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Connect Europe project seminar on Europe Day

In the light of Corona Crisis we have in few months gone through a global society crisis. The crisis has awakened a global collective anxiety and has resulted in many questions about society that are now more relevant than ever. How does the crisis influence globalization? Is it working against or with globalization? What happens with Europe? What is not happening with Europe? Is the crisis in favor of the nation state or the European community?

On Europe day the 9th of May, Nyt Europa invites citizens to a debate about the corona crisis and its influence on European identity. Which repercussions should we expect or fear will be due to the closing of European borders? Will the nation states cut themselves off from each other in the future or conversely be more aware and positive about European common solutions? What should we interpret after the criticism of the EU and its handling of the situation, the internal European conflicts like Hungary who neglects European values, or the economic disunity on euro-obligations? To put it differently, will the crisis confirm a missing European teamwork or speed the process towards more visible European common values?

To discuss these questions, we have invited two Europeans and experts:

Rosa Balfour is the director of Carnegie Europe. Her fields of expertise include European politics, institutions, and foreign and security policy. Her current research focuses on the relationship between domestic politics and Europe’s global role.

Miguel Otero-Iglesias is Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute and Professor at IE School of Global and Public Affairs. Otero-Iglesias originates from both Spain and Switzerland and has if any felt the division; for what do you do when you feel like a Southern European, but think like a Northern European?

Caroline Tranberg, editor and journalist at Altinget and Spektrum.



This year, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which brings together personal, civic, political, economic and social rights, turns 20 years old. In a single text, these rights are enjoyed by every citizen in the EU. Citizens’ rights receives its own chapter as the fifth in a set of seven chapters.

As part of the Connect Europe project with 7 civil society organisations, we aim to connect citizens to the EU Charter and celebrate its accomplishments across 20 years. Let’s look at the Charter’s successes, as well as practically examine where the Charter could be modernised to fit a 21st century Europe that is battling populism and anti-EU rhetoric, and more timely, a Charter that protects citizens’ rights in times of international crisis.
*Disclaimer: this online event will be recorded.
Please register to receive the invitation link: www.democracy.community/forms/registration-online-connect-europe

Programme includes Member of European Parliament Daniel Freund, Marie Jünemann from Mehr Demokratie, and a Virtual European Public Sphere discussion!

View the full programme here: www.democracy.community/event/online-connect-europe-strengthening-and-raising-awareness-citizens-rights

Register here: www.democracy.community/forms/registration-online-connect-europe

Euroregion Baltic together with European Solidarity Centre in the framework of “Connect Europe”, Europe for Citizens project organizes a full-day workshop with the debate on the solidarity and EU rights. Read more about our project here: www.eurights.org
This project aims to connect citizens and civil society representatives with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The European values are threatened with increased populism and nationalism around Europe. We want to raise awareness about the EU charter and discuss our fundamental rights as citizens of the EU.

When: 3rd December 2019, 9.30-15.30
Venue: European Solidarity Centre, pI. Solidarności 1, 80-863 Gdańsk
The event will be held in English

Current agenda is attached below:

You can now register to the event using this link:
https://bit.ly/33zYgmJ 

We have only a limited number of participants, due to the fact that we will visit the European Solidarity Centre exhibition together to learn about the solidarity to discuss its meaning in the European Union and beyond. So register ASAP and come meet youth and NGO representatives from 6 countries.

The first ever meeting signaling the start of the “ Connect Europe “ project took place in Copenhagen from 21-22 February 2019!
The “Connect Europe” project aims to engage citizens from 7 different European countries in a constructive dialogue about the future of Europe and to support the various EU agendas and values. The project is co-funded by the Europe for Citizens Programme of the European Union and designed to increase transnational cooperation within the EU. This will be accomplished with local talks, national conferences, pan-European campaigns and a final event. Its duration will be 15 months starting on January 1st 2019 and closing on 30th June 2020. It is led by Nyt Europa from Denmark with the joint efforts of Aktiivinen Eurooppalainen Kansalainen Suomi Ry – AEKS (Finland), Democracy International e.V (Germany), Stichting Netwerk Democratie (Netherlands), Stowarzyszenie Gmin RP Euroregion Baltyk (Poland), Plataforma Portuguesa para os direitos das Mulheres (Portugal) and the European Civic Forum.
In its kickoff meeting the participants met to agree on the details and to compile shared topics and materials for local discussions and national conferences. Nyt Europe was represented by Ms Julie Rosenkilde, Mr Jacob Bjelskov Jorgensen and Mr Troels Knudsen, AEKS was represented by Ms Marita Modenius, Democracy International by Ms Daniela Vancic and Ms Anne Hardt, Netwerk Democratie by Ms Anne de Zeeuw, Euroregion Baltic by Ms Agata Ludwiczak, Plataforma Muheres by Ms Ana Sofia Fernandes and the European Civic Forum by Mr Vladimir Sestovic.
On 20th February 2019, the participants met and visited MP Mogens Lykketoft at the Danish Parliament. Mr Mogens Lukketoft is an MP from the Social Democratic Party, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance and former President of the UN General Assembly. Mr Lukketoft spoke about subjects like the decreasing popularity of the EU especially in Southern Europe, the EU referendums and the Brexit crisis, the results of austerity as a policy, sustainable development and EU’s potential. Later, several European Parliament activities for citizens were organized consisting of local talks and campaigns.
On 21st February, the partners discussed about the conference themes and project management. Each organization committed to organize an event on one of the 7 Chapters of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights- dignity, freedoms, equality, solidarity, citizens’ rights, justice and general provisions. ERB is covering the topic of solidarity by boosting democratic discussion and bringing as example our cooperation for the achievement of Cohesion Policy thanks to the Interreg projects we have worked on. The participants also discussed about the European Solidarity Corps and closed with the budget, partner agreement and reporting.

This November Euroregion Baltic will organize a conference on solidarity in Poland! Details will be published on our site!

Theodora Chatzipanteli
IVY Euroregion Baltic

The content of this website is the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union, the Managing Authority or the Joint Secretariat of the South Baltic Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020. The project UMBRELLA is partly financed from the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2014-2020 through the European Regional Development Fund.