Africa and Europe
The main rally of the 42nd Pan-European Days of the Pan-European Union Germany, which took place in Darmstadt from 3 to 5 June 2016, was characterised by the commitment to a ‘partnership of equals’ between Europe and Africa.
President Bernd Posselt called the oldest European unification movement a ‘fighting organisation against egoism’, which is therefore particularly suitable for bringing the two neighbouring continents together. Europe must not seal itself off, but must consolidate itself on the basis of its Christian culture on the one hand, while cultivating open cooperation with other cultures, religions and continents on the other: ‘An isolated Europe dies like a severed limb, a living Europe that is connected to the other continents is a blessing for the world.’
The International President of the Pan-European Union, Alain Terrenoire from Paris, looked back on the founding of today's EU in the 1950s as a ‘real revolution’. Since then, Europe has been repeatedly challenged by the East-West conflict, decolonisation, the collapse of the Soviet empire, the emergence of China and the dominance of America, but its contributions to the global peace order and the economy have been impressive.
Elmar Brok, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, began his speech with an outburst of anger against the nationalist forces in Europe and thanks to the Pan-European Union for its work in uniting nations.
Kiflemariam Gebrewold, an expert on climate protection and conflict prevention from Ethiopia, described relations between Europe and Africa as ‘historically old and formative, and sometimes painful’.
The current Director-General for International Cooperation and Development at the EU Commission, Klaus Rudischhauser, explained that the focus of his institution's work was increasingly shifting from domestic to foreign policy.
German Pan-European Vice-President Michael Gahler, Chairman of the European Parliament's Joint Committee with the Pan-African Parliament, emphasised that the majority of EU member states had never been colonial powers. States such as France and Great Britain had more experience and roots in Africa, while others contributed their unencumberedness.
Although busy with the city's Europe Weekend, which was taking place at the same time, Lord Mayor Jochen Partsch took the time to welcome the pan-Europeans to Darmstadt.
Kathi-Marie Ulrich, Chairwoman of the Pan-European Union of Hesse, pointed out that Charles Darwin had described Africa as the ‘cradle of mankind’ because it was there that mankind had developed.
The main rally of the 42nd Pan-European Days was moderated by Franziskus Posselt, Chairman of the Pan-European Youth Germany, who remarked that while Africa could rightly call itself a continent in terms of area and population, Europe derived this name solely from its history and culture.
The musical accompaniment to the rally was provided by the Egerländer Familienmusik Hess, who also played at the subsequent apple wine festival in Groß-Umstadt.
The moderator of the Pan-European Days discussion forum, international Pan-European Vice-President Dirk H. Voß, illustrated the proximity of Africa with the question of how many national borders separate Timbuktu from the Mediterranean - ‘only one! Timbuktu, synonymous with ‘very far away’, is suddenly very close.’
Hans Stoisser from Styria, who has been working for years in various African countries to build up community infrastructures and businesses and is the author of the book ‘The Black Tiger’, was of the opinion that the future of Europe would also be decided in Africa.
Claus Stäcker, Head of Africa Programmes at Deutsche Welle, pointed out that up to one million people were currently waiting in Libya alone to make the crossing to Europe.
Against this background, the former foreign policy spokesman of the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, Gert Weisskirchen, warned European politicians against depression and apathy on the one hand and cynicism on the other.
The Polish Minorite Prof. Zdzisław Jozef Kijas, a member of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints, described Africa above all as a continent of the future of the Christian faith.
Karel Dekempe, Managing Director of the international aid organisation Fidesco, described Africa as a continent of hope, joy and humour. But he warned: ‘The vast majority of Africans belong to the underclass who live in rural areas.’
Antoine Broquet, member of the executive committee of the Pan-European member organisation ‘La Fédération’ in France, emphasised the importance of establishing a genuine European-African partnership.
Milan Horáček, former Member of the German Bundestag and Member of the European Parliament, confessed in the round table that since a meeting as a founding member of the Green Party with the former President of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella, he had repeatedly asked himself what human rights meant from other perspectives.
At the opening ceremony, Thomas Silberhorn, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, called for ‘more attention to be paid to Africa’.
The Nigerian human rights activist Emmanuel Franklyne Ogbunwezeh rhetorically posed the question of what Africa had to offer Europe.
State Secretary Mark Weinmeister conveyed the greetings of the event's patron, Prime Minister Volker Bouffier.
Spiritual highlights of the Pan-European Days were the Protestant morning service with Pastor Erwin Köber, a Transylvanian Saxon, and a Catholic service in the parish church of St Ludwig, which was celebrated by Eichstätt Cathedral Chapter Prelate Christoph Kühn, Father Zdzisław Józef Kijas from the Vatican and the local pastor Christoph Klock.
Press release: Africa and Europe - two continents, one destiny (DE) (PDF)