People at Open Days: they -you- were all great!

There is one phrase that comes to my mind when I think of the Open Days 2009: “We owe (it) to those who came, who passed by, who will come, who will pass by” (by Greek poet Kostis Palamas). And I have one thing to say to those who came (or not) and who passed by (or not) the WebComm stand last Saturday: I love you -or “y(EU)” if you prefer!

With balloons and music floating in the air, Europe threw its party on 9 May. What made this party a success though was the 35.000 people who visited the Parliament alone, these “normal” people that we always try to take into account when we write an article for “Headlines“.

The handsome 11-year-old boy who started my two-hour shift by answering a quiz for children and making his parents proud.

The Romanian and Bulgarian girls who tried their best to answer (with the help of the available computers) at least three questions on the European Parliament in order to get a USB-key, a T-Shirt or a bag (you didn’t think we were just going to give the presents away, did you?).

The boy-genius who, being already familiar with the EP elections website, answered all questions within 3 minutes and was asked more advanced questions on the Parliament’s pages on Facebook, Youtube, Flickr, MySpace, etc.

The Greek woman who appealed to my compatriotism in order to get two T-shirts without doing the computer quiz (“at her age…”).

The Iraqi couple who said in the end of my quick demonstration and their computer searches that “they learned something today”.

The 80-year-old Belgian woman who warned me about the dangers of nuclear energy and electromagnetic waves (and who actually spoke a bit of Greek!), while I was making sure our stock of blocnotes and other material would not disappear within two seconds.

The guy who thanked me before leaving our stand and who came back two hours later to tell me he was leaving and to thank me again, this time with a kiss (no, Obelix, without ulterior motive!).

Some friends of mine who came (with their mother, their girlfriend, their boyfriend…) and also accepted to do the quiz (even though I would have given them the gifts anyway…) or even help an EP secret agent (“YaB”) reach its destination…

The couple with their two children who couldn’t answer many questions on the EU even with the help of information technology (as I said, “normal” people).

The one who asked me who he should vote for (and to whom I gave my “Cutty Sark” answer -meaning “follow your heart”).

The man who came and asked me to match famous European personalities with the equivalent photos for him (some other stands had much more difficult questions than ours apparently!). The one who asked me who he should vote for (and to whom I gave my “Cutty Sark” answer -meaning “follow your heart”). The colleagues who brought me coffee and whose tongue was also probably as tired as mine from patiently explaining to people how the Parliament’s website works. The security women who asked me to bring them “something” when I met them in the stairs (they couldn’t leave their position…). The two beautiful less-than-a-year-olds who were joyfully playing on the floor near the elevator and who still make me think “it’s a hit!” when thinking of Europe’s party.

All those waiting patiently to find a computer to answer a quiz and earn their way through a present. Those who came, had a look at our stand and left (afraid of the crowd or unwilling to bother with a quiz). Those who did (not) manage to register in time at their consulate in order to vote for the EP elections. Those who asked what language some of the T-shirts were (and my colleagues and I had no clue!). The ones that are part of the European family and the ones that aren’t. The ones that I forgot or that I will forget.  They -you- were all great! So, I just wrote to say “ I love you”! And a big “thank you” for the pleasure it was to have you around…

Really, aren’t people great? Could anybody imagine any other creature so perfect in their imperfection(s)?

P.S: “I love you” does not mean that I am on any kind of drug!

Never on Sunday? Hmm. Though it was not the first time that I heard an excuse about not voting, it hurt. The reason is difficult to explain. It goes beyond the fact that I work for the European Parliament, beyond my strong faith in the EU. How can I tell people that (whatever) their vote is valuable without being labelled as a brainwashed eurocrat? I am searching to do it through a story… Maybe Europe is an ugly frog that can turn into a prince if we kiss it? No, that’s not it. How is Europe (conveniently?) seen today by many people? As a big bad wolf. That’s it, that’s my story and that’s my reason for voting, however over simplistic it might look to some.

Europe, a big bad wolf? - Photo by dinonikk on Flickr

Once upon a time there was a big bad wolf called Europe (the taurus story is a myth as we all know). While walking in the forests, it devoured all human beings it crossed: bad and good. They made him move to the left, to the middle or to the right -according to where his stomach weighed heavier. Sometimes the human activity inside of him brought the best out of him -some people made him lean to a field and think “why not plant a flower here?”- or the worst -some made him crash all flowers it met on its way… The reactions among the people that were lucky enough to stay out of his stomach varied: others watched him with fear, anger or disgust, while others with awe, astonishment, sympathy or just indifference. Whatever their feeling, they just watched him, unable to take responsibility and act to change a situation that deep down they did not really like. Sometimes they even said “why bother? The big bad wolf is too far to reach me!”. Until the big bad wolf invaded their secret garden and smashed their own flowers. And then they cared but it was a bit too late to act… “The rest is silence” (as Shakespeare would say).

I might be caricaturing, but I am sure you all know what am talking about. Responsibility for our (in)actions. Whether the EU is “too far” and can communicate with us as well as a wild animal, there is no excuse for inactivity. And by inactivity I mean not voting in the forthcoming June elections of the European Parliament. The wolf in my story devoured everybody it met without distinction, without asking for permission, but luckily in today’s democratic world we can have our say as to whom it will absorb via one very valuable but at times disregarded thing: our vote. Am not saying the European Parliament is indeed destroying every good thing on this planet -I believe quite the contrary in fact- but I can accept the idea that there are good and bad people in it, some efficient ones and some inefficient. Just like everywhere else in our society. But it could be that the EU goes into a whole different direction than the one we want it to go. Do we really want to stand by and watch our worst fears turn into reality? It’s up to us to make the reality the way we want it to be… And to have no regrets whatsoever -because, whatever the outcome, at least the not yet born will not blame us for being passive observers.

Lack of knowledge about “complicated EU stuff” and no time to read the online election pages that we work so hard for or the myriads of relevant information available online or on paper?

Lack of knowledge about “complicated EU stuff” and no time to read the online election pages that we work so hard for or the myriads of relevant information available online or on paper? Here is the one thing you need to know in order to vote on 4-7 June, apart of course from the exact date of the election in your country: just like you have representatives in your national parliament, that you elect, you have also representatives in the European Parliament (coldly known as “MEPs” though they are as normal as the rest of us -and by “normal” I mean who laugh and cry too at times and who act according to their beliefs). They represent the citizens of the current 27 EU member states (yes, you too!) and decide on some issues that affect our daily lives -so yes, that would make their selection quite significant. It is as simple as that in my view.

Troubled about who to vote for? The political world obeys no fixed compass. Just follow your heart and choose the ones that you feel will plant the most flowers. Lets make Europe flourish in all possible ways -not only in spring but also in the summer (as of June) and in all the (difficult?) winters to come… Whether we “happily live ever after” (“and go to the sea shore” as Melina Merkouri adds in the unmemorable film “Never on Sunday”) or not is up to nobody else but ourselves.