ADDRESS BY H.E. PROF. GUIDO DE MARCO, PRESIDENT OF MALTA, ON "EUROPE: ITS VALUES, ITS FUTURE", AT TARTU UNIVERSITY, REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA ? 4TH MAY, 2001

Distinguished audience,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to say that I feel at home, here in this illustrious seat of learning, in the heart of Estonia, in the heart of the Baltics. Having spent a considerable part of my life lecturing at the University of Malta, my alma mater, exploring and discovering the beauty of other centres of excellence is a unique pleasure and experience.

Universities are the backbone of a nation and its identity. For relatively small states like the Republic of Estonia and Malta, our universities assume an even greater role in the general advancement of our countries in a wider international and intellectual milieu.

Yesterday I had the privilege of laying a wreath at the Memorial for Teachers and Students who perished during the Liberty War, a perennial witness to the contribution of students and others to Estonia's liberty.

The University of Tartu, with its long history together with its forward-looking academic environment, is ideally poised to provide Estonian students and people alike with the stimulus to face the challenges ahead in an ever-evolving international context.

Today, I want to share with you some reflections on a subject which I consider essential in the development of the ‘idea Europe', of the ‘reality Europe', of the essence of ‘being European'.

I will start this journey into European-ness by delving into some aspects of our common European heritage.

In a geographical sense, Europe is defined by its shores to the north, to the west and to the south, namely from the Barents Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Eastwards, the vast expanse of lands, forming part of the immense Eurasian continent can lead one to consider defining frontiers, a troublesome feat.

Historically, and therefore by implication, socially, politically and culturally, Europe possesses a rich and complex pluri-millennial experience of civilisation. From the fascinating pre-historical manifestations of labour, art and architecture, to the rise of great civilisations as those of the Greeks and the Romans, to the multifaceted expressions of human endeavour throughout the ages to this very day. Great achievements in various fields were made possible through the heterogeneous interaction of peoples and cultures over time, across lands and seas I believe that we can clearly define some distinguishing aspects of what history has bequeathed us in Europe.

An essentially and prevalently Christian outlook and vision of life grafted on Greek philosophy;

the fundamental principle and belief in democracy and in the ideals of libert'?, fraternit'?, egalit'?;

the ideal and value of beauty through art, architecture, literature, and the sciences;

the experience of the dawn of the industrial revolution, and diverse modes of trade and commerce.

Above all, the common heritage of Europe is its concept of man in his inalienable rights which render him, in the enjoyment of such rights, superior to the totalitarian state.

This rich heritage we owe to the making of many; to great figures such as Plato and Aristotle, Cicero and Virgil, St Thomas Aquinas and St Francis of Assisi, Dante Alighieri and Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Voltaire and the Illuminists, Monet and the Impressionists, Goethe, Dostoevsky and Pirandello, Ortega y Gaset and Alexandr Solzhenitzin. Through their endeavours and those of many others, Europe's physical and intellectual environment has been largely moulded into that in which we live. Their achievements represent an integral aspect of a shared European identity, of our common heritage.

In many ways, Europe exported its ideas and ideals, its values and its misgivings. European powers did so through missionaries, trade and colonisation. Some negative aspects of Europe were also made for export, the consequences of which are still felt in other continents to this day.

History, in the last century, has also bequeathed us the bitter experience of two conflicts of global proportions whose epicentre lied in the heart of Europe. More importantly, especially after the end of the Second World War, in order to spare future generations the scourge of war, the more positive values inherent in European societies were codified in international treaties and in the establishment of regional and international organisations.

For those who fought and suffered during the Second World War and also for us who were children during the conflict, post-war Europe presented a real challenge of loyalty,

that of loyalty towards the nation state, and loyalty towards Europe to which we, who were in conflict amongst each other, do belong.

Winston Churchill, in his Strasbourg address of the 12^th of August 1949, put the challenge most aptly in saying:

"That primary and sacred fidelity which everyone owes to his own country is not difficult to reconcile with the broader feeling of European cameraderie. On the contrary, it will be found that all legitimate interests tally harmoniously and that each of us will serve our countries' real interest and security better if we broaden our feeling both of common citizenship and sovereignty. And if we encapsulate in that feeling the whole of the continent of states and nations which share the same way of living."

We were also parties and witnesses to half a century of ideological and power struggles between East and West which severed the natural interaction of activities on the European continent, then a divided continent. The collapse of the Soviet Union merely a decade ago signalled the end of a bi-polar power struggle together with a new beginning, a brave new world of expectation.

On an intellectual and psychological plane, the fall of the Berlin Wall fuelled a general trend towards the sundering of ideologies, towards the deconstruction of ‘grand narratives'. Undoubtedly, the end of the Cold War propelled us into an age of transition. The pulling down of the Iron Curtain brought down with it the foundations of a whole system of being, not only in countries formerly under the Soviet umbrella. Within this prevailing context, in Europe and beyond, the emerging uni-polar world order and the prospect of an eventual multi-polar society will keep on demanding of us serious efforts at securing a climate of peace and security which the founding fathers of the United Nations Organisation worked so hard to achieve and guarantee.

Considering the fact that barely half a century ago European nations were still engaged in bitter conflict – not to mention the Cold War split between East and West – in many parts of Europe today, there has been achieved a considerable degree of desired peace, stability and prosperity.

We take stock of all this, our experience and our past and we examine our present. On the one hand, the market economy driven by the liberal policies in the United States; on the other, a huge market of the emerging tigers in the East whose enthusiasm to embrace the liberty of the markets was dampened by the fragility which this system represented.

In between there is Europe. Its long and diverse history has taught us many a lesson. Not least, we have learnt the value of the human person the hard way, in a number of ways through trial and many an error. Finally, perhaps, it has reaped some benefit.

Democracy is perhaps as old a concept in Europe as are the writings of Socrates. Yet, its real expression is only an achievement of the last half-century. The body of laws concerning the human person was born in Europe. Indeed, the example set by many a European institution has been adopted by the different continents that surround us. It was only in the past decade that the principles contained in the pages of European codes and statutes were able to be enjoyed by the peoples of a Greater Europe.

So what is it that we, as Europeans, can truly boast of ?

It is in part our belief in the values that we have codified years ago. They are values that have driven the countries of Europe to instill into their social systems over the years a network that ensures a degree of security for each and every European citizen that inhabits our continent.

We have learnt that uniformity does not pay. We have set ourselves the task of building common regulations and laws, whether in terms of the European Union regulations, or whether in terms of the human rights treaties that are governed by the Council of Europe and span almost every aspect of the life of the European citizen.

Along the way we were conscious to guard against the mistakes committed in the past. We saw that each culture, each region, each people required the ability to operate within a system which cherished diversity and tolerance. Not least because it is only in this milieu that the true expression of culture may be achieved.

The term ‘subsidiarity' takes on a new meaning in this context. That decisions be taken at the level closest to those who are affected by them is a demonstration that the diversity of opinions and cultures are welcomed and sought after. For having common standards and common laws does in no way mean having uniformity.

Within Europe, we have witnessed two opposing trends. On the economic level, we have seen the convergence of systems to enable the generation of commerce without barriers. At the same time, we have witnessed a growing understanding between the peoples and cultures of Europe, an understanding of the diversity which remains the driving force for the peoples of Europe. Bringing down barriers in terms of trade will also bring down barriers between peoples and between cultures. It will give them the opportunity to enjoy the diversity of cultures.

Moreover, the values we share, we share in common. This is the true essence of unity in diversity: where we can pool resources to build unity of purpose and at the same time build upon that which is an expression of diversity.

For this is the wealth of Europe: its ability to boast of the many jewels of culture and history that it cherishes.

This assumes even greater importance with the enlargement of the European Union. For every time the Union expands, to the north or to the east, to the west or to the south, it is enriched with the different cultures that partake of the development of the Union.

This is a unique example of co-operation and institution-building in Europe. And it is this which will make of Europe a continent able to thrive in a globalising world. For developments have taken place at a rapid pace. And will continue to accelerate in future. Having the ability to build a continent based on a common approach which embraces diversity will remain key to the success of Europe.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Estonia and Malta are both European countries, acting within relatively different geo-political contexts. Your country has recently re-acquired Independence. As an independent country, you have done great strides at ensuring that you enjoy higher standards of living. The population of Estonia is also aware of a ‘duality' of belongingness: you are both a Baltic country, and a European nation. These two aspects are no contradiction but definitely complement each other.

Lying at the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta, since Independence thirty-seven years ago, has constantly promoted a Mediterranean agenda onto the table of European security and stability considerations. We believe it essential to advance discussion between cultures and peoples where often there appeared to be a dialogue among the deaf, in a region where disparities and differences can lead to rapidly deteriorating peace and stability guarantees. The Maltese people are ever aware of their Mediterranean and European heritage, identity and responsibilities. I believe that these two aspects not only complement each other, but also enrich us as a people.

For Estonians and Maltese, for Germans and Portuguese, for Croats and Icelanders, it is a matter of evaluating our position within the diverse concentric circles of belongingness. Whether in the Baltic or in the Balkans, in Eastern Europe or in the Mediterranean, whether acting in a global environment, fundamental to this is our European heritage, a unique heritage, rich in its diversity.

Aware of our common values and as aptly enshrined in the statutes and conventions of the Council of Europe and other international bodies, I believe that we can face our common future with a measure of optimism.

Though there may be divergences of opinion within our nation states as to membership of the European Union or the building of some kind of other relationship, we are together building our maison comune, our Europe. This Europe has to be close to the people; not a bureaucrats' Europe but a peoples' Europe; not the ‘creation' of a European identity but the assertion of a European ‘belongingness'; not a return to a nationalism but the building of a common citizenship and a shared sovereignty. For this Europe to succeed, it has to seek its legitimacy in the sovereign will of the people within the different nation-states. We have to build on that collective memory of us Europeans, memories of past strife but also memories of great achievements.

Ernest Renan, in his lecture at the Sorbonne in 1882 stated that:

"The essence of a nation is that all its people have a great deal in common and also that they have forgotten a great deal."

If we were to apply this to our concept of Europe, its values, its future, we can say that the essence of Europe lies in that all its peoples have a great deal in common and also that they have forgotten a great deal.

This is our maison comune.

Here lies our future.