How would Europe look today if there were no EU?

Background

Most citizens have a view on the EU which is based on their national perspective. Many years of national education in schools have tended to shape a strong national identity without developing a parallel European identity. Thus the overall proportion of people with a strong European identity alongside their national identity is quite low. The national perspective is the basis for regular media coverage, being the main source of information about the EU for most citizens. Therefore they learn to evaluate information through the prism of their own national interest, supporting that which coincides with it, and opposing what appears to be in the interests of some other nation state.

This project aims at changing the perspective of longterm journalistic coverage and at paving the way for new perspective based on the European identity of the citizens. The conference „How would Europe look today, if there were no EU?“ (Trieste, 9-11 May 2012) targets mainly journalists, but also scientists, politicians and NGOs. The topic should help to encourage the participants to see Europe from a pan-European, transnational point of view and to view our common European history and politics in a way that all citizens can understand. Furthermore the participants should seek new ways of co-operation between journalists and the civil society sector with a view to strengthening the common European identity of citizens. The experience which civil society has to offer in developing active European citizenship will be taken into account.