From Resistance to European Integration

ongoing

Most of EU-member states have gone through a process from totalitarianism (Fascist, Nazi, Stalinist/Communist rule) to a liberal democracy, membership in the Council of Europe and later membership in the European Union. These processes vary in time, length, continuity, and some countries have even endured more than one totalitarian occupation or regime. The project brings together partners from five EU members states with highly diverse national paths to democracy and EU membership (IT, AT, GR, PT, RO) that are emblematic for Europe’s struggle and success in building and developing democracy, and a highly developed human rights system. In the project the partners will analyse and present their specific national paths to and struggle for democracy and human rights and address a special form of discrimination that marked European history and still is of high relevance for Europe. By this the partners will research and discuss with younger generation (18-29) with support of experts, eye witnesses, and representatives from vulnerable groups the national path to democracy with special regard to the local and regional history (RO: Timisora as City of Revolution, with focus on antiziganism, AT: Vienna, liberation from NS-regime and antisemitism in past and present, GR: End of Obrist regime, democratization in Cold War times and xenophobia and migration, PT: Carnation Revolution, colonialism and post colonialism, IT, Rome, liberation, founding member of EU, new concepts for Europe during fascist rue Ventotene Manifesto, the impact of propaganda and fake news on democracy). Next to this the project will bring together youth, multipliers, experts and eye wittneses on an an-European level to learn about the complexity and heterogeneity of European history with the common strive for democracy and human rights. Furthermore the present democratic system of the EU and the human rights and their protection mechanisms will be studied in the final international meeting in Strasbourg.