Peyresq lies on several borders which have shaped the European and Mediterranean history of conflicts and reconciliation. Therefore, it has been chosen by the Bernheim Chair on Peace and Citizenship studies at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) for gathering students from Europe and the Mediterranean in order to study and discuss Peace and Citizenship. The Peyresq Euromediterranean Students’ Encounters illustrates the engagement of ULB and its Alumni Association (UAE) for freedom, citizenship and scientists’ responsability. During Summer 2008, we were delighted to host the young participants who have prepared this newsletter. Their «Peyresquian spirit » is the future of humankind. Organized by: Pôle Bernheim d’Etudes sur la Paix et la Citoyennet.
!ea$%e& ( Peace% Citi*enshi. an/ M1ltic1lt1rality in E1ro.e an/ the Me/iterranean Why Peyresq? This village in the hills behind Nice (South East of France) was re-discovered and repaired by Belgian students and Brussels University Alumni since the 1950s. These pioneers wished so to create a heaven for international student’s seminars and educational encounters. Fifty years after, Peyresq remains a « village of philosophers and humanists » like the philosopher’s cafés in the 18th century. Why Peace and Citizenship? Peyresq lies on several borders which have shaped the European and Mediterranean history of conflicts and reconciliation. Therefore, it has been chosen by the Bernheim Chair on Peace and Citizenship studies at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) for gathering students from Europe and the Mediterranean in order to study and discuss Peace and Citizenship. The Peyresq Euromediterranean Students’ Encounters illustrates the engagement of ULB and its Alumni Association (UAE) for freedom, citizenship and scientists’ responsability. During Summer 2008, we were delighted to host the young participants who have prepared this newsletter. Their « Peyresquian spirit » is the future of humankind. Michette Mardulyn (UAE) Eric Remacle (ULB Bernheim Chair) S*++ar- Why Peyres89 1 O<stacles hin/erin= a /ee.ene/ E1ro-Me/iterranean 2 Yo1th an/ C1lt1re in the E1ro-Me/ Re=ion B My eC.erience as a Syrian st1/ent 4 EC.lorin= Peyres81ian an/ E1ro- Me/ Citi*enshi. F InterHieIs a<o1t E1ro- Me/iterranean Citi*enshi. 6 .*ro0+e12&erra3ea3 S&*1e3& 4ee&235 6e-re78 9:ra3;e<, (>02@ A*5*7&, 2008
Transcript
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Why Peyresq? This village in the hills behind Nice (South East of France) was re-discovered and repaired by Belgian students and Brussels University Alumni since the 1950s. These pioneers wished so to create a heaven for international student’s seminars and educational encounters. Fifty years after, Peyresq remains a « village of philosophers and humanists » like the philosopher’s cafés in the 18th century. Why Peace and Citizenship? Peyresq lies on several borders which have shaped the European and Mediterranean history of conflicts and reconciliation. Therefore, it has been chosen by the Bernheim Chair on Peace and Citizenship studies at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) for gathering students from Europe and the Mediterranean in order to study and discuss Peace and Citizenship. The Peyresq Euromediterranean Students’ Encounters illustrates the engagement of ULB and its Alumni Association (UAE) for freedom, citizenship and scientists’ responsability. During Summer 2008, we were delighted to host the young participants who have prepared this newsletter. Their « Peyresquian spirit » is the future of humankind. Michette Mardulyn (UAE) Eric Remacle (ULB Bernheim Chair)
S*++ar- Why Peyres89 1
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As a contribution to the Newsletter, a group of participants decided to make a movie about their experience(s) in Peyresq! The result pleased all of us since it alternates sequences where members of the ‘movie team’ describe what the ‘Euro-mediterranean citizenship’ means to them with inspiring pictures symbolizing different aspects of their stay. To watch the full movie, get on the special webpage of the Pôle Bernheim dedicated to the Euro-mediterranean Summer meeting 2008!
By Diana Al-Bess% He<a Bitar% Di=a Mah>o1<% Aseel Zahran
The idea of collaboration between the European and Mediterranean countries has been introduced among many scholars and political activists both in Europe and the Mediterranean. However, there are many obstacles and features of this union that should be taken into consideration before the actual process takes off. To understand these barriers, one should define the concept of collaboration. In the frame of Euro-Med relations, collaboration refers to the exchange of values, thoughts, interests and initiating dialogue in terms of cultural, political, and economic relation. It is necessary here to stress the point that collaboration does not by any means try to efface local culture, ethnical values. On the contrary, it brings a cross-cultural discourse and exchanges diverse perspectives.
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Social Barriers Stereotypes happen because of lack of exposition to other cultures and nationalities. They are formed because people lack the information about the other, thus, forming their own images based on fictional ideas and unreal theories. For instance, some of the European students at the Euro-Med meeting in Peyresq revealed the idea that women in the Middle East are being oppressed and dominated by men. Unfortunately, this stereotype is based on nothing rational, but rather on individual experiences and propaganda. Therefore, stereotypes stand in the way of free dialogue because of wrong perceptions and understandings of the other. This forms a huge obstacle when it comes to forming a Euro-Med citizenship due to misperceptions and misunderstandings. Another aspect of the social barrier is the question of identity. Youth in Middle Eastern countries are faced by a dilemma often described as an identity crisis. This is caused by the fact that young people in this part of the world are torn apart between two different and diverse influences. First, it is the strength of social and traditional norms that youth, more often than not, have to conform to in their communities. The other force is stimulated by western and global influences that play a major role in any young person’s life. This crisis prevents youth in the Middle East from freely intermingling with their peers in European countries. Most importantly, many conformists and conservatives in the Middle East fear that any Euro-Med collaboration could lead to self-effacement and conformity to European standards of living and expression. This is a very sensitive and delicate issue since the collaboration aimed at by Euro-Med
organizations addresses the importance of bringing together many cultures without compromising the values. Political Barriers There are many political conflicts present in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries which hinder the progress of initiating a unified citizenship. Prominently, the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian, on the one hand, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the other. A good example on the negative effect of these conflicts is the Barcelona Process in 1995, which failed to identify the priorities of each party. Having said that, it is obvious that the union of Euro-Med countries is essential to bringing together two parties that share interests regardless of their conflicts. For instance, the recent negotiations during the Union for Mediterranean in July regarding the Euro-Med collaboration opened doors for reconciliation and diplomacy between the Lebanese and Syrian counterparts - this signifies the importance of bringing together the contesting parties around the negotiation table and willingness to achieve a comprehensive process concerning the diplomatic relations. Meanwhile one can see that the Israeli and the Syrian counterparts are obviously not yet willing to embrace the idea of peace and diplomatic relations. Therefore, many regard the concept of this union as impractical because of the status quo of developing countries.
faced by a dilemma often described as an identity crisis. This is
caused by the fact that young people in this part of the world are
torn apart between two different and diverse
influences”.
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Economic and Legal Barriers Economy plays a major role in creating sustainable development through relations in Euro-Med countries, because generating economic growth and prosperity in relation to that is more essential than focusing on the political issues of difference. However, it is also a turning point in breaking these relations. Developing Middle-Eastern countries are not yet ready to join a united Euro-Med citizenship because of many unethical economical situations and crises due to exploitations of natural resources of these countries by foreign investors. For instance, companies in Jordan that provide public services such as telecommunication and health care programs are being sold to foreign multi-national corporations. Some Jordanians interpret this as a new form of colonization especially that the budget of such big corporates sometimes exceeds the budget of the country in which it invests. While others consider it as a step to civilization since developing countries get the opportunity to benefit from the experiences of such corporates. Legally speaking, many developing countries are facing a great pressure in enforcing the existing laws and regulations, thus, they suffer from lack of enforceability. Many Mediterranean countries do not apply human right principles which are an important element in the process of democracy. Democracy is a crucial element in any relation. In addition to that, many Mediterranean decision-makers do not have the willingness to implement these laws and principles in their regimes because they want to keep strictly controlling systems.
“To form common grounds between
youth in Euro-Med countries in spite of the many barriers,
we, as students, have to come together and exchange our ideas and work”.
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Conclusion To form common grounds between youth in Euro-Med countries in spite of the many barriers, we, as students, have to come together and exchange our ideas and work on joint projects that would overcome the obstacles on the way of a Euro-Med citizenship. The Euro-Mediterranean meeting of Peyresq 2008 is a great example of how bridges can be built across social, political and economic barriers. The special characteristic about the village of Peyresq is that it has been a students’ centre and workshop ever since it was rediscovered in 1940s. This particular meeting gave the opportunity for us to realize that Europeans and Arabs have more things in common that we thought. We also discovered that we have more similarities between us than differences. Peyresq has brought together a group of ambitious students who one day might become activists in different fields, and decision makers. For example, Gary, a French student studying environmental law hopes one day to be the president of France. Heba, from Syria, intends to proceed her studies in international relations in hope of bringing more cross-cultural discourse opportunities into her country and the world.
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The Fifth American Fleet in Juffair, Bahrain and CENCOM (United States Central Command) in Adeed, Qatar are there to insure American hegemony on these sheikhdoms. This was not always the case. Over the centuries the Dutch, the Portuguese, the Turks and the British controlled the eastern coast of Arabia. However, the Europeans did so primarily to protect their interests in India. After World War II, president Truman did not believe that the British Empire, could contain the so called Iron Curtain of the Soviets from spreading to this region and eventually Americans replaced the British in 1971 as the protector of these states. Now in the 2000s European powers such as Germany and France represented by their heads Schroeder and Chirac have toured the GCC in order to secure arms and energy deals for their national corporations. Even though this was done under the watchful eyes of the United States and the emerging giant China, the Europeans had had some success. Now to return to the question that was asked in the beginning. There are many actors in play in the region. The United States of Europe represented by United Kingdom, France and Germany, Asian heavyweights India and China and not to forget the GCC itself are all battling to secure the ever so precious black gold. One thing that would differentiate Europe from the rest, in my opinion, is their concerns about political, social, civil and economic rights in the GCC.
The question begs itself to be asked when one considers what a European initiative means to the Persian Gulf states. One cannot ignore the rising power of these small sheikhdoms which consist of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman. The petrodollar with the rising prices, the ease of capital investment, and substantially low populations all contributed to making the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC, or the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) the most successful Middle Eastern, Arab organization. This, however, did not come without a price. Every state of the GCC is a monarchy. Kuwait and Bahrain are the only states with functioning parliament. All the states are deeply rooted on the concept of rentier states. Also, with strong neighbours in the last half of the twentieth century like Nasserite Egypt, the Hashemite Jordan, Baathist Iraq and Khomeini’s Iran, the Gulf states did not have any choice but to organize themselves into a union that would preserve the interests of the oil rich countries. This occurred in 1981 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Thus the GCC confederation was founded. Nonetheless, a not so invisible hand was guiding these small sheikhdoms. It is the hand of the United States those number one priority during the Cold War and even after the implosion of the USSR was to preserve the security of the oil fields in Arabia. The perfect examples of this policy were a) the refusal to have any Soviet diplomatic mission in the Gulf States, b) the containment of Nasser of Egypt, King Hussain of Jordan, King Faisal of Iraq and later on Qassem of Iraq in order to not ignite the sentiment of Pan Arabism that was being exported by these leaders and c) the infamous gulf Crisis of 1990- 1991. Through Standard Oil Co to Arab American Oil Co, the United States has its hands firmly on the hen that lays golden eggs.
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“One thing that would differentiate
Europe from the rest, in my opinion, is their concerns about political, social, civil and economic rights
in the GCC.”
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When the Barcelona Process was launched in 1995 it was supposed to suggest a solution for the
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The United States have proven themselves apathetic by dealing with Saudi Arabia, turning a blind eye to the severe violations in the kingdom. The Asian giants with their questionable approach in Africa are not likely to plant the seeds of change in the GCC. The royal families in the Gulf are only concerned with preserving their power in the face of calls for reforms. Europe with its emerging power in the international arena, the strength of the Euro in the face of the dollar and of pegged Gulf currencies and, last but not least, their involvement in the Iranian nuclear issue makes it the most likely candidate to balance and perhaps overthrow the American influence. However, a number of things need to change for Europe to enter the GCC. First and foremost the GCC must change their pegged currencies to a stronger currency than the dollar and that is the Euro. With the exceptions of Kuwait, all GCC states refused to do so but in the face of imported rising inflation, this policy is most likely to change.
Secondly, Europe must establish
institutions to spread European languages, cultures and Euro-socialism in the GCC. Even though the French and the Italians have started doing so, they are a very long way from reaching their goals. Thirdly and most importantly, Europe must challenge United States in this region. A scenario that is unclear to say the least. One could ask why would a GCC citizen want to replace one foreign power with another. Why won’t he argue for an independent GCC? To that I present two reasons. An independent GCC in the hands of the monarchs would mean the oppression of the people. Second reason, I offer a realist argument. Arabia is too important to be left alone and the balance of powers cannot be ignored. In conclusion, Europe has shed its colonial past and replaced it with strong social democratic ideas. Even though it is not perfect, I believe Europe alone could bring about liberal and social change that is dearly needed in the GCC. Especially in the face of American and Chinese imperialism in the global arena today.
“Europe has shed its colonial past
and replaced it with strong social
democratic ideas.”
In the XIX century, the Mediterranean area was considered centre part of lands and which designates the sea. After XIX century the main meaning was not any more the sea, but all the dreams, which forms a ‘common propriety’. So this Mediterranean Union could be considered as a recent invent of European. One of the 43 countries that have signed in July 2008 the Union for the Mediterranean is Albania, which is our country, and we are proud to represent it in an important activity as the Euro Mediterranean Summer School. We have discussed a lot with other students from Europe about Albania, and what are the expectations of our country. The European Mediterranean countries have a lot of common issues. First: the central role of the sea that brings a lot of exchanges, and second: physics that is not a very clear definition one. These countries are surrounded by mountains, which creates climatic contrasts. In this region we can find land trembling, eruption, and fires. So the most represent word for the Mediterranean Countries can be considered exchanging area. Most important issues related to Albania are joining NATO organization, and join European Union. About the first one we have taken the invitation and now we are working in the accomplishment of all the requests. This is a military organization but being part of it would give a better image of Albania’s security. Last years, the politics in Albania has been developed a lot. Even that it had happened crisis moments like 97’-98’; and 2005-2006 we can say that these 3 last years Albania has demonstrate concretes implementing politics. About the assignment of the Euro-Med Union, Albania is taking this decision as a very serious and important step into the
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development of the country, into the building of new diplomatic relations between two or more countries. Developing is a long process and it needs time, it needs collaboration with other countries, and hard work, and good willing. Being part of these unions and organizations brings a lot of benefits, but also duties and responsibilities. Albanian government is conscious that development and integration doesn’t happens in one year, but they are really working on economic policies. The Mediterranean Union should not be considered only as a political and economic cooperation, but also as a community approach. This union should provide the preservation of social and cultural values and gives a lot of responsibility and engagement. It will reflect common Euro-Med interests, preoccupations and challenges. This new initiative should be considered as an opportunity to be partners of the same goals and not to European or national ones. The main idea of this union is that regional security depends on relations between people of the region and the chance to live side by side together through differences in culture and civilization as well. Economic development as well remains one the most fundamental issues and this union may create new measures to adopt in implementing these new economics’ politics. Other issues that Albania should provide to resolve before entering the European Union are the identity cards, the biometric passports, free elections,
“About the assignment of the Euro-Med Union,
Albania is taking this decision as a very
serious step into the developing of the country, into the building of new
diplomatic relations between two ore more countries.”
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After a week punctuated by interesting sessions and leisure activities in Peyresq and its surroundings, the Round Table constituted a genuine "telling time" of the Euro-mediterranean summer meeting of Peyresq. The week had created the settings for the right momentum enabling a deep and passionate dialog mixing the participants, the holiday-makers and the speakers. To the invitation of the organisators, Mr Richard Petris, Director of the Ecole de la Paix from Grenoble (France), Mrs Simone Süsskind, President of the Belgian association "Actions in the Mediterranean" and a peace activist supporting women peace initiatives and a Israeli-Palestinian dialog as well as Mr Jean-Louis Mignot, Honorary Ambassador of Belgium were given the floor to present their view on the complex question "What is Europe? What is the Mediterranean?". Mr Petris recalled the historical milestones having paved the way to the birth of the notions of Europe and Mediterranean and the evolution of the perception towards them. Mrs Süsskind then presented the civil society initiatives fostering dialog and the political initiatives she had been promoting, in particular those involving European and Middle-Eastern women. Drawing from his solid experience as a former Belgian Ambassador in Jerusalem (Israel) and Barcelone (Spain), Mr Mignot concluded this panel by recalling historical examples driven from the XXth century (the French-German relationship) and notably the importance of having charismatic leaders in the position to bring peace forward. The presentations brought about a lively debate between participants on a variety of issues ranging from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role that the European Union could endorse towards it - an issue that had been underlying many of the talks during the week - , democratization throughout the Euromed area to the role of civil society and gender issues. The question was clearly asked: Does Europe really have a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
from the Mediterranean area who have settle down in Europe, for
instance in the multicultural Brussels. It is also a part of the way the Euro-mediterranean
area is evolving”.
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and more woman integration into the politics and important decisions, visa problems, infrastructures’ developing, migration, and tourism. The issue of the visa for Albanian citizens should be one of the first agreements of the Mediterranean Sea countries because we should be free to travel into another country of Europe, to attend seminars, conferences, training courses, musical festivals, and also for tourism. Albanian people should attend these kinds of activities, because that will help them to be more open minded, more interested in foreign affairs, more conscious about their duties and advantages, more engaged to the internal and international politics.
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A test case for intercultural dialog
“This was a unique opportunity to be in Peyresq: everyone
should know everybody after one
week!”
According to Simone Süsskind, one of the reasons why the Euromed partnership is not successful is a strategic one. The decision was taken to promote the Euromed relationship: the signature of the 1995 Barcelona process raised a real hope, in particular regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What happened then? Rabin’s assassination constituted for her the major event having impeded the political achievements of the process. Mr Mignot emphasized the fact that democracy is an “everyday phenomena” including freedom of press and raised the problem to determine to what extent the NGOs are representative of the civil society as a whole in the Euro-mediterranean area. The climax was reached when a young Syrian participant dared to explain that she would not have felt comfortable to speak if there had been some Israeli participants within the group, according to an inner feeling that she described as difficult to control. For her, it would be really hard to imagine talking without tension, because of the heavy common history: “(Contrary to the situation in Europe in the recent past), “what makes the difference in the Middle-East is that many countries are interrelated in the conflict!”, she stressed. She expressed her doubts about a current possibility to go beyond nationalisms and whether a political exit solution like it happened in Europe might be applicable. Another young Jordanian woman answered her in a moderate sentence: “There could be an Israeli person with views being similar to yours…”, what both admitted. As a distinct feature, she underlined that the willingness to understand each other finally unified Germany and France. This Round table will remain in our memories as a vibrant and moving moment of exchange: it raised many hopes and stimulated the will of the participants to foster individual and collective initiatives towards a constructive dialog, be it at political, cultural or economical level.
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When the Barcelona Process was launched in 1995, it was supposed to suggest a solution for the middle-east conflict. The Oslo-agreements from 1993 and 1995 should lead to an era of peace and stability. But the conflict of Israel and the Palestine Authority was continuing. The Barcelona Process should help solving this problem but the EU couldn’t gain much influence in this area as Israel mistrusted the EU because of EU’s relation to the Arab states and their dependence of oil. The stagnation in this conflict and other countries than Israel had also a huge impact on the economical part of the partnership. Security depends not just on political issues but also on economical ones. The development of a common free trade zone was planned to be launched in 2010 but it’s not possible as the security issues are not fulfilled. The gap between the two shores has become even larger and the southern Mediterranean has become increasingly distanced from the international economy. Migration is also a very important topic to both the south and north shores of the Mediterranean. Immigration is feared as a source of insecurity in Europe so that the issue is causing turbulence and important political changes, such as the growth in the extreme-right and in the number of its supporters. But to increase living standard, opportunities have to be created for employment on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, which refers to the economical impact of investing and backing development in the region. Another important key factor which has been an obstacle is the role of the civil society. The democratic notion of the civil society was hardly mentioned in the Barcelona Declaration. This reflects the different attitudes north and south of the Mediterranean towards civil society. In fact, the democratic notion should have been rather important in the declaration. Actors who act within the framework of national law face problems when the laws in question disturb civil society activities to an extent that makes it impossible to speak of a pluralist civil society able to participate actively in public affairs. In my opinion, these problems can be solved but only in the long run. I would like to give as an example the early years of the EU. In the beginning, it was an economic partnership comparable to the Union for the Mediterranean. Over a certain time political and cultural issues gained in importance and influence and the different European countries leveled up on a similar economic stage. I think that the development of the UfM could reach at least the economical goals if the necessary needs and conditions will be met from both sides of the shores.
“In my opinion, these problems can be solved but only in the
Although the Barcelona Process was signed back in 1995 but there were not so much activities before the beginning of 2000. Barcelona Process consists of three chapters; the first is the Political Chapter, the second is the Economical Chapter and the third is the Social and Cultural Chapter. The Third Chapter is emphasizing on the importance of intercultural dialogue between the people from the two side of the Mediterranean and strengthening the inclusion of the Civil Society in the Process with more focus on the empowerment of Youth as a key factor in the development of their societies on both cultural and social level. From this point, a number of programmes were initiated revolving around Youth and Intercultural Dialogue. First is the Euro-Med Youth Programme (www.euromedyouth.net) which adapted its structure from the Youth in Action Programme of the European Commission. The programme is focusing on intercultural dialogue in favour of spreading understanding and the culture of peace between the two shores and also working empowering the work of the youth organizations within their society. The programme has three actions for the youth organization to apply for; Action I: Euro-Med Youth Exchange, Action II: Euro-Med Voluntary Service, Action III: Support Measures. The themes of the projects funded by the EMYP differ from Heritage and Environment to Xenophobia and Minority rights and also Active Citizenship. All have to use intercultural dialogue as a medium for exchanging expertise and learning. Till now, there is more than 200 Euro-Med Youth Projects which have been funded by the EMYP since the start of the programme, those projects were organized in the Partner Countries (South Mediterranean Countries) even more than this number is the number of Youth in Action projects who had partners from the Southern Mediterranean Countries. Any project normally has a formula for the number of partner organizations, minimum is two youth organizations from the South and two youth organizations from the North (2+2) except Action II where it is only a 1+1 formula. Each partner organization chooses from it members the participants who are going to participate in this project, normally 4 participants plus the leader, and ensure gender equality. Those participants travel to the country where the project is being realized to meet with other participants from the other participating country where they discuss, interact and exchange ideas and present their cultures. Till now, the programme had three phases, the last one ended in February 2008 with its last call for proposals. Now with the launch of the Barcelona Process: Union for the
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Mediterranean, hopefully more enhancements and more inclusions will be added to the new EMYP maybe even with a different structure and action plan. Let’s wait and see. There’s also another programme that is being supported by the Euro-Med Partnership which is the Euro-Med Audio and Visual Programme with its two phases. The programme aims at supporting the movie productions in the Southern Mediterranean Countries especially Young Film Creators. Also to be mentioned as one of its actions, GreenHouse project. One other initiative needs to be mentioned is the Anna Lindh Foundation for dialogue between cultures (www.euromedalex.org). The foundation was established in 2004 by the 35 countries (at that time, now they are 37) signatories to the Barcelona Process in order to facilitate dialogue between cultures and through its Network of Networks to support the civil society in those countries. ALF has a grant programme that has a specific theme with specific criteria and as well all the funded projects have to focus on Youth.
As we can see in the last few years there were a number of initiatives fostering dialogue between cultures and giving more opportunities to youth from the two shores to explore one another culture, to learn, to exchange, to interact and to have an impact.
“There were a number of initiatives fostering dialogue between cultures and giving more opportunities to youth from the two shores to explore one another
culture to learn to exchange to interact and to have an impact.”
As a Syrian International student, I had both the will and the chance to meet students from other countries especially Europe. I have been in the Netherlands last January for an exchange students program between my university (AL Kalamoon University-Syria) and the University of Amsterdam. The program consisted of intensive lectures on the both sides within one month period, the first part of lectures took place in Amsterdam and The Hague as thirteen Syrian students travelled to the Netherlands while the second part of the program took place in Damascus when sixteen Dutch students came to Syria afterwards. We discussed issues like civil societies in some European and Arab states, the status of some NGOs and the relation between religion and our communities. Besides we had the opportunity to talk to the responsible of the Syria and Lebanon desk at the Ministry of Foreign affairs and to visit a political institution for opinion polling. On the final day, we went by bus to Brussels to visit the European parliament and the European Commission where we had interesting lectures. The point is that this program was not just about improving our academic level; it was about gaining cultural experiences as well. This was highly observed through the mutual informal interaction with the Dutch students during the whole period and in some touristic tours so that we had a space time for both leisure and serious discussions. I consider this exchange program as a turning point in my way of thinking as it had greatly challenged my mentality and reduces all previous stereotypes. Furthermore, it helped me in a way or another to emphasis a recent stance I’ve decided to apply in my life which is “No for pre-judgments sentences”.
By Aline Bartenstein% Zeina Al-A*eM% Uarolina GaWeIsXa
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5 Peace, Citizenship and Multiculturality in Europe and the Mediterranean
We are different students from different countries with various backgrounds. We came this summer to Peyresq to attend the Euro-Mediterranean Summer School with the intension to discover whether it is the people or it is the place that makes a citizenship. We discovered that it’s not just about exchanging cultures and ideas. The community in Peyresq is very unique. It is for us a very inspiring community probably because of its history and the solidarity its inhabitants show. Those people have found a space where everyone is welcomed despite of culture and background. This community has found a way to integrate everyone in daily life and activities in Peyresq because everyone has got some obligations towards the community. As we were also included in this community we felt this experience by ourselves. So we consider as a suitable term for this kind of experience would be “The Peyresqean Citizenship”. We, in a way, have become for a moment “citizens of Peyresq”. The discussions we had in Peyresq led us try to establish what the European, Mediterranean and Euro-Mediterranean Citizenships mean for us.
Firstly, being European means not to lose your identity, as the identity regards to personal issues, but to gain in citizenship. Europeans have a common history and Europe needs to work together as history proved. It took Europe many years to develop a certain awareness of the importance to create an Union to establish and maintain peace and democracy. The basis of the European Union is democracy. Democracy is based on participation, responsibility and the respect for human rights so these issues are bringing European people together to build a European citizenship. Going now to the Mediterranean Citizenship concept, we noticed that the Mediterranean people have recently paid more attention to the importance of reviving the cooperation and interaction that once was in the past. There have been some new elements that increased a public awareness of creating a region of dialogue and communication of peace, prosperity and security. Nowadays there are several essential points shared by the Mediterranean states.
These points mainly consist of maintaining a secure land for the concerned citizens, emphasizing a common culture and recreating a healthy environment all around the region. Finally in order to find out the meaning of the Euro-Med Citizenship, we agreed upon the following ideas: European Citizenship and Mediterranean Citizenship combined means for both regions to be aware of their common history and obligations towards a growing community existing since ancient times. From the European point of view citizenship was always in respect to just the European countries. And probably the same can be said for the southern Mediterranean countries. Now both parts face the challenge to create a common ground using following issues: ! Economic life: establishing a trade area so
people develop interest and a common sense for trade or business (taking into account the European model)
! The common Mediterranean area obliges both parties to preserve and maintain environmental, cultural and natural heritage as both parties are interested in it
! History is a connection. We can make a reference here to the exchange of culture but also trade in the past.
We don’t have a clear idea about Euro med citizenship but as individuals and at the same time part of the society, we are hoping that our thoughts will come true within the project of the Euro-Mediterranean Citizenship. Our vision of the mentioned citizenship consists of having a mutual understanding which will be increased by the exchange of business and trade which is a very complex issue. Those new arising ideas will establish a new sense of community. As environmental topics are considered as needs, the European-Mediterranean Civil Society will care about them together creating common concern. Furthermore this will lead to a sensitiveness regarding peace and stability because the maintaining of nature is the base of a world sharing and preserving our scarce resources.
I interviewed four persons in the village of Peyresq, in order to know if they were aware of the Euro Mediterranean Union. Here is the transcription of what they said. I asked them: “Last year President Sarkozy launched the project of the Euro Mediterranean Union and lately this year, in July 2008, this idea was to be realized. As the result there is the idea of the Euro Mediterranean Citizenship. What does this concept mean for you? If you wish, you may start with your understanding of the European identity and explain the Euro Mediterranean citizenship as being the idea going beyond it?”
-1- Man working in Brussels at the European Institutions, Belgian nationality “As all the people working for the EU, I have heard about the project of the Euro-Med citizenship. I must admit that without knowing many details about it, I think that Europe is to get larger and to promote the understanding between women and men, generally speaking to promote the social understanding. From my point of view, the concept of citizenship is very broad; it concerns the management of the human beings, the management of heritage and the management of the environment. I think that the Euro-Med citizenship means the enlargement and the EU is bound to make this job as parallel or rather fundamentally work on this aspect of the citizenship.”
“To make this partnership
become reality, you have to give people certain
rights to move and to meet.”
Both the exchange of economical and environmental projects will awake in the peoples’ mind the wish and willingness to learn about the culture, to start projects (what has already happened) and to travel freely between the countries. Adopting a certain sense of defending and maintaining the success of such a huge area will further support the integration of political topics. Last but not least, understanding each other’s culture and background will have a positive impact on the neighbours of the Euro-Mediterranean countries. So peace, stability and prosperity will be spread to lead to further projects expanding the awareness that mutual understanding is the first step to a more secure and peaceful world. Finally we want to add that our experience in Peyresq has emphasized our ideas about the Euro-Mediterranean Citizenship and about the importance of both factors together: the people and the place.
-2- Woman, retired psychologist, worked with children and teenagers, Belgian nationality
“I have not really been thinking as far as to the Euro Mediterranean citizenship concept. As the result of my life and my profession (all my life I have been working with children), I am persuaded that everybody is actually a citizen, and particularly children. I think that if we educate/teach our children from the early age respecting them, than they will respect the others despite their nationality, their ethnic origin or the country they come from. It seems genuine important for me. Is there anything different around the Mediterranean? I guess that the weather, the environment have the influence on the peoples’ habits and on the way they think. For instance those who live more outdoors, under the sun, perhaps they are less concentrated on themselves than those living in colder countries, for ex. Alaska… I suppose that the concept of hospitality is more important in the Mediterranean countries. I have never been to these countries, only to Italy, Spain, Corsica, but I have this image of the citizens of this region that the other is supposed to get something from them; for instance when invited by Moroccan families in Brussels one get to eat and attention… their hospitality is great.” -3- Former diplomat in Jerusalem, Moscow, Ljubljana, Belgian nationality
“A citizenship is a normal follow-up of the desire of feeling included in an area you feel as being yours. The geographic proximity is being the basis of the whole concept of the Euro Mediterranean partnership and to make this partnership become reality, you have to give people certain rights to move, to meet. The next formal step would be of course to have a kind of common status and this implies citizenship. So for me the citizenship means the project of becoming part together of the common space. That is a very long-term objective. There are programs that make it real, possible for some groups, but of course it is limited to a very small number of people. The citizenship is a very old concept in the European world. The EuroMed citizenship is an extension of the concept we are already familiar with. As to identity, it is a part of all individual and collective nation projects that we build. We are building together a common identity. It is in a constant evolution, it is a way of expressing your freedom. Freedom, identity and will… are very related to each other. You have to have freedom to express your will, and expressing your will is building your identity.” -4- Woman working for a Pan-european cultural foundation, German nationality
“I am not sure whether the Euro-Med citizenship exists already. I know that European citizenship is something I can relate to, because it is a concept better defined and known as the first one. I think that the Euro-Med citizenship is more a concept then a fact now. Maybe for people who are working on the Barcelona process and diplomats it is more real; for me it is still an utopia”.
“I think that the Euro-Med
citizenship is more a concept than a fact
now.”!!!!
!!
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“It is also about overcoming the logic of “you and me” and to find the things in common, more “we-
ness””
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I think the citizenship implies something active. Feeling citizenship means that you assume certain responsibilities for the environment you live in. Of course you can be a citizen of a country without doing anything… but if you are aware of your identity as a citizen, you contribute. The bigger the entity is, the more difficult is to have the identity as citizen.
The activeness is very important; the activeness in the field of culture is of course the important part of it.”
