"The Strength of Europe is its Diversity"

www.europa.eu ^ | 01/31/2007 | www.europa.eu

[WesternCulture]

What is the underlying conviction of the European countries managing to establish a political and economical union of 500 million citizens?

The leading voices of the EU itself seem to believe it all boils down to PC declarations.

An alternative assertion to European strength consisting in thoughtless PC gaiety would be the immense, unsurpassed European contribution to the development of Technology, Science and the depiction of Man and his life here upon Earth as interpreted by the Humanist ideals stemming from The Renaissance and Antiquity.

The EU comission article:

"Federal Minister von der Leyen: "The Strength of Europe is its Diversity"

Federal Minister of Family Affairs and EU Commissioner Vladimír Špidla launch

Discrimination and equal opportunities are the themes of a European Conference to convene in Berlin on January 30-31 in conjunction with the first European Equal Opportunities Summit. The events officially mark the start of the German EU Presidency and together with the European Commission, launch the "European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, 2007." Federal German Minister Ursula von der Leyen and the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities, Vladimír Špidla, formally opened the Conference today before an international audience of approximately 500 high-level participants from the research, administrative and government communities.

"The strength of Europe is its diversity. We want to use this year to jointly focus public awareness on the topics of equal opportunities and diversity", said the Federal Minister in her opening remarks.

"Here, my concern is primarily directed at four groups: the elderly, the youth, the migrants, and the young women:

1. The EU population will experience a drop of 20 million in the pool of employable persons over the age of 20 over the next 25 years. It is absolutely essential that we establish a new image of aging, one that includes participation and a shared responsibility with older people as well as one that recognizes the economic and innovative power of the elderly in the context of lifelong learning," said von der Leyen.

2. "In the area of children and youth, who represent the mainstay of the future social and economic well-being of Europe, equal opportunities means, above all, access to quality education – also for those who need a second chance."

3. Europe can benefit from the various skills of its migrant population. "Equal opportunities for this group are only achievable through adequate language support programs beginning at the earliest possible age and a decisive commitment to the fight against racism and xenophobia."

4. "More women in leadership positions, the active support of self-employed women, the break-down of the persistent differences in pay as well as an improved reconciliation of work and family life are the important milestones along the path to real equal opportunities for both men and women."

In addition to the opening remarks by Prof. Dr. Rita Süßmuth, former President of the German Bundestag and a presentation of actual Euro-barometer survey results, the conference agenda includes discussion periods and time for the various working groups. Federal Minister von der Leyen is scheduled to take part in the discussion group "Make equal opportunities a reality", where the aim is to develop the key factors for the implementation of equal opportunities. The agenda item, "Increasing the advantages of diversity", planned for day 2 of the conference, concentrates on the exchange of experiences concerning proven practices. Four other working groups will discuss the major topics of the year: Rights, Representation, Recognition, and Respect.

Adding a final note to the conference, the State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth, Gerd Hoofe, and Nikolaus van der Pas, European Commission Director General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, will provide their summaries of the event.

More information about the conference agenda is available online at: www.bmfsfj.de/eu

The "European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007", is intended to promote a new impulse in the EU to allow people who until now have not had the chance to develop their potential and skills to do so now. The majority of activities organized around the four main topics of the working groups under the banner of the European Year 2007 will take place at the national, regional, and local levels.

At the European level, financed activities include:

Numerous conferences and events An ongoing assessment of the activities during the European Year at both European and national levels. A series of surveys and studies, to be published in 2007 by the European Commission and integrated with the debates at the European and national levels. More information about the content and the events in the "European Year of Equal Opportunities for all 2007" is available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/eyeq/index.cfm

Under the guiding principle, "Seize demographic change as an opportunity and promote equal opportunities for all at work and in society", the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth is committed to the following points in the course of the EU presidency 2007:

1. Strengthen families: more children in families and more families in society

2. Promote equal opportunities for women and men at work and in family life

3. Experience shapes the future: Recognise opportunities – use knowledge and experience – develop new markets

4. Strive for equal opportunities and social participation for all children and young people

More information about these topics and the events associated with the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs under the German EU Presidency is available online at: www.bmfsfj.de/eu

[word_warrior_bob]

And the downfall of the United States is our "diversity" IF:

Diversity means giving undeserving people jobs over people more qualified.

Diversity means giving other languages equal standing with the official language, allowing voting in other languages than english, etc.

Diversity means showing favoritism in immigration laws to people not easily assimilated or unwilling to assimilate into American culture, and putting up barriers to people willing to FOLLOW THE RULES to gain citizenship in the U.S.

Diversity means "hate" crimes

Diversity means "sensitivity" training, how long before the re-education camps?

Diversity means TAXPAYERS footing the bill for ILLEGAL CRIMMIGRANTS healthcare (I just invented a new word!) Which U.S. laws am I allowed to break?? Give me a list? Which U.S. laws I can break and be given money & benefits for.

Diversity means TAXPAYERS footing the bill for ILLEGAL immigrants car insurance in the form of SKYROCKETING rates for a driver like me with no points EVER.

Diversity means TAXPAYERS footing the bill for ILLEGAL immigrants to be educated here, they STEAL enough of peoples tax money that they can't put their kids through college but are FORCED to pay to educate ILLEGAL OCCUPANTS committing a crime.

I could go on forever, you can add your own.

It's no different than an ILLEGAL immigrant holding a gun to your head and saying, pay for hospital bill, pay for my kids education, pay higher car insurance so I can drive a car uninsured, AND THE POLITICIANS LET IT HAPPEN AND ENCOURAGE IT.

[Leisler]

The Ponzi artists are running out of new suckers. This is just a stop gap, final squeeze of lemon. Bringing in non western bodies is just like giving a last stage cancer patient a cocktail shot of morphine and vitamin B12.

[Billthedrill]

Well, there's diversity and then there's diversity - if the police are English, the cook is French, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian, and everything is organized by Swiss you have a pretty good thing going. When the police are German, the cooks English, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, and everything is organized by Italians, well...

[Beckwith]

"They Live" is a fun movie!

They do, you know -- and you don't need glasses to see 'em.

[WesternCulture]

I'm not offended or anything, but let's be trifle realistic.

(You wrote:)

"Lately the culture of former Eastern European Soviet bloc- countries has surpassed anything coming out of France, Sweden,Germany even Italy/"

- When it comes to WESTERN European culture, do you mean to suggest that the great abyss of this particular branch of human culture represented by, for instance, Mozart, Rabelais, Schiller, The Nobel Prize institution, Goya or Petrarch etc, is no longer being properly attended to by WESTERN European inhabitants, while Eastern Europeans are enviable in this respect?

Or, do you believe Eastern Europe has produced so much more of cultural value than Western Europe since the wall came down?

I'd say you're wrong in any case.

Eastern Europe is not producing much of genuine culture presently. If it did, I would've noticed it.

I'm not claiming Western Europe is paying proper attention to its cultural heritage.

What I'm saying here is that NEARLY NO ONE OF US ARE.

If anyone does not understand the teachings of a man like Pico della Mirandola, he or she ought not to speak of culture.

- But if such a person wishes, sincerely, to LEARN about what culture is, two recommendable points of departure are these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Man

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/pico.html

Greetings from Gothenburg, Sweden!

[goodnesswins]

I don't understand why they don't BAN face coverings!? It's obvious why they are covering their faces....and it ain't good.

[Surtur]

Neither did fiddles. Anachronisms in satirical art are nothing new, but thanks for the history lesson, it was quite informative. I knew the arch was Roman, but wasn't aware of its history.

[WesternCulture]

Concerning burqa ban:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqa_ban

Read more:

http://www.altavista.com/web/results?itag=ody&pg=aq&aqmode=s&aqa=&aqp=burqa+ban&aqo=&aqn=&aqb=&kgs=0&kls=0&dt=tmperiod&d2=0&dfr%5Bd%5D=1&dfr%5Bm%5D=1&dfr%5By%5D=1980&dto%5Bd%5D=31&dto%5Bm%5D=1&dto%5By%5D=2007&filetype=&rc=dmn&swd=&lh=&nbq=10

[goodnesswins]

Isn't that a GUY covering his face.....not a woman in a Burqa?

[AegirThor]

Exactly. Some people want a kleptocracy like Chavez' Venezuela. I keep meeting Venezuelans here in the UK who have escaped his regime and want to live somewhere a bit more sane. However with Blair and Cameron (Blair Lite) I hasten to add that it is only a 'bit' more sane.

[Publius6961]

An alternative assertion to European strength consisting in thoughtless PC gaiety would be the immense, unsurpassed European contribution to the development of Technology, Science and the depiction of Man and his life here upon Earth as interpreted by the Humanist ideals stemming from The Renaissance and Antiquity.

Unfortunately, that is not much use against the most severe threat facing the world, against an enemy for whom neither antiquity nor the rennaissance means much...

[Fishrrman]

"The Strength of Europe is its Diversity"

This is right out of Orwell. It belongs in a hallowed spot right next to, "freedom is slavery".

Diversity is never a strength because race is never a strength.

I think you really ought to give reconsideration to the latter portion of your statement above.

- John

[george76]

We want Europe to be successful.

We do not hate Europe.

Many of our ancestors came from Europe.

Our issue is that we do not like seeing another hateful group of thugs trying to take over Europe.

[Major_Risktaker]

Diversity means blending the third worlds ignorant & starving population with first world countries and destroying western civilization boarders as they are today to achieve a Star Trek like UN new world order super government.

Some of Hollywood's super wealth show the world the way to a global cumbia life style of diversity.

_______________________________

Heidi Klum and Husband Seal.

Heidi Klum with new baby.

________________________

Brad Pitt and Family

________________________

Madonna and adopted baby.

__________________________

The way to conquer Islam is to liberate Islamic Women.

Separate Islamic women from their Islamic husbands by western world integration and in time Islam will fail just like Christianity is failing today.

____________________________

One more thing.

homogeneity vs. xenophobia

Snip:

This homogeneity, as many Japanese attest, is the cement which has held this nation together, and it can be used to explain a number of various cultural phenomena, such as the aforementioned ideological flexibility.

Snip:

Thus, capitalism is in full swing, whereas gay marriage is very likely a few millenia off in Japan.

Snip:

Are the news reports xenophobia, perhaps even racism? Perhaps they are. But if I compare them to news headlines coming from the States, it is really not much different. Gays are scapegoated for spreading STDs, Muslims are scapegoated for terrorism, Christians are attacked for spreading non-science, conservatives are blamed for economic troubles and liberals are blamed for the breakdown of the nuclear family. Japanese xenophobia is increasingly understandable in this comparative light, and given their history - who can blame them?

________________________

To sum it up, Diversity is like a massive Global Migration Ghettoization wealth redistribution program for UN Liberal Communist via the G8 countries.

[Publius6961]

Europe's strength has come primarily from the United States shouldering the burden of their common defense for over 60 years.

OUCH!
That's gonna leave a mark!

[Publius6961]

Wow.
Just wow!

[Publius6961]

We have signs all over bus shelters etc. up here in Toronto that say this exact message, "Diversity is our Strength".

Well, it might be accurate, so far as it goes.
Canada is now a third-rate nation, a self-imposed demotion; they can call the result pretty much anything they want.

[Publius6961]

Eastern Europe is not producing much of genuine culture presently. If it did, I would've noticed it.

You may have failed to notice it, but neither has Western Europe, for over 75 years, now.

[Publius6961]

Actually, "Nero" is being portrayed by Jacques Chirac with the backdrop being the Arc de Triomphe The cartoon is probably about the Paris riots of the past year.

Some people wear cultural straightjackets.
Cartoons are editorials by symbolism, not doctoral history dissertations...