This category is a box full of surprises. What is culture anyways, you ask? Well, with us it is everything that defines our lives as social beings. Here you will find contributions and discussions about the trials and tribulations we sometimes face with our neighbours next door or next country, and what we can learn from one another despite and because of our differences. However, this category is also about the arts, about poetry, and so much more…
Is Germany playing with the future of the European Union? (Picture: Remix by Spotlight Europe)
During the last months it appeared as if Germany’s image that was tediously reestablished 70 years after the end of the Second World War, is in the process of deterioration in large parts of Europe. However German politicians still believe that they are doing everything right. It becomes apparent in the way in which they are dealing with the crisis in Ukraine and Greece but also in the manner in which they appear towards other states and give advice.
Now, one eventually wonders how can it be that the Germans are perceived as arrogant, dogmatic technocratic and stubborn. What are the reasons in the end?
“Economic power helped Germany to its outstanding position”
One aspect for sure is that the economic power helped Germany to its outstanding position at Europe’s front. Germany is believed to be rich. Many people hold the belief that its wealth and economic influence has not only been gained by effort alone but also by beneficial historic constellations after the Second World War. The swift provisions of its war debts may have played a crucial role as well as the launch of the Marshall Plan that pumped money into Germany’s base material industries and into its medium-sized enterprises.
It is not decisive at all of whether or not Greece has met the financial criteria for accessing the monetary union at that time. It is a fact that Europe needs to stand together now and that the Euro is an identity-forming currency that will leave its stamp on our future in the world.
Germany has to wake up to its current image and has to discard its self-inflicted leading position in Europe, otherwise it will risk its future, the future of the European Union, the Euro and especially the future of generations to come.
“oderint dum metuant”
The Roman saying “oderint dum metuant” – may they hate me if only they do fear me – by Lucius Accius cannot be Germany’s maxim for the future. It does not mean however that Germany should start to back down in everything. Neither does it mean that it should let itself be blackmailed by its Nazi past. Put plainly it means that the Germans should for a start show more humility and understanding towards people living in other countries.
How do you see this?
About the author:
Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…
This week’s message is simple and clear: Dear (young) Europeans, be positive! (Picture: Remix by Spotlight Europe)
Once, unifying Europe has inspired millions. Now, negative views on the European integration process prevail in public debates. In Brussels, negative thinking and playing down the achievements made so far are by now fixed elements of the daily political routine. But: Who should think positive of Europe if not its youth?
Sad to say the youth does not even have a real lobby in Europe. Money is being spent, but not enough and inconsiderately distributed so as to prepare Europe’s youth to make a difference of the Europe of the future. These young people between 15 and 20 years – a crucial age in which they will vote for the first time and prepare their professional careers – are the ones who could give the European project back its positive spin.
The latest survey draws a gloomy picture. Take Italy, Germany and France for example: In Italy only 27 per cent feels committed to the European project. In France, the number is determined at 40 per cent whereas in Germany 53 per cent of the respondents feel committed after all. And then: Only 11 per cent Italians, 13 per cent Germans and 23 per cent of French people have positive associations with the Euro as common currency. (Data taken from the recently published study by the Italian opinion research institute Demos & pi, January 2015)
Seeing Europe in a negative way – is it the fault of communication or tangible data? I believe it is both.
The youths of the “My Europe” initiative clearly stated their topics for their future Europe: “Gender Equality”, “Religion”, “Religion”, “Education” and “Employment”. On their next Get2Gather which will take place in Madrid from 23 to 26 April they will present their European values.
The voice of these young people will be loud and clear against the cacophony of defeatists in Brussels and European member states. They know that Europe still has to offer a bright, positive future. Europe is not as powerless and wasted as American professors and Chinese communists like to picture. Europe’s youth advocates a strong and future-orientated Europe!
About the author:
Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…
“Every internet bully is a weakling.” (picture: Remix by Spotlight Europe)
Smartphones have developed into a constant companion in our daily lives. Everything that we consider important while we are on the go is saved via a simple swift movement of our fingers. It only takes a couple of seconds to take a picture with the built-in camera and to upload it on a social network platform. There, friends and family can see where we are and what we are doing.
It has never been easier to produce data about our lives and to make them visible to our social environment. We may do so in the belief that this data belongs to us and that we can decide at any stage of its distribution which parts we are going to make public and which not.
Many do not know, however, that this is a fatal error. Your data can be used against you by people you possibly do not know. It is by no means a pleasant feeling when strangers possess something that belongs to your private life – but sadly this happens all too often in real life and the crucial point is that people too easily trust in smartphone technology.
Devil in the detail. (Flickr: Highways Agency/licensed under CC BY 2.0)
It starts with used smartphones that are being resold on the internet or in small shops. Sellers trust in the delete function and believe that all their data – photographs, mail accounts, passwords, social media apps – are entirely wiped out from the device. That is not true at all. It is easy to recover data, regardless of how and where it was deleted. In fact there are specialized shops that offer this very service. Still, you do not need to be an expert as there are a lot of instructions and free recovery programmes on the internet that promise to reclaim deleted data.
In some particular cases this possibility seems to be a fortunate method – e.g. when the police is using the recovered data to find a culprit or if you accidently deleted some important pictures from your smartphone. On the other hand, this technology conceals its criminal potential. Data thieves may blackmail the former owner of the device or use the information for other criminal purposes.
That is only one side of the security problem when our personal data is concerned. It is not only through used smartphones that information may end up in the wrong hands. If a picture for example is shared on the web, you cannot foresee its possible circulation. It may reach people who use it for discrimination or for their personal amusement. You believe that you legally own the right to your picture, but in fact you have lost the power to decide who uses it and to what end.
“Data is being shared all too carelessly”
Especially cyber bullying has become a big issue among adolescents nowadays. Data is being shared all too carelessly with false friends. The victims often feel helpless and even blackmailed when they lose their power to decide upon the use of their data or when making the effort to bring back information to its correct context.
We need to raise awareness among the youth that their data is vulnerable at any moment and that they therefore should reconsider what they truly want to share about their lives and what not. Many social platforms offer easy settings to protect the privacy of shared content. As for the smartphones: To be on the safe side, throw them away or spam them several times with useless data.
And what could be the motivation behind these cyber bullies to spy on other people’s lives and to use their private data to harm them? Is it the disability to deal with the problems of one’s own daily routine? Is it frustration, aggression or even both?
There may be much guessing. It is a fact, however, that someone who bullies in the cyberspace is a weakling.
About the author:
Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…
A new series by the “My Europe” initiator Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl has started. (picture: Remix by Spotlight Europe)
A new series has started on Spotlight Europe! Each week, the founder of “My Europe” Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl will present his thoughts on ongoing matters in the European Union. He will show which role the youth can take to make its interests in current and future European affairs known.
Riots, fear and uncertainty about tomorrow’s events prevail in Europe. Populist left-wing and right-wing groups threaten to compress freedom and jolt the doors of the European fortress:
– In Greece Alexis Tsirpas who is leading the Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza) has recently become prime minister.
– In Spain, the new populist left-wing movement Podemos has assembled a considerable amount of supporters.
– In France, Marine Le Pen is constantly gaining support for her right-wing party Front National.
– In Italy, Matteo Salvini has successfully transformed the conservative Lega Nord party into a populist, right-wing Anti-Euro party.
– In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders advocates nationalism with his right-wing party PVV.
– In Great Britain, the patriotic Ukip party which is led by Nigel Farage (who has a seat in the European Parliament by the way) demand their country to leave the eurozone.
– In Denmark, the Danish right-wing populist party DF rejoices at an increasing support among voters.
– In Austria, the Freiheitliche Partei Österreich (FPÖ) is also gaining momentum.
These parties clearly want to build a different Europe and seek to abolish its common currency, the Euro. Their further claims are regionalization and nationalization. With the help of negative populist slogans these groups discredit the unity of Europe and deliberately endanger the common currency.
“Europe has a historic obligation.”
Once you have taken notice of their statements, you also have to keep in mind that after centuries of war and expulsion which resulted in the death of millions of people, the unification of these European countries is historically unique and shows that peace is always an option. Sometimes the fact is forgotten that European nations like Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, France and to a minor degree also Germany (and since the beginning of the 20th century also the United States of America) used to dominate the world and exploited their colonies causelessly. The afflicted nations in South America, Asia and Africa still haven’t forgotten about this difficult time. Especially Europe – the European Union – has a historic obligation to do its utmost to promote a peaceful coexistence of people on all continents.
Europe’s youth, which is heir to this historical dimension, wants peace and freedom. The young Europeans aged between 15 and 25 years who engage in the “My Europe” initiative, stand together behind a unified Europe and the Euro as common currency.
For them, the Euro is not only a solely financial factor but a common culture and identity that they will defend with all possible means.
“We want to call the youth for advocating the European values.”
The Youth Council for the Future has recently presented five criteria that clearly and uncompromisingly indicate how Europe’s future should be designed. These are: Gender, Education, Religion, Tolerance and Employment.
These are the central topics that have been voted on in a poll among the adolescents. These are also the topics that they want to work on in order to shape a peaceful future.
You as young people – your are Europe´s future!
We want to call the youth for advocating the European values and to resist all groupings that seek to defeat these values or make use of them exclusively, that discriminate minorities and/or work against the equality of people.
Young people of all countries, unite! Make it plain to all political, economic and social groups that you want to live in freedom and peace.
About the author:
Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…
Can you imagine a world where cats kill other cats just because they have black fur? Concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland. (Picture taken by Alessia Tavarone, remix by Spotlight Europe)
Can you imagine a world where cats kill other cats just because they have black fur? Or can you imagine a world in which animals marginalize dogs just because they are loyal to men?
I think not. Nevertheless this world exists, but not for animals, they do not have this kind of evil. But man, yes.
Think about it. We live in a world where people are denigrated because of the color of their skin, a world in which religion is still a matter of discrimination and violence.
“But that is not the past, not just history, it is real life.” Alessia´s trip to Auschwitz left her thinking about parallels between past and present.(Picture taken by Alessia Tavarone)
On January 27, we celebrate the World Day of Memorial, a day to remember the events that changed the history of humanity: the Holocaust. The Nazi madness, with the collaboration of several European states, led to the deaths of more than fifteen million people during the Second World War. We all know the events that distorted the history of mankind and destroyed Europe, and we are used to think of those events as in the past. But that is not the past, not just history, it is real life. We read the stories of survivors, we see epic films that recount those years and sometimes we look at things with distance, as if what happened does not concern us.
I made a trip to Poland. I entered in the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It was exactly what I had seen in many photographs and films. It was exactly the same, but it was totally different. Why? Because it was true. I was there.
“Because it was true. I was there.” (Picture taken by Alessia Tavarone)
I walked along the streets that the prisoners crossed to go to hard labor, I saw the ruins of the crematory ovens, I entered in brick huts where prisoners slept huddled together. It was so cold. The wind was so cold to stop me. I could not talk, I could not walk, I was only able to sit still and tremble. I was well-fed, healthy, and I had three sweaters, coat, cap, scarf, gloves, boots and yet I trembled. They had only a pair of pajamas, were malnourished and subjected to forced labor. I thought “how could they resist even one day in the cold?”. It is not humanly possible.
Then I realized the horror, the pain and suffering that those people must have felt. It goes far beyond our comprehension. At that moment I realized how deep darkness can be in the human heart.
Do not think that this is something away from you. Seventy years have passed and the blood of those people is still in Europe. Yet the recent terrorist attacks in Paris suggest that mankind still has not learned from its mistakes.
“At that moment I realized how deep darkness can be in the human heart.”
Yet people kill for religion and this is everybody’s problem. There is war in the Middle East, but also the heart of Europe is suffering the consequences, as in Paris. Do not think that the problem is the Muslims. Yesterday the Ku Klux Klan in America was against black people, yesterday there was anti-Semitism in Europe, yesterday there were the Christian crusades that caused millions of victims in the name of God.
So the question is this: have pain, death, repentance, compassion and hope not taught you anything? Are all these things are still served if you kill a man for his religion, for his race, for his political views?
Hatred exists, just as love exists, but this awareness should not leave us without hope. The solution exists: respect for life.
“There is no right, no wrong. There is the difference that must be respected and loved.”(Picture taken by Alessia Tavarone, Detail)
As the dream of Martin Luther King in a world where people are together and the skin color does not matter, like a Jew child and a German child playing together, as an Israeli who embraces a Palestinian, as a Christian who accepts a Muslim. There is no right, no wrong. There is the difference that must be respected and loved. Look at yourself in the mirror; you are different from anyone else in this world. Is it bad? No, it is special.
Europe can no longer accept this ignorance and intolerance. Enough violence, stop wars, it is time to promote peace and equality among men, because without this Europe itself cannot exist. Can you imagine a world where cats kill cats because they are blacks? No. Then do not accept a world where men kill other people just because they are different.
Change the world. Promote respect, promote peace.
About the author:
Alessia – Author at Spotlight Europe
Alessia (24) participated at the “My Europe” workshop in Milan, Italy, in 2012. She is an active Member in the Youth Council for the Future.
“He is one of us!” Why not present European TV spots in which every regional culture is introduced? (Flickr:Anna/licensed under CC BY 2.0)
In the first part the author described his experiences during his professional sports career, namely that sports has the strength to unite people. This common spirit should be transfered to Europe so that people see themselves as Europeans. The second part deals with what can be done to achieve that spirit.
Can we not initiate a series of spots for Europe? In each spot presenting a person from any of our countries with a typical regional theme in the image, joyfully stating the testimonial: …”And here in Europe – I am at home.” Or: …. “And here in Europe – I feel at home”.
We all learn at school that Europe is a unique continent of rich cultures. This is true but it´s a remote, intellectual statement. Would it not be more convincing if we would raise more awareness and emotions for this incredible historical achievement, grown over 2.000 years, amongst the 500 million? Should the EU then start a series of ads in the media in all our countries, with the following content? :
Christopher Columbus, Albert Einstein, William Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, El Greco, Moliere, (and many more, each nation has contributed with geniuses)
….they are all: “one of us”. Us as Europeans.
“Let us build up the biggest family in the world.”
When, during this year, a German astronaut has been living and working in the International Space Ship for months and currently an Italian astronaut (a lady) accomplishes the same, all 500 million Europeans should be proud since both astronauts are: “he/she is one of us.”
Surrounding the globe, in addition to telling us how wonderful the World looks from space, could our European astronauts not also mention how wonderful it is to see our Europe?
(This is also a European mission and these astronauts are Europeans.)
“He is one of us” is obviously causing a feeling of family to all of us. Let us build up the biggest family in the world: 500 million Europeans. It will take much time – but it can become reality.
Finally for today:
We could invite, say 100 children from all our nations, wearing traditional, regional costumes, to stand in front or inside the European Parliament on the first day of a new term. Imagine the emotional, touching, colourful image, creating a strong emotional feeling and pride in all European countries, with all people.
It seems to me to be a promising plan that we in “MyEurope” propose the idea of the same lyrics to at last be written for the European Anthem (composer Ludwig van Beethoven) in all our languages, speaking about our great values, our common Europe so that all 500 million can sing to the same tune.
We need to foster and bring Europe forward, beyond intellectual arguments as valuable as they are.
Europe is about emotions. Europe in our hearts.
About the author:
Jochen Benderis a passionate European. He has lived and worked in Rio de Janeiro, London and Germany. He is a developer of tourism and hotels. He travelled on business to almost sixty countries and spent a total of seven years in developing countries. More
Germany vs. Europe?
Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…
