New Narrative for Europe: President Barroso attended the second general assembly in Milan
President Barroso took part in the general assembly on forms of imagination and thinking for Europe in Milan.
This was the second assembly organised within the framework of the project “New Narrative for Europe” proposed by the European Parliament and implemented by the European Commission following the call the President of the European Commission made in his State of the Union address in 2012.
The goal of this initiative is to invite artists, writers, thinkers, scientists and cultural practitioners to come up with a vision of Europe that can reconnect European citizens to the process of building the European Union in the present and in the future.
The key speeches were delivered by the President of the European Commission José-Manuel Barroso, the Prime Minister of Italy Enrico Letta and the Prime Minister of Slovenia Alenka Bratušek.
In the context of the event, President Barroso had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Letta and attended the signing of the EU's participation act regarding the world exhibition EXPO 2015 in Milan.
In his opening speech at the New Narrative for Europe conference President Barroso also made comment on the current situation in Ukraine. President Barroso said: "When we see in the cold streets of Kiev, men and women with the European flag, fighting for that European flag, it is because they are also fighting for Ukraine and for their future. Because they know that Europe is not just the land of opportunity in terms of economic development, because they have seen what happened in Poland or what happened in the Baltic countries, but also because Europe is the promise of hope and freedom. And I think the European Union has the right and the duty to stand by the people of Ukraine in this very difficult moment, because they are giving to Europe one of the greatest contributions that can be given."
President Barroso's speech at the New Narrative for Europe
Watch the video: General assembly: New Narrative for Europe
President Barroso's statement on the current situation in Ukraine