Worries of one born in Europe – part II

Posted on by Teresa Fernandes

i'm worried II

I am worried that some of us who are for the traditional family, for honesty, loyalty, personal sacrifice, modesty and respect in marriage and relationships may be considered outlandish by those who just want to tear down frontiers for the sake of immediate pleasure, and “redefined” progress of society. I do not agree that those that are for full human dignity, for the right to life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death might be in any way diminished in their right to exercise their choices and to promote them in schools, media, politics, just because “progressive” laws have been approved that allow professionals to euthanase or make abortions to people in their care.

I am appalled that some people are so much in favor of the protection of animals (me too, I myself have a German shepherd dog, which I dearly cherish and value) but these same people can be simultaneously in favour of the abortion holocaust. Abortion is no contraception method. How can we defend an animal and not a human being? Euthanasia has become lawful in Holland, and not just there. It is allowed when infants suffer from sickness that causes stress and suffering to their parents… so, the decision is given: the child’s life is to be ended! I personally know a child that used to have breathing problems in his early years; this naturally caused suffering to his parents. He is now a healthy, lively eight year-old boy.
I am terribly apprehensive that only little action is taken against the persecution of Christians or to understand the why of the boat immigrants.

“Being a white person does not make you a person of less importance than a person of another race, the same if you are a Christian and not a Muslim, a man and not a woman, a hetero and not a homo”

I wish for a Europe where those that respect God, those that are for conservative or politically incorrect views, feel Europe is their home, not a foreign country where they have a smaller voice or become ghettoed in political decisions and law making. I wish we have a Europe where the concept of hate crimes against a specific group, be it of religious or gender or ethnic origin, has no place, because the common law against robbery, rape, damage of any sort, applies to everyone. The same crimes, the same penalties under the law. Being a white person does not make you a person of less importance than a person of another race, the same if you are a Christian and not a Muslim, a man and not a woman, a hetero and not a homo… Defamation is defamation, robbery is robbery, rape is rape, no matter who the victim was.

“The fact that someone disagrees does not give him/her the right to minimize the other person’s point of view or resort to mockery or ridicule”

Well, of course you can disagree. But the fact that someone disagrees does not give him/her the right to minimize the other person’s point of view or resort to mockery or ridicule as I see some people are doing because they are irreligious or too liberal to be tolerant towards minorities or unfashionable points of view.

 

About the author:

Teresa Fernandes is a teacher in Lisbon, Portugal.

 

 

Worries of one born in Europe – part I

Posted on by Teresa Fernandes

i'm worried

I am upset with the sadness of parents who see their kids leave their homes in Portugal to study abroad, a consequence of the quotas at university level in some courses, of the few vacancies in professional areas or of steadily underpaid positions. The ones who stay have to work harder, depend on the good will and hopefully sound character of their bosses/managers because of tenure positions that, due to the economic crisis, are now few and difficult to get. Why can’t people be allowed to have security in their jobs so they may set mid- and long-term goals for family and community contribution?

I am upset with school and college graduates when forced to postpone their joining the workforce, their building a family early in their twenties (not in their thirties or forties), or buying an apartment and making themselves available to help others with their salaries, on a regular basis. Lonely mothers/fathers, widows, ageing people, homeless, addicted, the poor and other disfavoured groups need help, but we have just a few lobbying for them, with reduced government support. Who is going to voice their plights on a regular basis?

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Desmond Tutu

I am unsatisfied with government officials who perpetuate their high salaries, their privileges and perks forgetting those that still have basic needs unfulfilled: of food, shelter, health, help, security, dignity. Are cuts in wages/salaries, or stretching the retirement age or reducing the promised pensions the best policies? If people can’t get a decent pension, if their age to retire is stretched, how can posts be made available to younger people? Showing statistics of lower unemployment rates is easy for government officials: they just need to advise people to enroll in professional courses or training opportunities or get a second degree, one after the other, however not necessarily giving them assurance to get a vacancy afterwards.

I am seriously worried about the wasteland concerning the education of kids and young people in schools, homes, the media. Too much focus on intellectual capacities/academic results, too little on the paramount importance of character education, the need for excellent values to be taught and principles experienced, so that our inbred selfishness may be disciplined. You can fly a plane and still do not care about the lives inside. You can be an accomplished professional, but still care more about your own success and personal conveniences than about the needs and shortcomings of the ones that depend on you.

 

About the author:

Teresa Fernandes is a teacher Lisbon, Portugal.

 

 

Connecting Europe: the first step to change the world

Posted on by Luisa Moreira
Trust yourself! (Flickr: Jennifer/licensed under CC BY 2.0)

From an early age we are told our generation holds the future of this beautiful planet we call Home. And it gets me wondering: how can we play our part?

Through “My Europe”, I eventually ended up answering my own questions. I considered this activity a once in a lifetime opportunity to prove how I intend to change the world. Not only it allowed me to get out from my personal comfort zone, but it also provided me an unparalleled chance for my ideas to stand out among millions of others.

In my opinion, we have reached a crucial point where there is no turning back. Changing the route of humanity has now become critical. If we choose not to hold hands and not to get through this terrible transition as one, we might end up saying goodbye to Earth as we have known it until now.

Millions of people have the power to change the entire world. Is there anything more incredible than that? Who wouldn’t love to be a part of something this big? As we live in a century characterized by the evolution of technology and global connection, I believe teens with great communication skills and abilities to combine both speaking and writing in different languages should step forward to intervene. And this is where “My Europe” kicks in. As from now on we should be working with people of various nationalities, ages and backgrounds, I find extremely necessary that the elected ones have also an open-minded personality and a strong attitude.

“We need to start worrying, we have to start acting.”

It is not every day that you get to work on activities like this. This “youth movement” is simply the power to change the future of humankind being given to those with promising plans. As I write this small article, I get to understand how much these kind of programs can change where my future life will be heading to. An incredible journey awaits me. A path I will be crossing surrounded by so many different people with interesting future dreams and hopes, dozens of new cultures to learn about, work strategies to develop, self-discovery to overcome. Honestly I can’t think of a better way to get my position noticed and to spread the word about what, in my opinion, the future holds for all of us. It is easy to create strategies and to dream big, but when it comes to get your ideas to the next level, things get tough.

Nowadays, we may not be able to see most things because we leave our minds elsewhere, if I do say so myself. However, I don’t appreciate missing an opportunity to wonder every tiny aspect of the world. I look around and I see teenagers just like me. Boys, girls, all between the same age range. I think of how many have the power in their hearts to standout but won’t because they are afraid or because they weren’t given the means to do it. I walk to school every day hoping to step on some kind of occasion like this project to change my life.

We all are interconnected beings. We live each day full of need and faith, pain and hope, friends and love. We all should possess the equal value of life. Although some aren’t capable of facing struggle, others live to be their saviour. We need to start worrying, we have to start acting. In my opinion, “My Europe” will eventually end up being more than an idea of connecting Europe’s youth. It will be seen as the next big step towards change. Truth is, few things get me this much excited. This is something I would absolutely be thrilled to be a part of.

 

About the author:
Luisa Moreira
Luisa Moreira

Luisa Moreira (17, from Portugal) attended My Europe’s Lisbon Workshop in November 2014. She believes writing is the best way to make the most out of everything.

“For me, Europe is an open-minded society that supports self-improvement. It is a space where you can easily find a reason to be greater every single day.”

 

Ireland: The first Country in the World to bring in Same-sex Marriage by Popular Vote

Posted on by Feargha Clear Keena

lgbt-protests-for-marriage-rights_spotlight-europe

“Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”

On the 22nd of March 2015, the Irish people voted to change the wording of the constitution, so that this phrase replaced the old one, which implied that a marriage could only be between a man and a woman. This was a huge and exciting victory for Ireland and its LGBT+ citizens.

equal marriage1
Referendum posters in Dublin. By Feargha Clear Keena

But this referendum was not won overnight. The holding of the referendum was the result of years and years of work by irish LGBT+ activists, many of whom worked to get homosexuality decriminalised in Ireland in the 70s. In the months leading up to the vote, the streets of Dublin were plastered with posters from both sides of the camaign, people were canvasing door to door, and businesses, schools, even the police, were all publicly showing support for marriage equality. Walking around Dublin, as a young gay person, the enthusiasm and passion of the “yes” campaign (those in favour of marriage equality) was to be seen everywhere, and it was incredible to see the shop windows, traffic lights, and postboxes all proudly bearing the phrase “Yes Equality”.

However, it was hard to overlook the “No” posters, which promoted the “traditional family” at the expense of single parent families and families with same sex parents. The determination of both sides led to a long and engaging nationwide debate. The entire country was having a discussion about marriage and families, and most of all, what it was like to be a member of the LGBT+ community in Ireland. This discussion quickly turned personal. People began to “come out”, including public figures like politician Leo Varadkar and journalist Ursula Halligan, in order to share their stories and encourage people to vote yes. It had become very emotional, and for the first time, the country was listening to a new narrative: that of LGBT+ people.

equal marriage2
Pride in Dublin City. By Feargha Clear Keena

The campaign was also very different from previous referendums in its amount of youth involvement. It was very clear from the get go that the result was hugely dependent on the youth turnout in voting stations, as young people tend to be the most supportive of LGBT+ issues. A huge part of the Yes Campaign was devoted to highlighting the importance of registering to vote and voting. People were so moved by this issue and this campaign that many Irish emigrants living abroad flew home to vote yes, which resulted in the phenomenal hashtag #hometovote, where people blogged their journeys from other countries, continents to take part in the historic day. In a country where voting had become much less popular with young people as well as everyone else, this particular issue invigorated the population, resulting in a historically high voter turnout. Almost 66,000 people registered to vote for the first time, with a total of 1,935,907 people voting in total.

On the day of the results, thousands of people gathered in Dublin Castle, where the votes were being counted for the Dublin constituencies. People were draped in rainbow flags with brightly painted faces, and the atmosphere was electric. When the results officially came true, I heard a weak stream of the national anthem from the crowd. Little by little, we all joined in. For many of us, it was a moment of not just LGBT+ pride, but Irish pride. Irish Pride in a way we had never felt it before.

equal marriage3
“Yes” Campaign ad. By Feargha Clear Keena

Many people do not take the issue of Marriage Equality seriously, because there are so many more serious obstacles facing the LGBT+ community, both in Europe and globally. But if you are seen as equal in the eyes of the law, you are ultimately more protected by your government. When I grow up, if I do have a family, I won’t have to worry about being treated differently or having less rights as a mother and a wife as anyone else in the country. It also showed a huge support for LGBT+ people. It told us that Ireland has changed, and that we do not have to hide anymore.

This is a huge and important change for our country, and I could not be more proud.

 

About the author:
Feargha Clear Keena
Feargha Clear Keena

Feargha Clear Keena (17) participated in the “My Europe” Workshop in Dublin in 2014. She goes to school at Mount Temple Comprehensive and enjoys playing music, writing songs, and learning foreign languages.

For me, Europe is…

…an amazing collection of art and culture and history that I’m lucky enough to be able to witness and be a part of.

Scenarios of Europe in 2030

Posted on by Manfred Pohl

Future Scenarios

Last week we had a ”My Europe“ Workshop in Berlin in cooperation with the German newspaper “Die Welt”. Journalists of this this daily, which is published by the Axel Springer AG, had prepared five theses about Europe in 2030. These provocative scenarios paint quite a dramatic picture of Europe in 15 years’ time; however, they proved to be good food for thought. I would like to invite you to also reflect on these future scenarios and to contemplate the (un)likeliness of these set-ups.

Europe 2030:

  • The EU is an elitist project. The common man does not understand the procedures anymore, but that does not matter since he is not allowed to vote anyways.
  •  Our continent is a fortress, isolated from poor and sick intruders. In this way, the rich and the clever remain among themselves.
  •  Everyone speaks English only. There are no other languages.
  •  The EU does not exist anymore. It started with Greece and England, soon more and more states decided to exit.
  •  A dictatorship of pensioners is achieved; all young people under 30 have fled to Asia or Africa where they attract less attention.

Without doubt, Europe is once again at a turning point. The many talks between the Greek government, the European Commission and heads of states seem to be, once again, decisive. I would like to chip to in with the following proposition: a debt cut for Europe. Let’s abolish all debts, let’s create a new basis with new, equal criteria for everyone and a framework that is fair and consistent. What do you think?

About the author:

MP1Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl is the Founder and Chairman of Frankfurter Zukunftsrat, the think tank that organises “My Europe”. more…