European Citizen Bloggers – Where are you?

Lisa opened an intens(iv)e day of work by introducing three important issues: European citizenship, European identity and Common values.
On European citizenship, at first we agreed that its fundamental elements are related to laws, rights and institutions. Then came the craftsmen’s work of “building the chair” with the four dimensions of European citizenship, i.e., politics, society, economics and culture. The guiding questions were:
1. Define these dimensions.
2. Discuss how well-developed citizenship is in each dimension?
3. How does AN ideal chair look like?
4. How can we achieve the development of each dimension?
(four photos)
• The cultural dimension group concluded that while finding a common historical ground is an easy task for Europeans the other aspects of this dimension (traditions, behaviors and common values) are much harder to define. One tool they considered important to develop the cultural dimension is education. School programs finalized to the promotion of our common ground rather than the differences, can be a very powerful instrument.
• The political dimension group agreed that this is the dimension that manages the other ones and that also makes the connection between them. How? Through institutions. The chair is supported by the economical and the political dimensions, connected to the social dimension (which is the seat), and the cultural dimension (which constitutes the back of the chair). For now, the cultural dimension is still in the process of integration. The group defined its priority to integrate cultures, to establish a foreign policy, more functional institutions and a reasonable constitution that respects cultural diversity.
• The social dimension group did not come to a conclusion, since they considered that it is hard to define a “social” dimension. They realized that there are many ways to look at the issue. However, it was clear that the social dimension is the most important, since it is the only “goal”, whereas the other dimensions are only “means” to achieve the social dimension.
• The economical dimension group identified the common market of goods, services and workpower, the common currency (euro), competition, regulations and common economical projects (ESA, …) as parts of this dimension. It was harder to define economical citizenship, but still the group suggested the opportunities to work and to install one’s enterprise abroad in Europe. On the present chair, the group considered that the economical dimension is by far the most developed, then the political, social and, the less developed, the cultural. About the future chair, they considered that the political, social and economical dimensions shall be in the same stage of development and the cultural is not a priority so that Europe shall not get homogenous cultures.

After lunch we had a great time with the “EU Competition”. We brought some fun during the “run for victory” and it tested the group knowledge on European Institutions.
We moved then to the final and the most intense part of the day. In the quest for Common Values that could define our European Identity, we started with sharing our own individual ones. We split at first in couples and tried to find some common personal values and to agree on the ones that EU should not miss. The workshop became harder and harder when couples joined in groups of four and then on groups of twelve. In the end of it we’ve realized the level of commitment that it was needed to achieve our list of values.

We have also identified some reference communities, e.g., family, city, country, European Union, and we’ve related them on a personal map. We realized that in a great number of the maps family and friends came first, then city, and after them country and European Europe. But we’ve also verified that some persons felt more related with their region and European Union rather than with their countries and cities.

Finally, we were sent to the town to take pictures of objects that according to our opinion were influenced by the European Union, so that we could feel the European presence. We were really successful in that!
Here they are:



A very lively discussion brought us to these conclusions:
1. Citizenship