Created in the wake of dramatic events on Europe's stage, the European Union has been faced today by a wave of skepticism which has been strong enough to question this great project. This necessitates a fresh look at the goals and values that we all share: what the European Union means to us today and what future we want to have in it. And more notably, what role can France and Bulgaria play together in the renewal of the European Union?

The French Institute in Bulgaria has organized jointly with the Red House Center for Culture and Debate, the Bulgarian National Radio and other partners the series Our Europe: What Kind of Europe Do We Want? The series will include monthly debates until the end of 2017. The first French participant in the debate is Dominique Wolton, head of research at the French National Center for Research of Communication, expert in media, public space and political communication, founder and director of the Hermès academic publishing house. Here is what he said in an interview for Radio Bulgaria:

„I am part of the European brainworkers who believe that the project of united Europe is the greatest peace-loving and democratic utopia that has been devised in the entire history of the world. Europe aged 60 is absolutely nothing against the background of the history of humanity, but it means a lot in the context of our lives. Since the Second World War onwards we have seen two great projects - the creation of the United Nations, the only political grammar that is a must, and the European Union. The Europeans have demonstrated an incredible masochism by creating the greatest political, democratic and peace-loving utopia. The number of member countries has been constantly changing - we were 6, 15, 28 and we could be more, why not? This is something unheard of in history, and we do not feel any pride. Once every two years we, Europeans, declare the death of Europe. We have to remind the public that the creation of Europe and its greatness is due to two reasons. The first - never again a war between us, the result of the 100 million victims in 20 c. Secondly, it is the fight against communism that ended in 1990. We could have thought that Europe could stop at that point. The genius of Europeans was in that they decided to go on with the European project based on democracy and enlargement. And instead of saying that we have won the battle, established the foundations of democracy and started enlargement, we wake up every morning to shed tears over our problems. Yes, of course, there are small and poor countries and there are big and rich ones, but there is also the principle of solidarity which is an example for Europe,” Dominique Wolton contends.

Europe is the home of 500 million people speaking 26 languages, an aggregate of rich history, culture, science, technology, and regardless of hardships we ought to learn to live together. Can we manage this and should there be a division that has been termed a two-gear Europe?

„The genius of Europe as a political project aimed at a better future will continue to consist of large and small countries living together. A two-gear Europe would be a tragic mistake. It is sheer hypocrisy to talk about the powerful versus the weak. A small nation could be as great as the big one. One example is the importance of the 2012 UNESCO declaration signed in Paris, which hardly anyone remembers. It acknowledges an equality of languages, cultures and religions across the world. Well, of course, no one regards this declaration but the idea is in place. If we are keen to safeguard Europe and the idea of peaceful coexistence, we should then declare that Europe has small, medium and big nations, and that we need all of them. Every single nation brings in its intelligence through its history. This is a concept of genius.”

Dominique Wolton gives special attention to linguistic communication which does not boil down to using 300 English words, but rather to the development of translation. Europe should become a friend of the translation industry and launch projects related to science, transport, tourism and technology. “We as Europeans should have clear understanding that globalization and information develop very fast, but that communication should not be neglected; it is vital for all of us. Once we stop respecting each other and communicating, this will spell the end of the European family”, concludes Dominique Wolton.

English Daniela Konstantinova