Living the European Dream

For Europe, the 9th of May is a day of celebration, and the Young European Federalists (JEF) makes an active contribution to these celebrations through the organisation of various events by their national and local sections found in more than 30 European countries.

This year JEF activists in more than 60 cities across the continent are organising events in which traditional street campaigning merges with creative innovations and public debates are supplemented by initiating a referendum campaign.

Creating a European statue, baking a cake for Europe’s 50th birthday, making art competitions and poetry readings are just a few examples of the creative energy that young activists across Europe can offer. The more politically oriented ones are organising public debates and forums on current hot topics, handing out leaflets on the streets and raising European awareness by debating with young people in high schools. Others are symbolically building Europe by putting together self-made European puzzles or simply having fun at groovy European parties where they are spreading the good European vibes.

JEF is out on the streets of Europe today to show the world that there are a lot of young people who care about Europe. However, JEF is not simply here to celebrate and enjoy the good parts of the European project, but do more than that: to fight for a change for the better and to improve those things where Europe is still not living up to its potential.

As Young European Federalists we are strongly convinced that in order for the European integration to continue to be a success story also for the next 50 years, we need to develop into a proper political Union and adopt a federal Constitution.

In this respect JEF is reaching out to the citizens on Europe Day and collecting signatures for a consultative EU-wide referendum on a Constitution as a first step towards the realisation of the European dream of our founding fathers: a European federation!

The numerous JEF activities taking place today and during this European week prove that our members are not only exemplary active citizens that participate in the process of constructing and shaping the Europe they want: a borderless and inclusive Europe, a Europe of mutual respect and diversity, a Europe of solidarity, a more democratic Europe, a Europe of citizens, a federal Europe – they are living the Europe they want!