A reception was held at the New South Wales Parliament House on Tuesday 7 May to celebrate Europe Day 2024. Organised by the European Consular Corps in New South Wales and moderated by Jason Collins, CEO of the European Australian Business Council (EABC) and Honorary Consul for Belgium, the event brought together a number of European and Australian political and business leaders, including the President of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, Ben Franklin MLC, the co-Chairs of the New South Wales Parliamentary Friends of the European Union, Natalie Ward MLC and Janelle Saffin MP, and Gabriele Visentin, the Ambassador of the European Union to Australia, as guest of honour.
9 May traditionally celebrates the anniversary of Robert Schuman’s historic declaration in 1950. In it, the French Foreign Minister set out his idea of a new form of political cooperation designed to bind the nations of Europe together and eliminate any possibility of armed conflict that might divide them.
“World peace cannot be safeguarded without creative efforts commensurate with the dangers that threaten it. The contribution that an organised and living Europe can make to civilisation is indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations.”
Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the starting point for the construction of the European Union, made up of twenty-seven Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Ben Franklin, President of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, introduced the ceremony by saying: “Europe Day marks the conception of what is one of the great ideas of the 20th century, a revolutionary form of political cooperation in Europe. The European Union today represents a whole of what would have been unthinkable 70 years ago.”
“What began as the pooling of coal and steel production is today a social and cultural juggernaut, an alliance of democratic values and one of the world’s most powerful trading blocs. But at its core, the European Union is a symbol of hope and a genuine aspiration for peace.”
Ben Franklin also confirmed the importance of re-establishing the New South Wales Parliamentary Friends of the European Union: “The contribution of European migrants to the fabric of our society is undeniable and the links between our peoples could not be deeper. That is why we have re-established the Friends of the European Union Parliamentary Group. I hope that this group can serve as a very important point of contact for our European friends and as a vehicle for knowledge and cultural exchange. And I have no doubt that, under the enthusiastic chairmanship of Natalie and Janelle, it will do just that. The group, for example, recently hosted a very informative roundtable with all the EU Consuls-General in New South Wales to discuss issues relevant to their communities and initiatives of common interest to us all. It was a meaningful and substantive meeting, and I look forward to many more such meetings. Meetings and events like this are very important as we set out to strengthen our relationship with Europe. And these relationships are becoming increasingly crucial for Australia and New South Wales.
He concluded with a strong message: “Tonight, let us take this opportunity to reaffirm our mutual commitment to cooperation and mutual respect. A Europe united in its diversity is a mission worth celebrating.“
Mr Gabriele Visentin, Ambassador of the European Union to Australia, then referred to Schuman’s declaration: “Basically, Schumann’s central idea was to make war not only unthinkable, but materially impossible. […] We can therefore say that the European Union has brought peace to the continent after 500 years. So that’s a remarkable achievement.
He added: “It is probably the most incredible political project of the 20th century. So 2024 marks the 74th anniversary of the Schumann Declaration, the 20th anniversary of the biggest enlargement of the European Union. It is also the year when 60% of the world’s population will be called upon to vote and exercise their democratic power.”
The Ambassador took the opportunity to pay tribute to Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission for three terms, who died on 27 February at the age of 98: “He was the architect of the transition from the European Economic Community to the European Union. It is thanks to his vision and his work that the European Union is where it is today”.
The ambassador describes the European Union as “an area where 450 million people live together in diversity, and can assert themselves as they are. Like Australia, the European Union is about democracy. And that is the value of our enduring friendship. “
He also stressed the importance of democratic participation: “Please, fellow Europeans, consider that voting is not just an expression of a right, it is also an expression of your willingness to contribute to a democratic working environment.”
Natalie Ward, a member of the NSW Legislative Council and co-chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of the European Union, also spoke at the event. She stressed the sincerity of the relationship between the European Union and Australia: “the history of the European project is reflected in the modern history of Australia.”
Ms Ward also referred to European immigration, which “is part of that history”, and “for the better part of the world”. “If our communities have shared so many common ancestors, we also share so many common values such as democracy, community freedom and love of our nation,” she says.
Ms Ward concludes: “Sadly, the international peace process faces many challenges: war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, rising tensions around the world as nations seek to create walls of economic security rather than bridges of cooperation and understanding. As nations retreat, it is up to our leaders, our friends and our allies in our community to remain united, strong and proud.”
Janelle Saffin, also co-president of the Parliamentary Friends of the European Union, concluded the inauguration ceremony by explaining: “We often speak of the European Union as a political project. It is a project that is important for Australia, and for the world. It’s about democracy and freedom. It’s about transparency and accountability. Above all, it is about the rule of law.“
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