ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT, MARY MCALEESE AT THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT SCHOOLS COMPETITION
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT, MARY MCALEESE AT THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT SCHOOLS COMPETITION BALLYSHANNON, CO. DONEGAL ON SATURDAY
This is an occasion which celebrates many achievements - the achievements of students and their teachers – and the achievement of what they represent. You represent what Jacques Santer called in 1995 - “something of a miracle” – when he said “It is something of a miracle that war between our peoples should have become unthinkable”. The bonds forged in Europe – in the wake of death and destruction – of holocaust and hated – have meant that millions of citizens of the modern countries - that have been assigned to you for this competition - have never known war. You and your peers in the European Union live your lives in a hard-won peace in a European context. In Ireland this is a time of great hope for all of us – hope that we are close to a resolution to a conflict that has caused so much suffering and heartache. Perhaps more that any modern school-children – the children of Ireland know how difficult peace is to create and maintain.
1998 marks the 25th anniversary of Ireland’s accession to the “Common Market” - and the 50th anniversary of the European Movement. This occasion celebrates Ireland’s own achievements - as a country that has position and influence on the European stage. Since joining the then Common Market in 1973 - Ireland has become a modern, progressive and dynamic country – a country playing a significant role in the modern Europe. We have come full circle, if you like, from the days when Ireland played such a large part in the development of scholarship in Europe – when Ireland was a centre of religious learning and culture.
In researching and working with your teachers on the impact of EU membership on the Member States – and on where you think each country “will be” in the year 2010 – you will have noticed the fast rate of change and development that is taking place in the world today. Change - and coping with the consequences of change – is the great challenge that lies ahead. When Jacques Santer spoke about the “war between our peoples” becoming “unthinkable” he added that “to squander this legacy would be a crime against ourselves” - and that the European Union “cannot be a haven of peace in a troubled sea – hence the importance of future enlargements”. So in the year 2010, I’ve no doubt that for many more cottages will be required for the finalists in this competition!
With the first countries from Central and Eastern Europe joining the E.U. in the early years of the next century - what a challenge this presents to the E.U. as a whole - to each member state – and to each citizen of Europe! A nation such as ours - which has experienced the generosity of other member states - must now embrace these new nations in the same spirit of generosity - coming to the Union with the same hopes and aspirations that we had 25 years ago.
Enlargement of the EU means change and challenge – but also means new opportunities and horizons – not just in terms of markets and economies – but in the wealth of cultures and traditions that the new members bring with them. The importance of education in fostering respect for cultural, social and ethnic differences cannot be overestimated – and European Studies - both as a module in Transition Year and as a cross-curricular topic in other years - is crucial in ridding ourselves of stereotypical views.
While acknowledging the achievement of peace in Western Europe we cannot be smug. The Resource Pack, “In Search of Europe” - developed by the Transition Year Support Team - contains a warning from Isabel Mohedano-Sohn of the Association Internationale Langues et Cultures – a warning which is never untimely - “Our experience in training and research has shown that many of the fears and hostilities generated by past and present tensions in Europe and the world are still alive and well, primarily in our subconscious. Like a chain, they are being replicated in the media and teaching and handed down from one generation to the next”. Fears and hostilities simply do not go away.
As the E.U. is about to grow in a most dramatic way - the challenge now lies with those who are in education – under the guiding hand and concerned eye of their educators – to learn about their European peers and to teach us tolerance. One of the founding fathers of the E.U. - Robert Schuman – said, “Le pire des préjugés est de croire que l’on n’en a pas” (The worst prejudice of all is believing that you do not have any). Young people need to step into the shoes of those from a different cultural background, just as you have done this weekend - taking on the “persona” of a member state of the E.U. and - in the case of St. Columba’s College, the European Parliament.
Clearly, the stands and presentations are the result of long hours of research and work by the students and their teachers. Such commitment and dedication - such vision and imagination – gives us all hope and confidence in the Europe of the future – a Europe that should be capable of embracing all nationalities and cultures – a Europe that promotes and respects diversity. I commend the European Movement on staging and organising this competition – and their sponsors – Iarnrod Eireann, the Tyrconnell Group and the European Parliament – for their generous support.