Defending the real diversity in Europe
EFA MEPs call for Conference on the Future of Europe to fully embrace Europe's diversity
As the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) gets underway, EFA MEPs have highlighted their support for the initiative and called for it to fully embrace Europe's diversity.
The recently launched CoFoE is an opportunity for citizens to share their views on Europe's future direction with the European Parliament, Council and Commission, and is expected to report in spring 2022. Citizens will be able to express their views through an online digital platform, citizens' panels, decentralised events and conference plenaries.
Jordi Solé, President of the EFA Group in the European Parliament, will be a member of the plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe, representing the Greens/EFA group.
EFA MEPs believe that the EU is much more than 27 member states and 24 official languages.
“Unity in diversity” is the European Union’s motto that we cherish, but the Union’s support for multilingualism is primarily focused on encouraging the use of official languages.
We believe that all languages are part of our heritage and form our cultural diversity.
The ratification of the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages by all Member States as well as an official recognition, promotion and use of regional, minority and lesser-used languages, in the EU institutions as well as in the European societies, is of key importance.
We must build up a common European sphere to give Europeans the possibility to discuss together and enjoy our diverse culture.
Beyond that, the right to self-determination has to be protected in the EU. The EU should foresee a democratic framework in which this right should be exercised.
EFA MEPs have also called for the CoFoE to welcome contributions from EU citizens in all of Europe’s languages, truly reflecting the diversity of today’s Europe.
Restricting contributions to the 24 official EU languages could potentially exclude millions of European citizens who speak another language as their mother tongue, such as Catalan, Corsican, Galician, Basque, Breton, Occitan, Romani, Sorbian or other languages such as Russian, Arabic, or Turkish.
To reflect a Europe that is united in diversity, we must welcome ideas on the future of Europe in all of Europe's languages.
