"The wing structure of the bumblebee, in relation to its weight, is not suitable for flight, but he doesn't know it and flies anyway". A metaphor that lucidly photographs the Italian economic-political situation and certainly depicts the European one well too. Economic, political and social crisis but Europe continues to travel, at different speeds depending on the geographical position, but continues to travel, towards where it has not yet been decided. These were the crucial points of the conference "EUROPA: WE WERE LOVED SO MUCH", held at the Lumsa University of Rome and promoted by the student organization "Good Morning, Youth" of the same university.
All prominent speakers were Tobias Piller, correspondent for Frankefurter Allgemeine Zeitung; Mario Baldassarri, economist and former Deputy Minister of the Economy; Antonia Carparelli, Lumsa lecturer and former economic consultant at the European Commission; Giovanni Ferri, Lumsa pro-rector and professor of economics.
During the meeting there was no lack of time for confrontation, conflicting opinions and different perspectives, and this was precisely the hallmark of the event: being able to present to the public an overview of the different opinions on the role that Europe will have to play over the course of next years. Be more united? Pursuing the dream of a United States of Europe? Or go back to being a series of separate states?
There has been no lack of criticism of Europe, such as its lack of "compassion" towards countries in difficulty and its lack of flexibility, such as the strong attachment to the economic rigor imposed on the Greeks by the 2011 crisis which brought the cradle of civilization to to be a devastated nation. On the other hand, there are those who recalled that many countries, since the beginning of this adventure, especially monetary, have not been able to invest correctly to improve the lives of their citizens due to a failed management of their public finances, such as Greece, Italy and Spain, and traced the cause of all evils to this.
The Europe that appears in the eyes of its citizens is today increasingly divided, isolated on the global scene and crushed by China and the United States. It will be up to us – argued the students – to decide what to do with Europe and what future we want.
