Vision Seminar MEP BSR
In the last months of 2013, “A Soul for Europe” and its Cultural Coalition for a Citizens’ Europe prepared the Berlin Conference 2014 that will take place on 3 March. Highlights of this busy period included the Amsterdam Conversation, Brussels Conversations, a meeting with three MEPs from our Advisory Board Parliamentarian Working Group at the European Parliament discussing the issues to raise during the Berlin Conference, and finally President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz announcing the conference which is co-produced with the EP. This valuable input will all feed into the Berlin Conference 2014.
“A Soul for Europe” is delighted to announce that the European Parliament will co-produce the Berlin Conference 2014. In his video announcement, Martin Schulz underlined his support of the process and boldly stated: “We all believe that today, more than ever, Europe’s culture and its fundamental values must be integrated into all levels of political work. The European elections in May 2014 provide a unique chance to usher in a fundamentally new era in European democracy. This historical opportunity should be seized in order to give our citizens a choice about the political direction they want Europe to move in.”During this time two events were held, the Amsterdam Conversation on Europe 2013 (organised by Felix Meritis) and the Brussels Conversations 2013 (organised by the European House for Culture), which both included discussions specifically on the content that “A Soul for Europe” will debate with leading European politicians at the Berlin Conference 2014. Participants were asked what concrete developments and changes should be proposed for the political agenda of the EU relating to culture, values, democracy, and citizenship, and what questions should the political candidates be asked in the run up to the 2014 elections. These events with citizens from across Europe gathered new and compelling concepts that will be further elaborated in Berlin.Members of the “A Soul for Europe” Strategy Group also met with MEPs from the Advisory Board Parliamentarian Working Group at the European Parliament in Brussels to launch the Berlin Conference 2014. The focus of the event was to collect final ideas for the Berlin Conference as well as to discuss the European Parliamentary elections and the “A Soul for Europe” initiative. It provided a chance to build up links between culture and politics, strengthening the long-term co-operation between the civil society initiative and the European Parliament before the important year 2014.
“A Soul for Europe,” together with the European Parliament and Allianz Kulturstiftung as well as its partners in the Cultural Coalition for a Citizens’ Europe look forward to presenting the final concepts to the leaders from the European political parties and Europe’s foremost artists and intellectuals on 3 March in Berlin. If you are interested in participating in this event, please send an email to Nele Kirchner: Kirchner@asoulforeurope.eu
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