Europe up for Grabs?
The 9th of May is Europe Day. What should we celebrate in these turbulent times? In a time of geopolitical tension, democratic backsliding, and cultural upheaval, why is it important to come together now, and what does European unity mean in practice?
Seventy-five years after the Schuman Declaration of 1950, Europe is seriously challenged. Hostile geopolitical powers, tech oligarchs and anti-democratic politics pose huge threats to European togetherness and stability.
Can we seize this moment to come together around shared values and principles, and speak with one voice? What would that new European story look like? And whose voices do we need to hear? During this evening, we ask what’s there to celebrate on May 9, as we explore if and how we may reclaim ownership of Europe, whether that’s through storytelling, citizen engagement or the arts.
About the speakers:
Alberto Alemanno is an academic, author, public interest lawyer, and civic entrepreneur. He is a Jean Monnet Professor in EU Law at HEC Paris since 2009, permanent Visiting Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. He is also the founder of The Good Lobby which wants to foster active citizenship and accountability via citizen-lobbyists.
Rob Hornstra is an awarded Dutch documentary photographer. In 2009, Hornstra and writer/filmmaker Arnold van Bruggen started The Sochi Project, culminating in the retrospective book An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus and an exhibition that toured the world. Since 2020 he and Arnold van Bruggen work on The Europeans, a portrait of modern Europe.
Yuliia Elyas is an artist from Dnipro, Ukraine, based in Utrecht. She co-founded and co-curated the Ukrainian Decolonial Glossary. Her practice explores the dynamics that shape social narratives, examining the agency of stories beyond their original contexts through artistic intervention and critical engagement.
Gatool Katawazi is a journalist and publicist based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She writes for De Correspondent, De Groene Amsterdammer, Trouw and Wordt Vervolgd on topics related to the Caucasus and world politics. Gatool will show what proximity to Europe despite geographical distance looks like in the Southern Caucasus.
Başak Layic is born and raised in Istanbul, and wears many hats: storyteller, theatermaker, Artistic Director, and community builder. Her work blends philosophical questions with lived experience and a certain musicality, leaving narratives that stick in your head like a catchy jingle. But less annoying. And with better baselines.
Katz Laszlo (moderator) is a freelance radio reporter, for broadcasters including NPR, WNYC’s Radiolab, BBC World Service and the Dutch Public Broadcaster’s Radio 1 and makes The Europeans Podcast.
Katy Lee (moderator) is a British-French print and audio journalist based in Paris, covering European politics and society. She is the co-host of The Europeans, an award-winning podcast about politics and culture around the continent, and teaches audio journalism at the American University of Paris.
This programme is co-organised by DutchCulture, the European Cultural Foundation, and the European Commission Representation in The Hague and is part of Europe Day.
