Europe and young people: a winning alliance

In the dictionary the term "community" is defined as "a group of people united by social, linguistic and moral relationships, organisational ties, common interests and customs": the interactive processes and customs linked to this theme, however, indicate something deeper and more visceral, which manages to overcome rational boundaries and press on the emotional sphere. Feeling European does not only mean sharing a social and political model, but it means being aware of the fact that the diversities and peculiarities of each territory are no longer an obstacle as they used to be, but are instead identified as an opportunity for discovery, dialogue, exchange and comparison.

If, as children, Europe is simply a geographical area, with the first school years it becomes the result of many historical vicissitudes and the scene of important events; but it is with adolescence that the concept of "Europe" takes on different connotations, more mature and complex. With the first travels we realize that it is possible to feel at home even far from our everyday life, and that, in a comparison between what divides us and what we have in common, there are more affinities than dissonances. When we come of age, then, we interface with the concept of "citizenship" through voting, feeling responsible for the first time for the political and social future of our country and putting our position at the centre by making it count. We cannot ignore this: for our parents and grandparents, the European Union represented the final phase and the result of historical scenarios that built walls and obstacles, physical and otherwise.

We young people, on the other hand, have the opportunity to move away from this image and make our own the concept of "union in diversity", the motto of the European Union; we can really detach ourselves from a "decisive" vision to make room for an innovative viewpoint that focuses on the future, perspective and farsightedness.

Even if it is fundamental to maintain a strong link with history and with the achievements of those who have lived before us, it is important to be able to look beyond, strengthening and consolidating our commitment to what will come tomorrow: we can do this thanks to the tools that the European Union makes available to us, allowing us on the one hand to be protected from the point of view of personal rights, and on the other hand to take on the role of active citizens and contribute to the processes of improvement and growth of our society. Exercising one's own active citizenship in the European context means committing oneself to make sure that the sharing of a great political project can turn into real, pragmatic and operational actions that in the short and long term can improve even more the quality of life of each of us, increasing more and more the possibilities to express our freedom and assert our rights; it is enough to think about the Erasmus programme that, in all its declinations, joins students and professionals from all over the European Union in unique growth experiences both from a moral and a professional point of view: by putting exchange and dialogue at the centre, the Erasmus programme encourages young people (and not only) to grasp the riches and the opportunities that the European Community can offer, contributing to promote the culture of integration.

Other important projects are linked to the theme of climate change and the protection of the ecosystem, and others to issues related to youth employment, economic growth and the opportunities offered by the digital world.

There is no doubt, therefore, that the European Union is committed to implementing useful processes to ensure a great future for young people, who will be able to discover new job opportunities and pursue their dreams and ambitions in an environmental context that focuses on the protection of nature and ecosystems, sustainability and ecological principles.

If for many years the issue of youth has been put aside in favour of others, today the European Union seems to be ready to consolidate an innovative vision that focuses on a participatory and active perspective: on the other hand, young people have long been demanding new ways and new opportunities to exercise their citizenship and make their proposals: one example among many is that of the demonstrations of young people after Brexit, who asked to review the vote on membership of the European Union; another important example is that of the initiatives of the "Friday For Future", which saw millions of boys and girls parading through the streets of European cities to demand new interventions on the problem of climate change. These are battles that young people carry on using all the tools at their disposal, starting from communities that encourage localised initiatives, up to events that bring together citizens from different countries thanks to the power of digital.

Every day, therefore, the attachment and sense of belonging that young people feel towards the European continent and the values that distinguish it is growing stronger: it is their aspirations, moreover, that are projected into a far-sighted vision that looks to the future.

What does this mean? The synergy between Europe and young people is now well established and evident: if on the one hand Europe is ready to extend its hand to young people, on the other hand young people are ready to grasp it, and it is from this union that even more strategic, conscious and effective choices can be made. It is an innovative vision in which the European institution is stripped of the prejudices that often identify it as a "bureaucrat", assuming instead the role of ally and companion.