CSE | Citizens’ Europe

Category: European Integration / Democracy

  • THE MAYOR OF AEGINA ON THE GREEK ANSWER TO THE APPEAL OF GREEK GERMANS AND GERMAN GREEKS

    Mayor D. Mourtzis: What’s his name?

    Wayne Hall: Juergen Link. He is a professor of literature.

    Paschalis Melissaris: He took the initiative along with other university people to compose a text against the misrepresentation of Greeks in relation to what they have already….

    W.H.: Essentially it is a protest against the stance of the mass media in Germany and how they reproduce enemy images

    Mayor: So in the person of Mr. Link we have someone who is a friend and an ally who is interested in our history…

    W.H.: He is a Philhellene and he started this movement before the elections…

    P.M.: It isn’t starting now…

    W.H.: Before the present government came in…. But there is a whole sequence of events after the appeal. An open letter to Mrs. Merkel and other messages to his supporters. For there are around 1,500-1,600 Germans and others supporting the initiative. But it is something that deserves an answer, a response, from Greece.

    Mayor: Should we invite them to a meeting?

    W.H.: As you can see…. This letter was written with support from three associations: the Aegina Association of Active Citizens, the Ioannis Capodistrias Cultural Association, the Aegina Women’s Association. Mr. Melissaris corrected the text.

    Mayor: So to get to the point “a conference to highlight the lack of impartiality of the mainstream German mass media, holding a conference on our island of Aegina, which was the first capital of the modern Greek state under Ioannis Capodistrias, the great pan-European diplomat and statesman”. Yes.

    W.H.: The point is also that the problem is not only the mass media of Germany. There is a more general problem. But we want to make some kind of move towards solving at least some of these problems.

    P.M. : And Greeks should also respond to this letter and support it as much as they can. With the help of the polity, if that is possible.

    W.H.: Mr. Mayor, the international social movements that support Greece are coming together in these days in Athens. The exact programme that they will follow depends on the progress of the so-called negotiations that are being held at this moment. We believe that the stance of citizens should not be dependent on moves at the governmental level. Even in the event that Greece is obliged to leave the euro, the goal should remain the same: Citizens’ Europe. It should remain unchanged. What is your view on that?

    Mayor: I would like to thank you congratulate you for the initiative you have taken with collecting citizens’ signatures.

    W.H.: Are you willing to add your signature?

    Mayor: Very willingly. I have no objection. You can add my name. In any case a submission by the mayor is something more than a signature. And it can go to the council for approval by the council. My submission is that yes I agree with moves of this kind, which contribute greatly to what we believe, to what we call democracy, to what we call values, to what we describe as human, because all that together is itself democracy.

    We are a united community. We are a community of Europe. And we have expected and still expect, whether we are in the euro or not, an understanding of the citizens and not condemnation to isolation of a historical community, such as Greece is, with a great culture, with a great history, with great natural beauty, with fine people, begging for something that is implicit in democracy.

    So I congratulate you on this initiative, and I seek a response from the community, not the politicians. It is up to the community to respond: the community of nations in which we are all participants. That is my declaration and my statement.

    W.H.: So we are in agreement.

    Mayor: I would like to say, because I forgot to mention the professor who took the initiative, Mr. Link, I truly congratulate him, and I would like to make his acquaintance. He is an innovator. I agree completely with this initiative he has taken and his references to Greece which we all love because we are Greeks. I consider him a friend and I would us to get to know each other, at the level of the municipality and at the personal level, because I believe that contributions of this kind should be mentioned and recorded for history.

    P.M.: Here at least in Aegina you are the first to activate people, but there is an Australian who lives here permanently and struggles for Greek interests and that is very important.

    Mayor: Very.

    P.M.: Rather than some local Greek patriot, the Australian comes, and moves things forward.

    W.H.: Do you know what Australia’s national day is? What the date is? 26th January.

    Mayor: The same day. So we’ll have to celebrate it together. One year in Australia and one year in Aegina.

    (laughter)

  • International Conference: “Capodistrias – Spinelli – Europe”

    1. Sunday, 23rd November 2008 17.55 From Aegina Portal (translated)

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    An international conference whose style and content provide a glimpse of the importance of the island and its history was held in Aegina, with proceedings opening yesterday Saturday at the Hotel Danae. The international conference took place in the context of the celebration of the 180th anniversary of the swearing-in of Ioannis Capodistrias and forms part of the commemorative celebrations programmed for this year by the Municipality of Aegina. The promotion of the Capodistrias – Spinelli activities in relation to the European integration project began to be promoted approximately two years ago by Mr. Wayne Hall, both from within an informal group around the subject in question, and through the exchange of relevant correspondence and personal contacts with the Municipality of Aegina and other groups on the island with the potential for involvement.
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    Yesterday’s conference emerged from an initiative by Messrs. Alexis Krauss and Wayne Hall, implemented by the Association of Active Citizens under the auspices of the Municipality of Aegina. The potential of this international conference was obvious from the moment it was announced, i.e. that it could significantly strengthen promotion of the content of Ioannis Capodistrias’ politics, which – as became evident – two centuries ago foreshadowed Europe’s present aspirations. The outlines of the international conference in Aegina were defined by important personages from the European diplomatic and political firmament, such as the ambassadors of Switzerland, France, Russia, Slovenia, Italy, the deputy director of the European Parliament’s office in Greece Mr. G. Kokkalas and others. Unfortunately because of the weather, which necessitated a ban on shipping movements, these guests were unable to participate in the conference.

    3
    The international “Capodistrias-Spinelli-Europe” conference got under way a little after 9.30 on Saturday morning, unfortunately with a serious disadvantage, obliging the organizers to proceed to partial revision of the programme. Nevertheless, it subsequently turned out that the conference proceeded normally, focusing on its thematic central idea.

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    The conference proceedings opened with a welcoming speech from the Mayor of Aegina, Mr. Panagiotis Koukoulis, from Mr. Andreas Siopachas, deputy mayor of occupied Famagusta, from Mr. Pericles Pangratis, president of the Municipal Council of Corfu, from Father Emmanuel Giannoulis, presbyter of Aegina’s historic Cathedral, from Mr. Georgios Athanassiou, representative of the Municipality of Poros and Messrs. Stratos Pantavos and Wayne Hall of the Aegina Association of Active Citizens.

    During the conference the following videos were screened: “Capodistsrias-Spinelli-Europe”, production of the Aegina Association of Active Citizens, “Altiero Spinelli”, production of the European Parliament, “Jean-Gabriel Eynard” production of Mme. Michelle Bouvier Brown and “Aegina” of Sofia Sfyroera.

    The discussions were co-ordinated by Mr.Panagiotis Koukoulis, Mayor of Aegina, and the university professor Costas Gavroglou, president of Aegina’s Cultural Centre. A distinctive style was imparted to the conference proceedings by the contributions of young people such as the president of the local youth council Costas Vogiatzis, the representative of the Aegina Women’s Association Eleni Skrekou and the President of the Souvala Professional Association Petros Petritis.

  • 28th October: the day of a real NO to fascism?

  • Statement by Giulietto Chiesa on the crisis in Ukraine

    giulietto_chiesa_talk

    (Giulietto Chiesa was a key speaker at the Aegina Society of Active Citizens’ function “Capodistrias and Spinelli today – European Union: Disintegration or a new beginning?”, held in Aegina on 23rd June 2013.)

    Function: http://main.cse-initiative.eu/?p=111 //  VIDEO

    G. Chiesa’s visit to the Capodistrian buildings of Aegina: VIDEO

    Persuading Daniel Cohn-Bendit of the importance of Capodistrias: VIDEO


    Statement

    The crisis in Ukraine, which clearly affects the international community, is a matter for deep concern, threatening both the sovereignty of Ukraine and the independence of Europe, triggering an unwelcome polarisation of the international system and impacting an always fragile geopolitical balance.

    We would like it to be borne in mind that a historical transition from a unipolar world – with the US as the sole superpower – towards a multipolar world is underway and that this process should be aided and abetted rather than contained. The whole world, including Europe and the United States, will gain from a jointly-conducted re-organisation of global governance that recognizes multipolarity.

    We believethat Europe is able to contribute positively to the peaceful emergence of a multipolar world. Indeed the Ukrainian crisis has shown that, while an independent and open Europe provides grounds for the emergence of a multipolar world, a one-sided Europe creates the conditions for a world polarized between a Western bloc and the new global powers.

    Therefore, we strongly oppose the disruption of Euro-Russian relations, with the deployment of troops on both sides of the Euro-Russian border, and in particular of US military troops on Europe’s territory, with the growing tensions provoked by the uncoordinated free-trade policies of Europe and Russia on common border countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.

    We consider that the Ukrainian crisis calls for the establishment of a diplomatic arena to discuss Europe’s and Russia’s rights to organize their common markets in a framework of peaceful coexistence.

    We note the humanitarian emergency situation in Ukraine and crimes and abuses committed against the civil populations during the Ukrainian crisis and urge that these should be promptly dealt with and investigated.

    We believe that the Euro-BRICS framework of co-operation can provide the proper mediation that is required for a positive outcome to be achieved.

    The situation requires global leaders with a high sense of historical responsibility and collective interest.

    We believe that responsibilities for the crisis in Ukraine must be shared between Europe and Russia. On the basis of the recognition of each player’s responsibilities it will become possible to rebuild peace in Ukraine and revive Euro-Russian relations.

    RESUMING EURO-RUSSIAN RELATIONS TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR A UKRAINIAN-LED CRISIS RESOLUTION

    It is up to the Ukrainian people to organize and rebuild peace in Ukraine. However there is no way tensions between the pro-Russian and pro-European Ukrainians will de-escalate if tensions between Russia and Europe do not de-escalate first. Therefore, for the sake of peace in Ukraine, we require European and Russian leaders to re-launch a constructive dialogue, in particular encouraging the media to provide more objective information and correct any misinformation that might lead to future conflict.

    Note This draft is almost completely extracted from a joint declaration of academicians, professors, journalists, former political personalities of the BRICS countries. I believe that a dialogue could be built on this basis.

    Giulietto Chiesa

    N.B. The English text of the EuroBRICS joint declaration on Ukraine is at:

    http://www.leap2020.net/euro-brics/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Joint-Statement-Euro-BRICS-June-2014.pdf

  • European integration: V. Dastoli, G. Chiesa, T. Contargyris

    With English subtitles.