“Teach, Not Preach!”

Posted on May 12, 2015May 18, 2015 by Miguel Carrilho Ribeiro

"My Europe" press conference in Madrid with the speakers of the working groups Anathea, Simona, Alex, Miguel and Leonor, founder Prof. Pohl and Youth Council for the Future chairwoman Alessandra (from left to right), Spotlight Europe — “My Europe” press conference in Madrid with the speakers of the working groups Anathea, Simona, Alex, Miguel and Leonor, founder Prof. Pohl and Youth Council for the Future chairwoman Alessandra (from left to right).

The Get2Gather of all Youth Council for the Future members took place from 23-26 April 2015 in Madrid. Together, the young Europeans elaborated on calls to actions for European decision-makers in order to help build a peaceful and sustainable Europe for future generations. Miguel is the speaker of the working group “Religion” and he held the following speech during the press conference:

Despite our discussions, the Religions Working Group has many questions and few answers – such is religion. Indeed, much of what the things I am about to say will sound like clichés or platitudes, but they remain important and worthy of saying.

I am not religious. Neither are many of you.

I am not a Catholic or a Protestant. I am not a Sunni or a Shi’a. I am not a Mahayana or a Therevada. But religion affects me. It shapes the world I live in, the way I speak, the way I see the world.

“Religion shapes the world I live in”

Since the Enlightenment, Europe has grapples with how to deal with religion. What place does it occupy in society, in public relations? How do we guarantee protection for all faiths?

Whatever answer we give to these questions, and there’s no shortage of answers, we must understand this: religion is not going away, and religion will not be side-lined.

These questions are most pressing when we consider the problem of religious extremism. How do we respond to this threat?

By bringing it out into the open. Religion must be brought into the public forum. And for this we must create an open space – a space in which the youth can become acquainted with various religions and discuss them. We need a comprehensive and objective religious education.

Public education exists to create citizens of a society and of a world. And for that, we must learn about this world of religions, just as we learn about other domains.

Students should become familiar with the history and ideas of major world religions, because these are forces that shape our world, across all continents. Schools must teach, not preach, while collaborating at the same time with religious communities to provide a broad and informative religious education.

In this Internet Age we live in, it is becoming easier and easier to live in a self-imposed bubble. Young people flock to online communities where their views are repeated, and where radicalization can take place. An open, discussion-driven religious education can provide a place for views to be shared and prejudices shattered.

Another matter is radicalization. The causes of religious radicalization are many and quite controversial, but they are not entirely religious. There are social conditions that foster radicalization.

Conditions in low-income neighbourhoods must be bettered. There must be better social care in these areas, and dialogue between communities and police.

“to shy away from a frank debate on religion is to capitulate on one of the present’s most pressing matters”

Stepping back now from the topic of religious education and extremism, we find that society must review the way it talks about religion. There is constant pressure not to talk about sensitive issues in a constructive manner: some rely on provocation, others use euphemisms, most stay silent. However, to shy away from a frank debate on religion is to capitulate on one of the present’s most pressing matters.

So I say: I am not religious.

I am not a Christian, nor a Muslim, nor a Jew. In truth, My creed is irrelevant. What I want, what, indeed, we all want is to have a Europe that is at once more tolerant, more open, and more knowledgeable.

Through education we banish conceit, through integration we weaken discrimination, and through dialogue we encourage a better world and a better life.

There are very few of us here, very few out of a community of 500 million. I wish we had brought more. But perhaps we can do some good. Let us follow the true spirit of religion, let us unite!

Alhamdulillah!

Thank you.

About the author:

Miguel Ribeiro, Spotlight Europe — Miguel

Miguel (18) participated in the “My Europe” workshop in Lisbon in Novemver 2014.

My Name Is Lectrr

Posted on May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 by Lectrr

Lectrr, Spotlight Europe — De Standaard’s cartoonist Lectrr for Spotlight Europe. (Lectrr Official Page)

My name is Lectrr. I’m a professional cartoonist from Belgium, working for ‘De Standaard’, a newspaper with a strong tradition in quality journalism. I’ve been working as a cartoonist for over a decade now and I’ve seen the business change a lot. For better or for worse is something only the future will tell.

Most of the changes have happened slowly and over the years. Budgets for quality journalism and cartoons have been sinking since the day I’ve started working in this field. Media companies have become multi-media brands, and so forth. But the most abrupt change for me happened on January 7th this year. The attacks on Charlie Hebdo.

“Before Charlie Hebdo, cartoonist were not to be taken seriously.”

Before Charlie Hebdo, cartoonist were not to be taken seriously. We were men and women that drew comic book like figurines with silly noses. Things that made people laugh, sometimes think, but mostly help to put things in perspective. Funny, sometimes a bit more than that, but always somewhere on the edge of what newspapers were about. Cartoonists were outsiders, nobody knew how we looked like. We hardly got interviews, never appeared on TV.

But then the attacks took place. In one blink of an eye, the entire world turned to the cartoonists and instead of seeing men drawing silly figurines with big noses, they saw freedom fighters. Something we never intended to be, something most of us aren’t.

We were interviewed on worldwide news channels, invited for debates on live TV, VIP guests at media conferences. When a cartoon exposition opened a prime ministers would even attend, while before we hardly got normal visitors. The outsiders were at the center of attention. But our message never changed, it was only the perception of what we did that changed.

I found that to be dangerous. It is our task, as cartoonists, not to be celebrities. It is our task to be annoying, out of the context, out of the spotlight. As eternal opposition for the ones in power, asking difficult questions. But politicians embraced us! They were all Charlie. Suddenly everybody was supportive of the freedom of speech-idea, even the ones who make the laws or machinations that diminish this freedom of speech.

“My place is behind the drawing desk, not in the spotlights.”

Personally, I backed out. I refused television interviews and media appearances. I found it to be more powerful when I spoke on these current events by making cartoons, not comments on TV. I’m a lousy TV guest but a great cartoonist. My place is behind the drawing desk, not in the spotlights. While a lot of cartoonists worldwide, all Charlie and pro-freedom of speech, became more careful in their cartoons I never found the necessity to give in. I didn’t see the need to draw Muhammad and still be critical about religion and violence, and found my urge to make cartoons very strong the weeks after the attacks. I felt that my pen did become as sharp and powerful as a sword. And a lot of readers found so too: the cartoons I made in response went global. And got the attention of Islamic extremists.

The number of hate mail a critical cartoonist receives is getting more and more substantial over the years. Back in the seventies it was difficult to send a hate letter to a cartoonist: you had to write a letter manually and mail it by post. You had hours to change your mind before the bad letter would leave. But nowadays, with the internet one can literally get mad and reach the person you’re mad at within seconds.

“One morning I received a death threat from an extremist.”

No time to think or to change your mind about something. Just instant hate. By getting a lot of those over the years, cartoonist tend to get numbed. I never respond to or even read hate mail. Sometimes we joke among cartoonists about the bad spelling in hate mail. One morning I received a death threat from an extremist. Didn’t give much attention to it, really. Completely numbed by hate mail.

I can’t go into detail but the threat was serious enough and my family and I lived in fear for weeks. But even fear wears out. I think that’s exactly what happened to Charlie Hebdo: after a while you grow used to the threat. Next time a death threat comes along, and I’m sure it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’, it’ll have less impact on my life and that of my peers. That’s the big danger in things: we grow indifferent of the danger, in the same way we grow indifferent of freedom of speech.

That’s the biggest point I would like to make. Islamic terrorism isn’t the biggest threat to freedom of speech, we are. We’ve been taking our freedom for granted. The danger no longer lies in the idea that someone would want to take it away from us, someone like a dictator or a terrorist mastermind, but within our own behavior.

“Indifference is worse than being forced out of your freedom of speech.”

Nowadays we’re all the media. Information is no longer dominated by newspapers or TV channels. Everybody with a smartphone or tablet or computer has become a media producer. We produce content at an enormous rate: cat videos, instagram pictures of our cappuccinos, selfies with new sneakers, yay! But what we don’t realize is that we have a responsibility as a medium. By producing these enormous amounts of meaningless content, we’re creating an enormous internet diarrhea of images and ideas hardly worth our concentration. True, interesting messages of social importance get swamped in that internet diarrhea: good investigational journalism no longer weighs up to cat videos. Newspapers start to adopt the ’10 ways to’-journalism. Cartoons no longer find their readership to make people laugh and think. Everybody has a responsibility to be critical, but it’s more fun to get a lot of likes. Jihadists don’t need to kill advocates of freedom of speech, we’re burying them ourselves in cat videos and endless lists on how to improve your sex life. Just because we are growing indifferent. Indifference is worse than being forced out of your freedom of speech. When you’re forced out, you at least still have an opinion of your own. A thought. When you’ve grown indifferent, you don’t. Not. Even. A. Thought.

The world isn’t better off with 10 million people saying ‘je suis Charlie’, we need the few that will think for themselves. Now more than ever.

Since 7/1 I’m not afraid of Islamic terrorism, but I’m scared shitless about indifference.

About the author:

Lectrr is a Belgian cartoonist, currently working for De Standaard-newspaper.

Speak Out

Posted on May 4, 2015May 4, 2015 by Melissa Haurdic

Two women on the street talking to each other. Both are dressed in long coats, Spotlight Europe — “My mother said ‘That’s my coat.’ The woman answered with a laugh. ‘No it’s not, it’s mine and very expensive’’. She meant that my mother could never afford that kind of coat.” (Flickr: randallo/licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

I am sitting at the school bench and thinking about what to write. It’s an early Tuesday morning and I can’t find anything that I think is a problem in the EU. My thoughts are spinning around in my head but suddenly I am starting to think about my parents, about immigration in the EU. My mother is from Iraq and my dad is from Bosnia, they were coming to Sweden about twenty years ago. They both have their stories that I love to listen too, but if I have to connect one of their stories with the EU, it will probably be my mother’s.

My mother has had a fulfilling childhood. In her family it was very important that you reveived a good education. So she became an engineer. It was the beginning of the war and my mother and her family needed to leave their country. I could tell you her story about her trip, but it would not tell you anything about the EU.

When my mother came to Sweden she was sad that she had lost her career. She had no job, not so much money but she made the best of it. She started cleaning to get money. During that time she has met my dad. She cleaned about 10 hours a day but still had not much food on the table.

“It was not any coat you could buy anywhere.”

My dad liked to surprise my mother, so one day when she was coming home from a day of cleaning he gave her ’’that coat’’. It was not any coat you could buy anywhere. It was the coat my mother saw in the glass window in the very famous luxury gallery that has its name ’’NK’’ in Stockholm. It was too expensive for my mum to buy it.

Next day it was cleaning time. She was going to clean a big house where a very rich family lived. This woman who lived there had a career and looked down on people like my mother who didn’t have much money.

My mum wore her very expensive coat that day and she had left it in the hall. This woman was going out to run an errand. While she was putting on her shoes she took my mother’s coat on. My mother said ’’That’s my coat.’’ The woman answered with a laugh ’’No it’s not, it’s mine and very expensive’’. She meant that my mother could never afford that kind of coat. My mother asked her to look for the size. The woman saw that my mum was right. It was her coat. She left it and walked out without saying a word.

“Don’t let your career ever take over your self-esteem.”

Your education is important but don’t let your career ever take over your self-esteem. Today my mother is working at an office. We are neither rich nor poor. My parents always want that we get everything they can afford.

Maybe you wonder what my mother’s story has to do with the EU? I want to confirm that it’s a tragedy how society is built. We are all human beings, why don’t we act like that? You who’s reading this, you are a part of society, we all are. Never think that someone is better than you because they’re not.

My EU 2030 would be different when it comes to society and education. Your career is telling you who you are today: If you have a bad job there are always people who will look down on you and you will feel that you’re not their ’’level’’. That is scaring me.

In 2030 the EU parliament should start an project about how we can save society. It will organize events around the EU area and you will get to know people from the different layers of society. And if you come from a country with education you will have the opportunity to still have a job.

“I want 2030 to be released from the word snob, poor and average.”

I want 2030 to be released from the word snob, poor and average. If we look back at my mother’s story we can see that even if she had been rich or poor she would never have been rude to someone. It’s about respect. Maybe you wonder why you need to care? Well, my mother grew up privileged in the beginning before her life changed so drastically. It can also happen to you. Tomorrow there could be a war in your country and you will be in the situation where you have to leave everything.

One of the foremost reasons to create the EU was that they wanted a world with peace. If we let down on society and our education we will never find that ’’Peace’’ we are looking for. It’s not too late to build up a society with more opportunities and it’s not too late to build up a ‘’healthier’’ society either. We all earn this.

I was relating to my mother because this is how the reality looks like. With my article I wanted to confirm that showing respect in society and having more choices in the job market should be a more important discussion in the EU parliament.

About the author:

Melissa Haurdic, Spotlight Europe — Melissa – Author at Spotlight Europe

Melissa participated in the “My Europe” workshop in Stockholm in November 2014. She goes to the ESS-gymnasiet in Stockholm.

“Information Is a Gage of Liberty”

Posted on April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 by Alexandre De Cannière

Guy standing and reading a newspaper, Spotlight Europe — In 2030 everyone is reading “E.U. Today”. (Flickr: Garry Knight/licensed under CC BY 2.0)

– We welcome here Mr. D. Stuk, director of “E.U. Today” – you all know this is the biggest information group ever made in Europe! We are indeed celebrating today the fifteenth anniversary of this group!

After this address to the audience, the big man turned to his guest and went on:

– So, welcome Mr. Stuk, and let’s begin with our first question: can you remind us what “E.U. Today” actually is?

As you said, we are one of the biggest information group ever made. However we are even much more than that. Maybe it is interesting to step back to the very start of this project to understand his importance. “E.U. Today” was founded to fill two needs: to reveal information with a European focus and through a non political media. The hope was to lead people to build their own view on every topic.

“mass media differ from state to state”

In 2015, in the middle of the Greek crisis, we realized that mass media differ from state to state in their way of presenting the events. Of course, we had in mind how much media can influence people and how helpful they could be. We got then a new name for our group, “E.U. Today”, and we reorganise it with new aims: objectivity and uniformity. Indeed, we insisted that any European should be able to read the same article. Like this, we avoid the risks of misunderstandings between nations. To do this, we had to employ lots of translators and journalists from all the member states. It was not easy at all to set up, but finally we have reached our goal. Also, consequently, I am proud to say that we took a large part in the making of the European feeling as we know it now.

– I’m sorry but I cannot remember how it was before. Was our feeling of European belonging less clear?

I know it is hard to believe but only fifteen years ago, the euro-sceptical parties were very present in Europe. Today everything has changed. People are convinced that E.U. is a really good thing for their present lives as well as for their future.

– How can you explain the role of your media in this change?

“One media avoids confusion between states”

First of all, having only one media avoids confusion between states or regions. It also means that European people are told about any event taking place in another member state, any topic about any European situation. The result is a feeling of closeness, of compassion for any trouble, or simply a feeling of concern. It seems normal for us today to read an article written by a Spanish journalist concerning Sweden. It was new then. Thanks to our group, borders were not barriers anymore. A European feeling has developed. A real union between people has concretised. We have learned to appreciate our fantastic situation of European citizen far better.

– Everything sounds great but all these journalists and translators must be paid. How do you manage it?

Well, information is a gage of Liberty and democracy. Look to North-Korea or to any authoritarian country to make sure of that. Of course information has a price too. E.U. has to subside us, it is right, but probably not as much as you could think. We broadcast our channels for free in the E.U., so you can imagine how many people watch our programmes. This is a unique place to spot an advertisement and we are thus selling this opportunity at really high price. This is basically how we mainly finance our group.

This means we get the amazing chance to work without any financial pressure. We are not looking for money, and this is good because money and information have never mixed well. For instance, we do not have to highlight stunning – and improbable- things because we need to sell. We are free from that; we can concentrate for making a good job.

– A last question: what do you expect for the future of the E.U.?

We have seen that the unification of the citizens has been followed by a unification on a political level. Today more power is given to Europe. I hope that it will continue like this because “United we stand, divided we fall”. If the E.U. wants to survive among other powerful states, it has to stay united.

– Thank you very much Mr. Stuk and see you for the twentieth anniversary!

About the author:

Alexandre De Cannière, Spotlight Europe — Alexandre – Author at Spotlight Europe

Alexandre (18) participated at the “My Europe” workshop in Brussels in February 2015. He goes to Collège Saint-Michel.

The Euro Needs a New Polish!

Posted on April 15, 2015April 15, 2015 by Manfred Pohl

Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl, Spotlight Europe — In order that the Euro will stay our symbol and currency it needs a polish. (Remix by Spotlight Europe)

The Euro symbol in front of the old European Central Bank building in Frankfurt has gotten on in years. It was erected in 2011 by artist Ottmar Hörl. However, weather and vandalism have done serious damage to it.

Prof. Pohl giving an interview about the Euro symbol on 10.04.15 in Frankfurt. (Leonie Bueb)

The same applies to the Euro as our common currency. During the last months it has lost its splendor in European politics. Its image is not the best at the moment.

No one can imagine that the Euro symbol in Frankfurt is going to be taken down and scrapped. Just the same it appears unthinkable to abolish the Euro as common currency and reintroduce national currencies in its stead. Even in Greece.

With all possible power, the Euro has to remain as a symbol in Frankfurt. The statue needs its spring-cleaning in order that it may shine again with new LED lights in summer.

The actors in politics and economics should take the initiative of the euro statue’s owner (the NGO Frankfurter Kultur Komitee) as an example and should make sure that the euro currency also receives its spring-cleaning so that it can emanate safety and reliability again in summer.

Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is giving a press conference about the current state and restauration of the Euro symbol in Frankfurt on Monday, 20.04.15. Since last week the Euro symbol is in the news all over the world and was even published on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

About the author:

Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…

My Europe Is a Part of This World

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015 by Verena Metze-Mangold

Traditional parade, Spotlight Europe — Open-mindedness and curiosity for other cultures: “We want our volunteers to understand, not to judge. We want them not only to understand structures, but people.” (Flickr: Marc Sardon/licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Some time ago I had the pleasure to read Alessia Tavarone’s post on her visit to the former concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. 70 years after its liberation, Alessia reflects on the patterns that made segregation, persecution and subsequently Auschwitz possible. Her reflections come with a warning: Do not trick yourself into thinking that this is something 70 years and a world away. Until today people are made victims because of their descent, their beliefs or their sexual identity. If we want to live in open and peaceful societies we have to create and recreate them—one day at a time. Or to put it in Alessia’s words: “Change the world. Promote respect, promote peace.“

“We need more than mere political and economic ties between societies in Europe”

It is no coincidence that UNESCO was established in the same year the camps and Europe were liberated. The United Nations and UNESCO themselves are reactions to the Second World War. Their major task is what Alessia just described: to promote respect and to promote peace. Therefore we need more than mere political and economic ties between societies in Europe and around the world. We also need a deeper understanding of each other and a more intense cooperation with each other in the fields of education, science and culture. This firm belief is expressed in the preamble to UNESCO’s constitution: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”

As German Commission for UNESCO we want and we have to add to this vast goal. And we understand ourselves as part of a global neighborhood—including Europe but not excluding the rest of the world. To me global thinking is a necessity in a globalized world. When UNESCO and its National Commissions promoted the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, they called for a broad change in educational policies worldwide. If we want e.g. slow climate change it is not enough to change the mindset of only a few people. Since everybody on this planet is affected by its impacts we have to rethink as humankind. If we want to consume responsibly and sustainably—to give others the chance to lead the lives and future they want for themselves—we have to understand global production chains and how interwoven they are: between Germany and Greece, but likewise between Europe and South East Asia.

“Learn what it really means to be a stranger”

But we also have to have less abstract knowledge about our global neighbors. Our Commission does not solely aim at strengthening the bonds to fellow National Commission for UNESCO, but between people from around the globe as well. With our youth voluntary service kulturweit we offer people aged 18 to 26 the chance to work in German cultural and educational institutions abroad: in countries of the Global South, in Eastern Europe and the CIS. During their service all our volunteers share the same experience. They learn what it really means to be a stranger and that structures in daily life may differ from the ones known to them. In this situation we want our volunteers to do one thing: trying to understand, not to judge. And we want them not only to understand structures, but people. Therefore our pedagogical program follows a transcultural approach. We try to convey a complex model of cultural identity: One where identity is to be understood as an individual mosaic of attitudes shaped by personal experience. This way we can learn to perceive our global neighbors for what they really are: individuals with diverse backgrounds rather than Germans, Greeks or Argentinians.

“Europe must no longer think of itself as an island.”

And in the very same way Europe must no longer think of itself as an island. It is more than that. The European states and their Union are connected to regions around the globe. What Europe needs is a more open approach towards itself and towards others. Promoting respect and peace starts with practicing it—notwithstanding economic and political interests. In the famous film “Cabaret” the famous song goes: “If you could see her with my eyes….”.

About the author:

Dr. Verena Metze-Mangold, Spotlight Europe — Dr. Verena Metze-Mangold (Original Picture by UNESCO)

Dr. Verena Metze-Mangold is President of the German Commission for UNESCO. Being a political scientist and journalist she is a Commission member since 1982. More

About the voluntary service kulturweit:

kulturweit is the international youth voluntary service of the German Commission for UNESCO. From April 1 to May 5, 2015 people aged 18 to 26 living in Germany can apply online for a voluntary service in educational and cultural institutions around the world. For further information go to www.kulturweit.de

Spotlight Europe

Europe – Future – YOU!

Category: Culture

“Teach, Not Preach!”

About the author:

My Name Is Lectrr

About the author:

Speak Out

About the author:

“Information Is a Gage of Liberty”

About the author:

The Euro Needs a New Polish!

About the author:

My Europe Is a Part of This World

About the author:

About the voluntary service kulturweit: