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PARALLEL TEXTS
Discorso di Herman Van Rompuy, Presidente del Consiglio europeo e José Manuel Durão Barroso, Presidente della Commissione europea
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-12-930_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-12-930_it.htm
Data documento: 10-12-2012
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Address by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council & José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission
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Discorso di Herman Van Rompuy, Presidente del Consiglio europeo e José Manuel Durão Barroso, Presidente della Commissione europea
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“From war to peace:
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“Dalla guerra alla pace:
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a European tale”
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una storia europea”
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Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize Award to the European Union/Oslo
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Accettazione del Premio Nobel per la pace assegnato all’Unione europea/Oslo
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[President Van Rompuy takes the floor]
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[prende la parola il Presidente Van Rompuy]
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Your Majesties,
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Maestà,
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Your Royal Highnesses,
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Altezze reali,
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Heads of State and Government,
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Capi di Stato e di Governo,
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Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee,
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Membri del comitato per il premio Nobel,
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Excellencies,
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Eccellenze,
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
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Signore e Signori,
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It is with humility and gratitude that we stand here together, to receive this award on behalf of the European Union.
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siamo qui oggi per ricevere insieme, con umiltà e gratitudine, questa prestigiosa onorificenza a nome dell’Unione europea.
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At a time of uncertainty, this day reminds people across Europe and the world of the Union's fundamental purpose:
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In tempi di incertezze, questa giornata ricorda ai cittadini dell’Europa e del mondo la ragion d’essere dell’Unione:
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to further the fraternity between European nations, now and in the future.
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rinsaldare la fratellanza tra le nazioni europee, oggi come domani.
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It is our work today.
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Questo è il compito che siamo chiamati a svolgere.
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It has been the work of generations before us.
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Come lo è stato per le generazioni che ci hanno preceduti.
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And it will be the work of generations after us.
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E come lo sarà per quelle che ci seguiranno.
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Here in Oslo, I want to pay homage to all the Europeans who dreamt of a continent at peace with itself, and to all those who day by day make this dream a reality.
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Permettetemi di rendere omaggio, da questa tribuna, a tutti gli europei che hanno sognato un continente in cui regni la pace e a tutti coloro che, giorno dopo giorno, fanno sì che questo sogno diventi realtà.
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This award belongs to them.
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Questo Premio è il loro premio.
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*****
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*****
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War is as old as Europe.
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La guerra è vecchia come l’Europa.
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Our continent bears the scars of spears and swords, canons and guns, trenches and tanks, and more.
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Questa Europa che porta le cicatrici di lance e spade, cannoni e fucili, trincee e carri armati.
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The tragedy of it all resonates in the words of Herodotus, 25 centuries ago:
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La tragedia della guerra riecheggiava già nelle parole di Erodoto 25 secoli fa:
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“In Peace, Sons bury their Fathers. In War, Fathers bury their Sons.”
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“In tempo di pace i figli seppelliscono i padri ma in tempo di guerra sono i padri a seppellire i figli”.
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Yet, … after two terrible wars engulfed the continent and the world with it, … finally lasting peace came to Europe.
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Eppure, … dopo due guerre terribili che hanno gettato nell’abisso il nostro continente e il resto del mondo… un’era di pace duratura è finalmente sorta in Europa.
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In those grey days, its cities were in ruins, the hearts of many still simmering with mourning and resentment.
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In quei tempi bui le nostre città erano ridotte in macerie e il lutto e il risentimento animavano molti cuori.
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How difficult it then seemed, as Winston Churchill said, "to regain the simple joys and hopes that make life worth living".
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Quanto doveva sembrare difficile allora ritrovare “quelle semplici gioie e quelle speranze che rendono la vita degna di essere vissuta”, come ebbe a commentare Winston Churchill.
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28 |
As a child born in Belgium just after the war, I heard the stories first-hand.
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Nato in Belgio nell’immediato dopoguerra, sono cresciuto con i racconti della guerra.
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My grandmother spoke about the Great War.
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Mia nonna parlava della Grande guerra.
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In 1940, my father, then seventeen, had to dig his own grave.
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Mio padre raccontava che nel 1940, appena diciassettenne, aveva dovuto scavarsi la fossa con le proprie mani.
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He got away; otherwise I would not be here today.
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Fortunatamente si salvò, altrimenti non sarei qui oggi.
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So what a bold bet it was, for Europe's Founders, to say, yes, we can break this endless cycle of violence, we can stop the logic of vengeance, we can build a brighter future, together.
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Quale ardita scommessa fu per i padri fondatori dell’Europa decidere di interrompere la spirale di violenza, mettere fine alla logica di vendetta, costruire un futuro migliore, insieme.
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What power of the imagination.
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Quale potente forza immaginativa.
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*****
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*****
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Of course, peace might have come to Europe without the Union.
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L’Europa poteva vivere in pace anche senza l’Unione?
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Maybe. We will never know.
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Difficile a dirsi, non lo sapremo mai.
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But it would never have been of the same quality.
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Una cosa però è certa:non sarebbe stata la stessa pace.
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A lasting peace, not a frosty cease-fire.
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Vale a dire una pace stabile, non un cessate il fuoco a tavolino.
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To me, what makes it so special, is reconciliation.
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Ciò che la rende speciale ai miei occhi è la riconciliazione.
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In politics as in life, reconciliation is the most difficult thing. It goes beyond forgiving and forgetting, or simply turning the page.
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In politica come nella vita, la riconciliazione è cosa ardua, perché non vuol dire solo perdonare e dimenticare, o voltare pagina.
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To think of what France and Germany had gone through…, and then take this step… Signing a Treaty of Friendship… Each time I hear these words – Freundschaft, Amitié –, I am moved.
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Francia e Germania avevano lunghi trascorsi alle spalle quando decisero di compiere quel passo… di firmare un trattato di amicizia... ogni volta che sento queste parole “Freundschaft” “Amitié” mi commuovo.
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They are private words, not for treaties between nations.
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Parole della sfera privata, non adatte a un trattato tra nazioni.
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But the will to not let history repeat itself, to do something radically new, was so strong that new words had to be found.
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Eppure era tale la volontà di non lasciare che la storia si ripetesse, di fare qualcosa di radicalmente nuovo, che acquisirono un nuovo significato.
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For people Europe was a promise, Europe equalled hope.
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Per i popoli, l’Europa era una promessa che incarnava la speranza.
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When Konrad Adenauer came to Paris to conclude the Coal and Steel Treaty, in 1951, one evening he found a gift waiting at his hotel.
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Nel 1951 Konrad Adenauer era a Parigi per siglare il trattato sulla Comunità del carbone e dell’acciaio. Una sera in albergo ricevé un regalo.
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It was a war medal, une Croix de Guerre, that had belonged to a French soldier.
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Era una medaglia di guerra, una Croix de Guerre appartenuta a un soldato francese.
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His daughter, a young student, had left it with a little note for the Chancellor, as a gesture of reconciliation and hope.
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Gliela aveva recapitata la figlia di quel soldato, una giovane studentessa, con un biglietto che offriva la medaglia al Cancelliere in segno di riconciliazione e speranza.
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I can see many other stirring images before me.
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Nei miei ricordi ci sono tante immagini commoventi.
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Leaders of six States assembled to open a new future, in Rome, città eterna…
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I leader di sei Stati riuniti nella città eterna per dare il via a un nuovo futuro…
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Willy Brandt kneeling down in Warsaw.
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Willy Brandt che si inginocchia a Varsavia.
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The dockers of Gdansk, at the gates of their shipyard.
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I portuali di Danzica ai cancelli del cantiere navale.
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Mitterrand and Kohl hand in hand.
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Mitterrand e Kohl che si danno la mano.
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Two million people linking Tallinn to Riga to Vilnius in a human chain, in 1989.
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Due milioni di persone che uniscono Tallinn, Riga e Vilnius in un’unica catena umana.Era il 1989.
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These moments healed Europe.
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Sono questi momenti che hanno cicatrizzato le ferite dell’Europa.
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But symbolic gestures alone cannot cement peace.
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Ma i gesti simbolici da soli non bastano a cementare la pace.
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This is where the European Union's "secret weapon" comes into play:
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Ed è qui che l’Unione europea sfodera la sua “arma segreta”:
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an unrivalled way of binding our interests so tightly that war becomes materially impossible.
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un impareggiabile intreccio di interessi che rende la guerra materialmente impossibile.
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Through constant negotiations, on ever more topics, between ever more countries.
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Al prezzo di continui negoziati, su un numero crescente di argomenti, tra un numero crescente di paesi.
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It's the golden rule of Jean Monnet:
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È la regola d’oro di Jean Monnet:
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"Mieux vaut se disputer autour d'une table que sur un champ de bataille." ("Better fight around a table than on a battle-field.")
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“Mieux vaut se disputer autour d’une table que sur un champ de bataille.” (“Meglio litigare intorno a un tavolo che su un campo di battaglia”).
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If I had to explain it to Alfred Nobel, I would say:
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Se dovessi spiegarlo a Alfred Nobel direi, parafrasandolo:
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not just a peace congress, a perpetual peace congress!
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non un congresso di pace, ma un congresso di pace permanente!
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Admittedly, some aspects can be puzzling, and not only to outsiders.
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Ammetto che alcuni aspetti suscitino perplessità, e non solo dal di fuori.
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Ministers from landlocked countries passionately discussing fish-quota.
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Ministri di paesi senza sbocco sul mare si infervorano per le quote di pesca.
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Europarlementarians from Scandinavia debating the price of olive oil.
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Europarlamentari scandinavi discettano sul prezzo dell’olio d’oliva.
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The Union has perfected the art of compromise.
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L’Unione è maestra nell’arte del compromesso.
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No drama of victory or defeat, but ensuring all countries emerge victorious from talks.
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Non un teatro di vittorie e sconfitte, ma una casa dove tutti i paesi si riscattano nel dialogo.
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For this, boring politics is only a small price to pay…
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E se il prezzo da pagare sono discussioni interminabili, siamo disposti a pagarlo…
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*****
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*****
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
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Signore e Signori,
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It worked.
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Ebbene sì, ci siamo riusciti.
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Peace is now self-evident.
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La pace è realtà.
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War has become inconceivable.
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La guerra è inimmaginabile.
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Yet 'inconceivable' does not mean 'impossible'.
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Ma “inimmaginabile” non vuol dire “impossibile”.
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And that is why we are gathered here today.
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Ecco perché siamo qui riuniti, oggi.
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Europe must keep its promise of peace.
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L’Europa deve mantenere la sua promessa di pace.
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I believe this is still our Union's ultimate purpose.
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Non ho dubbi che sia questo lo scopo ultimo dell’Unione.
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But Europe can no longer rely on this promise alone to inspire citizens.
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Ma questa promessa non basta da sola a coinvolgere i cittadini.
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In a way, it's a good thing; war-time memories are fading.
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Per molti, fortunatamente, la guerra è oramai una eco lontana.
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Even if not yet everywhere.
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Per molti, non certo per tutti.
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Soviet rule over Eastern Europe ended just two decades ago.
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La dominazione sovietica sull’Europa dell’est è finita da appena vent’anni.
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Horrendous massacres took place in the Balkans shortly after.
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Ancora recentemente i Balcani sono stati teatro di orrendi massacri.
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The children born at the time of Srebrenica will only turn eighteen next year.
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L’anno prossimo i bambini nati ai tempi di Srebrenica avranno appena diciotto anni.
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But they already have little brothers and sisters born after that war: the first real post-war generation of Europe.
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Certo hanno già fratelli e sorelle nati dopo la guerra: la prima vera generazione post-bellica d’Europa.
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This must remain so.
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L’importante è che non ce ne siano altre.
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Presidents, Prime Ministers,
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Presidenti, Primi ministri,
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Excellencies,
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Eccellenze,
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So, where there was war, there is now peace.
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ebbene sì: dove prima c’era la guerra ora regna la pace.
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But another historic task now lies ahead of us: keeping peace where there is peace.
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La storia però ci chiama ad un altro compito: tenere viva la fiaccola della pace anche quando regna.
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After all, history is not a novel, a book we can close after a Happy Ending: we remain fully responsible for what is yet to come.
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Dopo tutto la storia non è un romanzo che chiudiamo una volta arrivati al lieto fine:) ciò che può ancora accadere è nostra piena responsabilità.
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This couldn't be more clear than it is today, when we are hit by the worst economic crisis in two generations, causing great hardship among our people, and putting the political bonds of our Union to the test.
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La conferma è proprio in quello che sta succedendo oggi: la crisi economica che viviamo, la peggiore delle ultime due generazioni, mette a dura prova la vita dei cittadini e i legami politici su cui si regge l’Unione.
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Parents struggling to make ends meet, workers recently laid off, students who fear that, however hard they try, they won't get that first job:
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Famiglie che arrivano a fatica a fine mese, lavoratori per strada, studenti che vivono nell’angoscia di non trovare lavoro, per quanto facciano:
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when they think about Europe, peace is not the first thing that comes to mind…
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la prima cosa che viene loro in mente quando pensano all’Europa non è certo la pace…
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When prosperity and employment, the bedrock of our societies, appear threatened, it is natural to see a hardening of hearts, the narrowing of interests, even the return of long-forgotten fault-lines and stereotypes.
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Quando la prosperità e il lavoro, fondamenta delle nostre società, sono in pericolo, è normale che i cuori si induriscano, gli interessi si ripieghino e vecchie fratture e stereotipi riemergano dal passato.
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For some, not only joint decisions, but the very fact of deciding jointly, may come into doubt.
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E allora possono sorgere dubbi non solo sulle decisioni comuni ma sul fatto stesso di decidere insieme.
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And while we must keep a sense of proportion – even such tensions don't take us back to the darkness of the past –, the test Europe is currently facing is real.
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Certo bisogna relativizzare – per quanto forti, queste tensioni non potranno mai riportarci indietro ai tempi bui – ma l’Europa sta affrontando un vero e proprio banco di prova.
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If I can borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln at the time of another continental test, what is being assessed today is "whether that Union, or any Union so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure".
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Parafrasando Abramo Lincoln ai tempi di un altro banco di prova in un altro continente, la domanda oggi è “se quell’Unione, o ogni altra Unione così concepita e così votata, possa a lungo perdurare”.
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We answer with our deeds, confident we will succeed.
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La risposta è nelle nostre azioni e siamo certi che ci riusciremo.
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We are working very hard to overcome the difficulties, to restore growth and jobs.
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Lavoriamo duro per superare le difficoltà, per rilanciare la crescita e l’occupazione.
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There is of course sheer necessity. But there is more that guides us: the will to remain masters of our own destiny, a sense of togetherness, and in a way… speaking to us from the centuries … the idea of Europa itself.
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E anche se agiamo sotto necessità pressanti, siamo guidati dalla volontà di rimanere padroni del nostro destino, da un senso di comunità e, in qualche modo, dall’idea stessa di Europa... che dai secoli ci parla.
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The presence of so many European leaders here today underlines our common conviction: that we will come out of this together, and stronger.
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La presenza qui oggi di così tanti leader europei testimonia una convinzione profonda e condivisa: ne usciremo insieme e più forti.
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Strong enough in the world to defend our interests and promote our values.
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Più forti per difendere i nostri interessi e promuovere i nostri valori nel mondo.
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103 |
We all work to leave a better Europe for the children of today and those of tomorrow.
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Lavoriamo tutti per tramandare ai nostri figli e ai figli dei nostri figli un’Europa migliore.
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So that, later, others might turn and judge: that generation, ours, preserved the promise of Europe.
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Perché i posteri possano dire un giorno: quella generazione – la nostra – ha mantenuto la promessa dell’Europa.
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Today's youth is already living in a new world.
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I giovani di oggi vivono già in un mondo nuovo.
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106 |
For them Europe is a daily reality.
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L’Europa è per loro una realtà quotidiana.
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107 |
Not the constraint of being in the same boat. No, the richness of being able to freely share, travel and exchange.
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Non l’obbligo di rimanere nella stessa barca, ma la fortuna di poter liberamente scegliere per lo scambio, il viaggio e la condivisione.
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To share and shape a continent, experiences, a future.
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Condividere un continente, esperienze, l’avvenire e darvi forma insieme.
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Excellencies,
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Eccellenze,
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Ladies & Gentlemen,
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Signore e Signori,
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Our continent, risen from the ashes after 1945 and united in 1989, has a great capacity to reinvent itself.
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questo nostro continente, sorto dalle ceneri del 1945 e unitosi nel 1989, ha una grande capacità di rigenerarsi.
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It is to the next generations to take this common adventure further.
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Alla posterità il compito di portare oltre questa impresa comune.
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I hope they will seize this responsibility with pride.
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Mi auguro che i posteri sapranno assumersene la responsabilità con orgoglio.
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And that they will be able to say, as we here today:
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E che sappiano dire, come diciamo noi oggi:
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Ich bin ein Europäer.
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Ich bin ein Europäer.
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116 |
Je suis fier d'être européen.
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Je suis fier d’être européen.
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I am proud to be European.
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Sono fiero di essere europeo.
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118 |
*****
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*****
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119 |
[President Barroso takes the floor]
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[prende la parola il Presidente Barroso]
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120 |
Your Majesties,
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Maestà,
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121 |
Excellencies,
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Eccellenze,
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122 |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
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Signore e Signori,
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123 |
"Peace is not mere absence of war, it is a virtue", wrote Spinoza:
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“La pace non è assenza di guerra: è una virtù” scriveva Spinoza:
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"Pax enim non belli privatio, sed virtus est".
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“Pax enim non belli privatio, sed virtus est”.
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125 |
And he added it is "a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice".
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Aggiungendo che la pace è “uno stato d’animo, una disposizione alla benevolenza, alla fiducia, alla giustizia”.
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126 |
Indeed, there can only be true peace if people are confident.
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Solo se fiduciosi, gli uomini possono conoscere la pace, quella vera.
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127 |
At peace with their political system.
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Fiduciosi nel proprio sistema politico.
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128 |
Reassured that their basic rights are respected.
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Fiduciosi nel rispetto dei propri diritti fondamentali.
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129 |
The European Union is not only about peace among nations.
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L’Unione europea non si limita però a garantire la pace tra le nazioni.
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130 |
It incarnates, as a political project, that particular state of mind that Spinoza was referring to.
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Come progetto politico, l’Unione europea incarna quella particolare predisposizione di spirito di cui parlava Spinoza.
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131 |
It embodies, as a community of values, this vision of freedom and justice.
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Come comunità di valori, l’Unione europea traduce una visione di libertà e di giustizia.
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132 |
I remember vividly in 1974 being in the mass of people, descending the streets in my native Lisbon, in Portugal, celebrating the democratic revolution and freedom.
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Non dimenticherò mai quando, nel 1974, sono sceso per le strade di Lisbona, la mia città natale, per unirmi alla massa umana che celebrava la rivoluzione democratica in Portogallo.
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133 |
This same feeling of joy was experienced by the same generation in Spain and Greece.
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Lo stesso sentimento di gioia lo hanno provato i miei coetanei spagnoli e greci.
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134 |
It was felt later in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Baltic States when they regained their independence.
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E più tardi i popoli dell’Europa centrale e dell’est e degli Stati Baltici per la ritrovata indipendenza.
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135 |
Several generations of Europeans have shown again and again that their choice for Europe was also a choice for freedom.
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Per generazioni di europei, la scelta per l’Europa è stata ogni volta anche una scelta di libertà.
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136 |
I will never forget Rostropovich playing Bach at the fallen Wall in Berlin.
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Non dimenticherò mai Rostropovich che suonava Bach mentre crollava il muro di Berlino.
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137 |
This image reminds the world that it was the quest for freedom and democracy that tore down the old divisions and made possible the reunification of the continent.
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Questa immagine ricorda al mondo che è stata proprio la ricerca di libertà e di democrazia a abbattere le vecchie divisioni e a riunificare il nostro continente.
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138 |
Joining the European Union was essential for the consolidation of democracy in our countries.
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L’adesione all’Unione europea è stata fondamentale per consolidare la democrazia nei nostri paesi.
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139 |
Because it places the person and respect of human dignity at its heart.
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Perché l’Unione europea tiene a cuore gli individui e il rispetto della dignità umana.
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140 |
Because it gives a voice to differences while creating unity.
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Perché l’Unione europea crea unità nella differenza.
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141 |
And so, after reunification, Europe was able to breathe with both its lungs, as said by Karol Wojtya.
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Dopo la riunificazione l’Europa è stata capace di respirare con i suoi due polmoni, come ebbe a dire Karol Wojtyla.
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142 |
The European Union has become our common house.
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E l’Unione europea è diventata la nostra patria comune.
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143 |
The "homeland of our homelands" as described by Vaclav Havel.
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La “patria delle nostre patrie”, come l’ha descritta Vaclav Havel.
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144 |
Our Union is more than an association of states.
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La nostra Unione è molto più di un’associazione di Stati.
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145 |
It is a new legal order, which is not based on the balance of power between nations but on the free consent of states to share sovereignty.
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È un nuovo ordinamento, basato non su equilibri di potere tra le nazioni ma sulla libera scelta degli Stati membri di condividere la sovranità.
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146 |
From pooling coal and steel, to abolishing internal borders, from six countries to soon twenty-eight with Croatia joining the family this has been a remarkable European journey which is leading us to an "ever closer Union".
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Il viaggio europeo – dalla condivisione del carbone e dell’acciaio all’abolizione delle frontiere interne, dai sei Stati iniziali ai futuri ventotto con l’arrivo della Croazia – è una grande epopea che ci condurrà a “un’Unione sempre più stretta”.
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147 |
And today one of the most visible symbols of our unity is in everyone's hands. It is the Euro, the currency of our European Union.
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Uno dei simboli più visibili di questa unità europea è già tra le nostre mani: l’Euro, la moneta dell’Unione, la nostra moneta.
|
148 |
We will stand by it.
|
Che non lasceremo indifesa.
|
149 |
****
|
****
|
150 |
Your Excellencies,
|
Eccellenze,
|
151 |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
|
Signore e Signori,
|
152 |
Peace cannot rest only on the good will of man.
|
la pace non può però dipendere dalla buona volontà di donne e uomini.
|
153 |
It needs to be grounded on a body of laws, on common interests and on a deeper sense of a community of destiny.
|
Deve ancorarsi nelle leggi, negli interessi condivisi e in un senso sempre più radicato di una comunità di destini.
|
154 |
The genius of the founding fathers was precisely in understanding that to guarantee peace in the 20th century nations needed to think beyond the nation-state.
|
Il genio dei nostri padri fondatori è stato proprio capire che per garantire la pace nell’Europa del XX secolo bisognava pensare oltre lo Stato nazione.
|
155 |
As Walter Hallstein, the first President of the European Commission said:
|
Come ebbe a dire Walter Hallstein, primo Presidente della Commissione europea:
|
156 |
"Das System der Nationalstaaten hat den wichtigsten Test des 20.
|
“Das System der Nationalstaaten hat den wichtigsten Test des 20.
|
157 |
Jahrhunderts nicht bestanden ("The system of sovereign nation-states has failed the most important test of the 20th century").
|
Jahrhunderts nicht bestanden.” (“Il sistema degli Stati nazione ha fallito la prova più importante del XX secolo”).
|
158 |
And he added " through two world wars it has proved itself unable to preserve peace."
|
Aggiungendo che “con due guerre mondiali, non è stato infatti capace di preservare la pace”.
|
159 |
The uniqueness of the European project is to have combined the legitimacy of democratic States with the legitimacy of supranational institutions:
|
L’unicità del progetto europeo sta nell’aver associato la legittimità degli Stati democratici a quella di istituzioni sovranazionali:
|
160 |
the European Commission, the European Court of Justice.
|
la Commissione europea e la Corte di giustizia dell’Unione europea.
|
161 |
Supranational institutions that protect the general European interest, defend the European common good and embody the community of destiny.
|
Sono queste istituzioni sovranazionali che tutelano l’interesse generale europeo, agiscono nel bene comune europeo e incarnano la comunità di destini.
|
162 |
And alongside the European Council, where the governments are represented, we have over the years developed a unique transnational democracy symbolised by the directly elected European Parliament.
|
E insieme al Consiglio europeo, che rappresenta i governi, abbiamo sviluppato negli anni una democrazia transnazionale unica nel suo genere, personificata dal Parlamento europeo, un parlamento direttamente eletto.
|
163 |
Our quest for European unity is not a perfect work of art;
|
La nostra ricerca di unità europea non è un congegno perfetto:
|
164 |
it is work in progress that demands constant and diligent tending.
|
è un’opera in divenire che richiede costanza e diligenza.
|
165 |
It is not an end in itself, but a means to higher ends.
|
Non è fine a se stessa, ma votata a raggiungere fini superiori.
|
166 |
In many ways, it attests to the quest for a cosmopolitan order, in which one person's gain does not need to be another person's pain;
|
Sotto molti aspetti, testimonia la ricerca di un ordine cosmopolita nel quale i benefici degli uni non vadano necessariamente a discapito degli altri.
|
167 |
in which abiding by common norms serves universal values.
|
Nel quale il rispetto delle regole comuni è al servizio di valori universali.
|
168 |
****
|
****
|
169 |
That is why despite its imperfections, the European Union can be, and indeed is, a powerful inspiration for many around the world.
|
È per questo motivo che, al di là delle sue imperfezioni, l’Unione europea ha di fatto la grande capacità di ispirare il mondo.
|
170 |
Because the challenges faced from one region to the other may differ in scale but they do not differ in nature.
|
Soprattutto perché le sfide presenti oggi nelle diverse regioni, per più o meno gravi che siano, hanno una radice comune.
|
171 |
We all share the same planet.
|
Abitiamo tutti lo stesso pianeta.
|
172 |
Poverty, organised crime, terrorism, climate change: these are problems that do not respect national borders.
|
Povertà, criminalità organizzata, terrorismo, cambiamenti climatici, sono problemi che non conoscono frontiere.
|
173 |
We share the same aspirations and universal values: these are progressively taking root in a growing number of countries all over the world.
|
Abbiamo tutti le stesse aspirazioni, condividiamo valori universali, che vanno radicandosi sempre più nel mondo.
|
174 |
We share "l'irréductible humain", the irreducible uniqueness of the human being.
|
Condividiamo “l’irréductible humain”, l’irriducibile unicità dell’essere umano.
|
175 |
Beyond our nation, beyond our continent, we are all part of one mankind.
|
Al di là della propria nazione o del proprio continente, ognuno di noi è parte dell’umanità.
|
176 |
Jean Monnet, ends his Memoirs with these words:
|
Jean Monnet termina le sue Memorie con queste parole:
|
177 |
"Les nations souveraines du passé ne sont plus le cadre où peuvent se résoudre les problèmes du présent.
|
“Les nations souveraines du passé ne sont plus le cadre où peuvent se résoudre les problèmes du présent.
|
178 |
Et la communauté elle-même n'est qu'une étape vers les formes d'organisation du monde de demain." ("The sovereign nations of the past can no longer solve the problems of the present.
|
Et la communauté elle-même n’est qu’une étape vers les formes d’organisation du monde de demain.” (“Le nazioni sovrane del passato non sono più il contesto nel quale risolvere i problemi del presente.
|
179 |
And the [European] Community itself is only a stage on the way to the organised world of the future.")
|
E la stessa Comunità [europea] è solo una tappa verso forme di organizzazione del mondo di domani.”)
|
180 |
This federalist and cosmopolitan vision is one of the most important contributions that the European Union can bring to a global order in the making.
|
Questa visione federalista e cosmopolita è il contributo più prezioso che l’Unione europea può dare a un ordine mondiale in divenire.
|
181 |
Your Excellencies,
|
Eccellenze,
|
182 |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
|
Signore e Signori,
|
183 |
The concrete engagement of the European Union in the world is deeply marked by our continent's tragic experience of extreme nationalism, wars and the absolute evil of the Shoah.
|
l’impegno concreto dell’Unione europea nel mondo è profondamente segnato dalla tragica esperienza, nel nostro continente, del nazionalismo estremo, delle guerre e del male più atroce:la Shoah.
|
184 |
It is inspired by our desire to avoid the same mistakes being made again.
|
E anela a evitare che si ripetano gli errori del passato.
|
185 |
That is the foundation of our multilateral approach for a globalisation based on the twin principles of global solidarity and global responsibility;
|
Su questo impegno si fonda il nostro approccio multilaterale per una globalizzazione all’insegna della solidarietà e delle responsabilità mondiali.
|
186 |
That is what inspires our engagement with our neighbouring countries and international partners, from the Middle East to Asia, from Africa to the Americas;
|
Questo impegno guida le nostre azioni nei confronti dei nostri vicini e dei partner internazionali, dal Medio Oriente all’Asia, dall’Africa alle Americhe.
|
187 |
It defines our stance against the death penalty and our support for international justice embodied by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court;
|
Questo impegno ci porta a condannare la pena di morte e a sostenere la giustizia internazionale, amministrata dalla Corte internazionale di giustizia e dalla Corte penale internazionale.
|
188 |
It drives our leadership in the fight against climate change and for food and energy security;
|
Guida la nostra leadership nella lotta contro i cambiamenti climatici e per la sicurezza alimentare e energetica.
|
189 |
It underpins our policies on disarmament and against nuclear proliferation;
|
Informa le nostre politiche sul disarmo e contro la proliferazione nucleare.
|
190 |
As a continent that went from devastation to become one of the world's strongest economies, with the most progressive social systems, being the world's largest aid donor, we have a special responsibility to millions of people in need.
|
Da continente segnato dalla devastazione, l’Europa si è trasformata in una delle più grandi economie mondiali, con i sistemi sociali più progressisti, che dona al mondo il maggiore numero di aiuti e che porta una particolare responsabilità nei confronti di milioni di persone in condizioni di necessità.
|
191 |
In the 21st century it is simply unacceptable to see parents powerless as their baby is dying of lack of basic medical care,
|
Una coppia di genitori assiste impotente alla morte del figlio perché non ci sono cure mediche di base;
|
192 |
mothers compelled to walk all day in the hope of getting food or clean wate
|
madri costrette a camminare tutto il giorno nella speranza di trovare cibo e acqua potabile;
|
193 |
and boys and girls deprived of their childhood because they are forced to become adults ahead of time.
|
bambini privati dell’infanzia perché costretti a diventare troppo presto adulti.
|
194 |
Qn the 21st century all this is simply unacceptabl
|
Queste scene sono semplicemente inammissibili nel XXI secolo.
|
195 |
.As a community of nations that has overcome war and fought totalitarianism, we will always stand by those who are in pursuit of peace and human dignity.
|
Come comunità di nazioni scampata alla guerra e al totalitarismo, saremo sempre dalla parte di chi anela alla pace e alla dignità umana.
|
196 |
And let me say it from here today:
|
E permettetemi di dire oggi da questa tribuna:
|
197 |
the current situation in Syria is a stain on the world's conscience and the international community has a moral duty to address it.
|
quello che sta succedendo in Siria è una macchia sulla coscienza del mondo e la comunità internazionale ha il dovere di intervenire.
|
198 |
And as today marks the international human rights day, more than any other day our thoughts go to the human rights' defenders all over the world who put their lives at risk to defend the values that we cherish.
|
Oggi, Giornata internazionale dei diritti umani, il nostro pensiero è più che mai rivolto ai difensori dei diritti umani che, in tutto il mondo, mettono in gioco le loro vite per difendere i valori nei quali crediamo.
|
199 |
And no prison wall can silence their voice. We hear them in this room today.
|
Nessuna prigione potrà imbavagliare le loro voci, che riecheggiano oggi nitide in questa stanza.
|
200 |
And we also remember that last year on this very podium three women were honoured for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights.
|
Lo scorso anno questa stessa platea rendeva omaggio a tre donne per la loro lotta non violenta per i diritti e la sicurezza delle donne.
|
201 |
As a Union built on the founding value of equality between women and men, enshrined in the Treaty of Rome in 1957, we are committed to protecting women's rights all over the world and supporting women's empowerment.
|
L’uguaglianza tra donne e uomini è uno dei principi fondatori dell’Unione, sancito dal trattato di Roma nel 1957, ed è nostro preciso impegno proteggere i diritti delle donne di tutto il mondo e sostenere la loro emancipazione.
|
202 |
And we cherish the fundamental rights of those who are the most vulnerable, and hold the future in their hands: the children of this world.
|
Ci battiamo per i diritti fondamentali dei più vulnerabili, quelli che hanno il futuro nelle loro mani:i bambini del mondo.
|
203 |
As a successful example of peaceful reconciliation based on economic integration, we contribute to developing new forms of cooperation built on exchange of ideas, innovation and research.
|
Come esempio riuscito di una riconciliazione pacifica basata sull’integrazione economica, contribuiamo a sviluppare nuove forme di cooperazione fondate sullo scambio di idee, sull’innovazione e sulla ricerca.
|
204 |
Science and culture are at the very core of the European openness:they enrich us as individuals and they create bonds beyond borders.
|
La scienza e la cultura, elementi centrali dell’apertura europea, ci arricchiscono come persone e creano contatti al di là delle frontiere.
|
205 |
***
|
***
|
206 |
Your Majesties,
|
Maestà,
|
207 |
Your Royal Highnesses,
|
Altezze reali,
|
208 |
Heads of State and Government,
|
Capi di Stato e di Governo,
|
209 |
Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee,
|
Membri del comitato per il premio Nobel,
|
210 |
Excellencies,
|
Eccellenze,
|
211 |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
|
Signore e Signori,
|
212 |
Humbled, and grateful for the award of the Nobel Peace Prize, there is no better place to share this vision than here in Norway, a country which has been giving so much to the cause of global peace.
|
siamo grati e onorati di ricevere il premio Nobel per la pace e non avremmo potuto condividere questa nostra visione in un posto migliore della Norvegia, un paese che ha dato tanto per la pace mondiale.
|
213 |
The "pacification of Europe" was at the heart of Alfred Nobel's concerns. In an early version of his will, he even equated it to international peace.
|
Alfred Nobel teneva particolarmente a cuore la “pacificazione dell’Europa” che, in una prima versione delle sue volontà, coincideva con la pace internazionale.
|
214 |
This echoes the very first words of the Schuman Declaration, the founding document of the European Union.
|
La ritroviamo nelle parole della dichiarazione di Schuman, testo fondatore dell’Unione europea.
|
215 |
"La paix mondiale".
|
“La paix mondiale”.
|
216 |
"World Peace," it says, "cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it."
|
“La pace mondiale” recita il testo “non potrà essere salvaguardata se non con sforzi creativi, proporzionali ai pericoli che la minacciano”.
|
217 |
My message today is:
|
Il mio messaggio oggi è questo:
|
218 |
you can count on our efforts to fight for lasting peace, freedom and justice in Europe and in the world.
|
potrete contare sul nostro impegno per la pace duratura, la libertà e la giustizia, in Europa e nel mondo.
|
219 |
Over the past sixty years, the European project has shown that it is possible for peoples and nations to come together across borders.
|
Negli ultimi sessant’anni il progetto europeo ha dimostrato che i popoli e le nazioni possono unirsi al di là dei confini.
|
220 |
That it is possible to overcome the differences between "them" and "us".
|
Che è possibile superare il dualismo “noi” e “loro”.
|
221 |
Here today, our hope, our commitment, is that, with all women and men of good will, the European Union will help the world come together.
|
La nostra speranza, il nostro impegno oggi è che l’Unione europea, insieme a tutte le donne e a tutti gli uomini di buona volontà, aiuterà i popoli del mondo ad unirsi.
|
222 |
Thank you. |
Grazie. |
|
LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
Address by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council & José
Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission
“From war to peace:
a European tale”
Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize Award to the European Union/Oslo
[President Van Rompuy takes the floor]
Your Majesties,
Your Royal Highnesses,
Heads of State and Government,
Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with humility and gratitude that we stand here together, to
receive this award on behalf of the European Union.
At a time of uncertainty, this day reminds people across Europe and the world of
the Union's fundamental purpose:
to further the fraternity between European nations, now and in the future.
It is our work today.
It has been the work of generations before us.
And it will be the work of generations after us.
Here in Oslo, I want to pay homage to all the Europeans who dreamt of a
continent at peace with itself, and to all those who day by day make this dream
a reality.
This award belongs to them.
*****
War is as old as Europe.
Our continent bears the scars of spears and swords, canons and guns, trenches
and tanks, and more.
The tragedy of it all resonates in the words of Herodotus, 25 centuries ago:
“In Peace, Sons bury their Fathers. In War, Fathers bury their Sons.”
Yet, … after two terrible wars engulfed the continent and the world with it, …
finally lasting peace came to Europe.
In those grey days, its cities were in ruins, the hearts of many still simmering
with mourning and resentment.
How difficult it then seemed, as Winston Churchill said, "to regain the simple
joys and hopes that make life worth living".
As a child born in Belgium just after the war, I heard the stories first-hand.
My grandmother spoke about the Great War.
In 1940, my father, then seventeen, had to dig his own grave.
He got away; otherwise I would not be here today.
So what a bold bet it was, for Europe's Founders, to say, yes, we can break this
endless cycle of violence, we can stop the logic of vengeance, we can build a
brighter future, together.
What power of the imagination.
*****
Of course, peace might have come to Europe without the Union.
Maybe. We will never know.
But it would never have been of the same quality.
A lasting peace, not a frosty cease-fire.
To me, what makes it so special, is reconciliation.
In politics as in life, reconciliation is the most difficult thing. It goes
beyond forgiving and forgetting, or simply turning the page.
To think of what France and Germany had gone through…, and then take this step…
Signing a Treaty of Friendship… Each time I hear these words – Freundschaft,
Amitié –, I am moved.
They are private words, not for treaties between nations.
But the will to not let history repeat itself, to do something radically new,
was so strong that new words had to be found.
For people Europe was a promise, Europe equalled hope.
When Konrad Adenauer came to Paris to conclude the Coal and Steel Treaty, in
1951, one evening he found a gift waiting at his hotel.
It was a war medal, une Croix de Guerre, that had belonged to a French soldier.
His daughter, a young student, had left it with a little note for the
Chancellor, as a gesture of reconciliation and hope.
I can see many other stirring images before me.
Leaders of six States assembled to open a new future, in Rome, città eterna…
Willy Brandt kneeling down in Warsaw.
The dockers of Gdansk, at the gates of their shipyard.
Mitterrand and Kohl hand in hand.
Two million people linking Tallinn to Riga to Vilnius in a human chain, in 1989.
These moments healed Europe.
But symbolic gestures alone cannot cement peace.
This is where the European Union's "secret weapon" comes into play:
an unrivalled way of binding our interests so tightly that war becomes
materially impossible.
Through constant negotiations, on ever more topics, between ever more countries.
It's the golden rule of Jean Monnet:
"Mieux vaut se disputer autour d'une table que sur un champ de bataille."
("Better fight around a table than on a battle-field.")
If I had to explain it to Alfred Nobel, I would say:
not just a peace congress, a perpetual peace congress!
Admittedly, some aspects can be puzzling, and not only to outsiders.
Ministers from landlocked countries passionately discussing fish-quota.
Europarlementarians from Scandinavia debating the price of olive oil.
The Union has perfected the art of compromise.
No drama of victory or defeat, but ensuring all countries emerge victorious from
talks.
For this, boring politics is only a small price to pay…
*****
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It worked.
Peace is now self-evident.
War has become inconceivable.
Yet 'inconceivable' does not mean 'impossible'.
And that is why we are gathered here today.
Europe must keep its promise of peace.
I believe this is still our Union's ultimate purpose.
But Europe can no longer rely on this promise alone to inspire citizens.
In a way, it's a good thing; war-time memories are fading.
Even if not yet everywhere.
Soviet rule over Eastern Europe ended just two decades ago.
Horrendous massacres took place in the Balkans shortly after.
The children born at the time of Srebrenica will only turn eighteen next year.
But they already have little brothers and sisters born after that war: the first
real post-war generation of Europe.
This must remain so.
Presidents, Prime Ministers,
Excellencies,
So, where there was war, there is now peace.
But another historic task now lies ahead of us: keeping peace where there is
peace.
After all, history is not a novel, a book we can close after a Happy Ending: we
remain fully responsible for what is yet to come.
This couldn't be more clear than it is today, when we are hit by the worst
economic crisis in two generations, causing great hardship among our people, and
putting the political bonds of our Union to the test.
Parents struggling to make ends meet, workers recently laid off, students who
fear that, however hard they try, they won't get that first job:
when they think about Europe, peace is not the first thing that comes to mind…
When prosperity and employment, the bedrock of our societies, appear threatened,
it is natural to see a hardening of hearts, the narrowing of interests, even the
return of long-forgotten fault-lines and stereotypes.
For some, not only joint decisions, but the very fact of deciding jointly, may
come into doubt.
And while we must keep a sense of proportion – even such tensions don't take us
back to the darkness of the past –, the test Europe is currently facing is real.
If I can borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln at the time of another continental
test, what is being assessed today is "whether that Union, or any Union so
conceived and so dedicated, can long endure".
We answer with our deeds, confident we will succeed.
We are working very hard to overcome the difficulties, to restore growth and
jobs.
There is of course sheer necessity. But there is more that guides us: the will
to remain masters of our own destiny, a sense of togetherness, and in a way…
speaking to us from the centuries … the idea of Europa itself.
The presence of so many European leaders here today underlines our common
conviction: that we will come out of this together, and stronger.
Strong enough in the world to defend our interests and promote our values.
We all work to leave a better Europe for the children of today and those of
tomorrow.
So that, later, others might turn and judge: that generation, ours, preserved
the promise of Europe.
Today's youth is already living in a new world.
For them Europe is a daily reality.
Not the constraint of being in the same boat. No, the richness of being able to
freely share, travel and exchange.
To share and shape a continent, experiences, a future.
Excellencies,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Our continent, risen from the ashes after 1945 and united in 1989, has a great
capacity to reinvent itself.
It is to the next generations to take this common adventure further.
I hope they will seize this responsibility with pride.
And that they will be able to say, as we here today:
Ich bin ein Europäer.
Je suis fier d'être européen.
I am proud to be European.
*****
[President Barroso takes the floor]
Your Majesties,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
"Peace is not mere absence of war, it is a virtue", wrote Spinoza:
"Pax enim non belli privatio, sed virtus est".
And he added it is "a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence,
justice".
Indeed, there can only be true peace if people are confident.
At peace with their political system.
Reassured that their basic rights are respected.
The European Union is not only about peace among nations.
It incarnates, as a political project, that particular state of mind that
Spinoza was referring to.
It embodies, as a community of values, this vision of freedom and justice.
I remember vividly in 1974 being in the mass of people, descending the streets
in my native Lisbon, in Portugal, celebrating the democratic revolution and
freedom.
This same feeling of joy was experienced by the same generation in Spain and
Greece.
It was felt later in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Baltic States when
they regained their independence.
Several generations of Europeans have shown again and again that their choice
for Europe was also a choice for freedom.
I will never forget Rostropovich playing Bach at the fallen Wall in Berlin.
This image reminds the world that it was the quest for freedom and democracy
that tore down the old divisions and made possible the reunification of the
continent.
Joining the European Union was essential for the consolidation of democracy in
our countries.
Because it places the person and respect of human dignity at its heart.
Because it gives a voice to differences while creating unity.
And so, after reunification, Europe was able to breathe with both its lungs, as
said by Karol Wojtya.
The European Union has become our common house.
The "homeland of our homelands" as described by Vaclav Havel.
Our Union is more than an association of states.
It is a new legal order, which is not based on the balance of power between
nations but on the free consent of states to share sovereignty.
From pooling coal and steel, to abolishing internal borders, from six countries
to soon twenty-eight with Croatia joining the family this has been a remarkable
European journey which is leading us to an "ever closer Union".
And today one of the most visible symbols of our unity is in everyone's hands.
It is the Euro, the currency of our European Union.
We will stand by it.
****
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Peace cannot rest only on the good will of man.
It needs to be grounded on a body of laws, on common interests and on a deeper
sense of a community of destiny.
The genius of the founding fathers was precisely in understanding that to
guarantee peace in the 20th century nations needed to think beyond the
nation-state.
As Walter Hallstein, the first President of the European Commission said:
"Das System der Nationalstaaten hat den wichtigsten Test des 20.
Jahrhunderts nicht bestanden ("The system of sovereign nation-states has failed
the most important test of the 20th century").
And he added " through two world wars it has proved itself unable to preserve
peace."
The uniqueness of the European project is to have combined the legitimacy of
democratic States with the legitimacy of supranational institutions:
the European Commission, the European Court of Justice.
Supranational institutions that protect the general European interest, defend
the European common good and embody the community of destiny.
And alongside the European Council, where the governments are represented, we
have over the years developed a unique transnational democracy symbolised by the
directly elected European Parliament.
Our quest for European unity is not a perfect work of art;
it is work in progress that demands constant and diligent tending.
It is not an end in itself, but a means to higher ends.
In many ways, it attests to the quest for a cosmopolitan order, in which one
person's gain does not need to be another person's pain;
in which abiding by common norms serves universal values.
****
That is why despite its imperfections, the European Union can be, and
indeed is, a powerful inspiration for many around the world.
Because the challenges faced from one region to the other may differ in scale
but they do not differ in nature.
We all share the same planet.
Poverty, organised crime, terrorism, climate change: these are problems that do
not respect national borders.
We share the same aspirations and universal values: these are progressively
taking root in a growing number of countries all over the world.
We share "l'irréductible humain", the irreducible uniqueness of the human being.
Beyond our nation, beyond our continent, we are all part of one mankind.
Jean Monnet, ends his Memoirs with these words:
"Les nations souveraines du passé ne sont plus le cadre où peuvent se résoudre
les problèmes du présent.
Et la communauté elle-même n'est qu'une étape vers les formes d'organisation du
monde de demain." ("The sovereign nations of the past can no longer solve the
problems of the present.
And the [European] Community itself is only a stage on the way to the organised
world of the future.")
This federalist and cosmopolitan vision is one of the most important
contributions that the European Union can bring to a global order in the making.
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The concrete engagement of the European Union in the world is deeply marked by
our continent's tragic experience of extreme nationalism, wars and the absolute
evil of the Shoah.
It is inspired by our desire to avoid the same mistakes being made again.
That is the foundation of our multilateral approach for a globalisation based on
the twin principles of global solidarity and global responsibility;
That is what inspires our engagement with our neighbouring countries and
international partners, from the Middle East to Asia, from Africa to the
Americas;
It defines our stance against the death penalty and our support for
international justice embodied by the International Court of Justice and the
International Criminal Court;
It drives our leadership in the fight against climate change and for food and
energy security;
It underpins our policies on disarmament and against nuclear proliferation;
As a continent that went from devastation to become one of the world's strongest
economies, with the most progressive social systems, being the world's largest
aid donor, we have a special responsibility to millions of people in need.
In the 21st century it is simply unacceptable to see parents powerless as their
baby is dying of lack of basic medical care,
mothers compelled to walk all day in the hope of getting food or clean wate
and boys and girls deprived of their childhood because they are forced to become
adults ahead of time.
Qn the 21st century all this is simply unacceptabl
.As a community of nations that has overcome war and fought totalitarianism, we
will always stand by those who are in pursuit of peace and human dignity.
And let me say it from here today:
the current situation in Syria is a stain on the world's conscience and the
international community has a moral duty to address it.
And as today marks the international human rights day, more than any other day
our thoughts go to the human rights' defenders all over the world who put their
lives at risk to defend the values that we cherish.
And no prison wall can silence their voice. We hear them in this room today.
And we also remember that last year on this very podium three women were
honoured for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s
rights.
As a Union built on the founding value of equality between women and men,
enshrined in the Treaty of Rome in 1957, we are committed to protecting women's
rights all over the world and supporting women's empowerment.
And we cherish the fundamental rights of those who are the most vulnerable, and
hold the future in their hands: the children of this world.
As a successful example of peaceful reconciliation based on economic
integration, we contribute to developing new forms of cooperation built on
exchange of ideas, innovation and research.
Science and culture are at the very core of the European openness:they enrich us
as individuals and they create bonds beyond borders.
***
Your Majesties,
Your Royal Highnesses,
Heads of State and Government,
Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Humbled, and grateful for the award of the Nobel Peace Prize, there is no better
place to share this vision than here in Norway, a country which has been giving
so much to the cause of global peace.
The "pacification of Europe" was at the heart of Alfred Nobel's concerns. In an
early version of his will, he even equated it to international peace.
This echoes the very first words of the Schuman Declaration, the founding
document of the European Union.
"La paix mondiale".
"World Peace," it says, "cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative
efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it."
My message today is:
you can count on our efforts to fight for lasting peace, freedom and justice in
Europe and in the world.
Over the past sixty years, the European project has shown that it is possible
for peoples and nations to come together across borders.
That it is possible to overcome the differences between "them" and "us".
Here today, our hope, our commitment, is that, with all women and men of good
will, the European Union will help the world come together.
Thank you. |