| A very special day for all of us at New Europeans
We knew it would be a special day but it turned into a great day for New Europeans and for all who believe in a Europe for the citizens. New Europeans receives the 2019 Schwarzkopf Europe Award
at the European Commission in Berlin
Left to right:
Roger Casale (Founder and General Secretary)
Kristiana Kuneva (Registrar)
Suzana Carp (Chair, New Europeans)
Samia Badani (New Europeans UK)
Martin Schulz MdB (Former President of European Parliament)
Lukas David Meyer (Young European of the Year)
André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf (Chair, Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe)
Evgenia Lopata (Young European of the Year)
Madeleina Kay (Young European of Year 2018).
The award ceremony
The Schwarzkopf Foundation had taken great care to prepare a wonderful ceremony which was attended by 200 guests including many young people as well as representatives from the European institutions, and the Schwarzkopf Foundation in Berlin. Very warm and generous tributes were paid to the work of New Europeans by Bernhard Schnittger, Representation of the European Commission in Germany, André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, Chair of the Schwarzkopf Foundation and Madeleina Kay on behalf of the Jury of Young Europeans who had nominated New Europeans. The main address was given by Martin Schulz MdB who praised New Europeans work not just in relation to the EU Green Card campaign but also our Maastricht Manifesto project and the New Europeans’ compromise proposal for a confirmatory referendum which gained such traction in the House of Commons before Easter. Martin Schulz addressed the meeting wearing dark glasses due to an eye problem. New Europeans’ response
In his response, Roger Casale thanked “the young people who had put their trust in New Europeans by voting for us” and the Schwarzkopf Foundation for allowing the name of a civil society organisation to be included in the list of nominees. “We are one of many organisations in civil society working every day to defend the rights of citizens. What caught the imagination of young people I think about our Green Card for Europe proposal, was the idea that the EU could give a unilateral guarantee for tomorrow of rights and opportunities enjoyed today. Young Europeans do not want to see a question mark put over the principle of free movement which is exactly what will happen if we fail to safeguard all the rights of #the5million people whose lives are in limbo due to Brexit. The Green Card will also counter discrimination by giving rights holders a physical proof of status.”
In closing his remarks, Roger Casale spoke about New Europeans broader mission to work with its members, activists and partner organisations as we seek to make a reality of a Europe of the citizens.
The Europe we want is a fairer, more diverse, more democratic Europe. We will play our part by continuing to challenge populist, xenophobic narratives and by helping to give a voice to citizens, young people and all who are on the move in Europe including transnational EU citizens, third country nationals and refugees. As part of the response from New Europeans, Samia Badani spoke about the importance of giving EU citizens a voice, Suzana Carp about the next steps in the EU Green Card campaign as we step up the pressure on the European parliament and Kristiana Kuneva spoke about the opportunities for young people to volunteer with New Europeans and gain valuable experience of the European parliament and institutions.
We also said a special thank you to members of staff past and present, board members, activists and volunteers who could not be present in person but were with us in spirit and in thoughts.
In particular, we pay a particular tribute to Tamara Flanagan OBE, Head of Projects, Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Chair of New Europeans UK and our team in London that is working so hard to support EU citizens in the UK post Brexit. 
New Europeans are working with the Mayor of London and London Assembly to support EU citizens in London
to make sure they have a voice and that their voice is heard. Margot Friedländer
The award ceremony was also attended by 98 year old Margot Friedländer, a Holocaust survivor who had returned to live in Berlin in 2010 after living in New York after the war. Margot works closely with the Schwarzkopf Foundation visiting schools to talk about her life and what she experienced and to warn against extremism and anti-semitism. Her presence was a stark reminder that a Europe of the citizens must be one of justice and equality, anchored in human rights. That is the Europe we want and the lesson from the last century. Next steps The award has inspired a number of new initiatives by New Europeans and we will be writing to you about these in the coming weeks.
We want to make sure that the new energy that has come into our organisation as a result of winning the Schwarzkopf Europe Award is channelled into securing the best possible outcome for #the5million citizens in the UK and in the EU whose lives are still in limbo because of Brexit.
That’s why we believe that the best way for us to celebrate the Schwarzkopf Award is to redouble our efforts to secure a Green Card for Europe. To do that we need your continued help and support. If you would like to give £5, £10 or £25 or what you can afford to support this work, please click on the link below and donate to our campaign appeal.
By doing so show your appreciation for the dedication, commitment and effectiveness of our staff, activists and volunteers.
Supported by our members and friends, they do so much to fight every day for our rights, giving meaning and effect to what it is to say “I am an EU citizen”.
It’s thanks to their work that New Europeans has won the 2019 Schwarzkopf Europe Award. |
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