyond the negative aspects of the European Union, alarmed by populists of all sides and by the sometimes deplorable spectacle our political leaders present, more concerned with their own interests than with the European general interest. Yet today we are at the heart of the storm, whether it be economic, social, or structural… We know we are at a crossroads. The concern is clearly about Europe’s future in globalization.
Nice-Premium: The current situation raises many questions. Can it be viewed with optimism? Many questions arise…
Brigitte Ferrari: How to strengthen and deepen this still so chaotic construction to allow us to survive in international competition, to safeguard our activities, jobs, as well as our values, our civilization?
How to act to embrace the societal change demanded by demographic, economic, climatic, and cultural evolutions? This is the challenge we face today. It is up to us to tackle these numerous challenges, as courageous men and women did in their time. They knew how to learn from the past and anticipate the future with specific objectives and an unparalleled determination. They built a Europe of peace and prosperity for us, today’s citizens. And what are we building for our children and future generations?
We need Europe, and Europe needs us!
