The Moment has come!

Pro-European campaign THE EUROPEAN MOMENT is kicking off with a call to take part in the March for Europe on 25 March in Berlin.
Young Europeans are speaking up! — Our stand against nationalisation and for a united and tolerant Europe.

(Re)nationalisation is on the rise
Europe’s not doing great at the moment. Euroscepticism and right-wing populism seem to be going from strength to strength, and fear of terrorism is widespread, which puts refugees in the firing line and scapegoats foreign cultures supposedly “at odds” with our own. Those determined to put an end to a united, open Europe are calling into question the very foundation of our free and democratic society. By championing (re)nationalisation, right-wing populist parties are turning their backs on the values that, for us, make up the beating heart of the European idea: tolerance, solidarity, openness, exchange, cooperation, human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. These are values worth speaking up for!

Let’s be activists, not statistics
It’s high time we stood up for these values and took a hard line against right-wing populist movements. Crisis after crisis – both national and European – keeps rocking the European boat: all the more reason to sail in a new direction, refreshing the European idea and breaking free from previous patterns of thought. Now is our chance to turn the current situation into a decisive European moment. But it’s up to us – young Europeans – to roll up our sleeves and start actively standing up for our values. Hope and our belief in a better future – not fear – will guide us on that journey.
We know that the majority of our generation is aware of the enormous potential that a Europe based on solidarity and cooperation has to offer. That’s why we’re saying YES to Europe! We want to be bold about demanding more democracy from Europe, so that European citizens can once again be at the very core of political decisions.

Thinking in terms of opportunity
Our vision of Europe looks beyond borders to a horizon of opportunity. We’re convinced that turning back the clock won’t solve any of Europe’s problems. When they sow the seeds of division, the likes of Le Pen, Wilders, Orban and Petry gravely underestimate one thing: we identify as Europeans, as citizens of the world – and not just as nationals of our specific countries. It’s Europe that gets us up in the morning: we live out the reality of European integration every day, and we’re more than prepared to defend the achievements of the European project.

Taking to the streets for the European idea
So join us in taking to the streets for Europe! The European idea relies on us all working together to shape it. We want to be a voice for anyone and everyone who believes that Europe should be defined by tolerance and solidarity. We want to build up political pressure and make absolute sure that Europe continues to knit more closely together, rather than falling apart. If our vision of Europe strikes a chord with you, then come along to our pro-European demo on 25 March 2017 as part of the March for Europe in Berlin, and help us to show the world just how committed we are to the future of the European project.
Now is the moment to take to the streets for an open Europe built on solidarity and justice!
When, if not now? And who, if not us?

This text first appeared (in German) as an article on The New Federalist.