« Antidemocratic and xenophobic forces of Europe have always been attracted by the European unity dream, the mystic of the imperial Rome»
(FB - 1998)
" Being a citizen is a voluntary act "
(FB - 2009)
"Thinking about the future only makes sense if it is aimed at improving one’s thinking about the present and about the trends at work"
(FB - 1998)
"The European project is not a dream, but a hope. It is rooted in rationality, which is not the case with dreams. We Europeans have seen our dreams end in nightmares too often not to be suspicious."
(FB - 2005)
"The strength of a network is judged at the information level of the weakest link, or more precisely the link furthest from the centre of the network."
(FB - 2004)
"Europe's destiny is escaping the two "Greats" and it will come knocking on the door of the Europeans."
(FB - 1989)
"The history of Europe is a bit like a multifaceted diamond. Everyone sees the same diamond... but no one sees exactly the same facets."
(FB - E-storia project, 2004)
"Let us dare the future as the founding fathers of Europe did"
(FB - "From EU to Euroland", 2001)
"The European citizenship can not be decreed. The European citizen can only be born..."
(FB - 1992)
"Every state is a minority in the EU. In any case, let’s not forget that if all our states went into building the EU it is because they all felt too small to face alone both their future and the rest of the world."
(FB - 2003)
"From a single (EU) Currency to a single (EU) Citizenship. The euro is only an instrument."
(FB - 1997)
"An empire is always providing platforms where conflicts and wars prolife­rate... an empire needs enemies, whilst a Community requires partners."
(FB - 1992)
"Europe’s history has taught us that dreams and nightmares are the two faces of the same coin"
(FB - “Europe is Peace” 2006)
"Everybody wants to have a successful enlargement whereas it is a successful enlarged EU which is important."
(FB - 2002)
"It is clear that the existing national political parties can not serve two masters: national and European."
(FB - IDE, 1989)
"It takes teamwork to make Europe move forward."
(FB - 2005)
"There is nothing like one European. The European is a team of Europeans... the only way we can imagine a European, it is a team of people from different countries, not a single man or woman."
(FB - Enschede (NL) 2012)
"On the horizon with a heaven of freedom and a land of responsibility, this is perhaps the soul of Europe."
(FB - 1992)
"The future challenge for the European project is not about Europe anymore, it is about the Europeans."
(FB - 2005)
"The more Brussels speaks English, the less Brussels understands the Europeans"
(FB - 2004)
"Occupy the Future of Europe!"
("What do YOU want as a future for AEGEE?" Franck Biancheri at the 2012 Agora in Enschede)
"To combine new technologies and democratic principles to succeed in the entry of European integration in the 21st century or e-democracy at the service of Euro-democracy"
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"In the years 00 of the 21st century, democratization can only take place in the perspective of the democratic election of a European executive that remains to be invented."
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"We must build the European Community, otherwise Europe will soon be culturally Americanised, politically Finlandised and technologically Japanised"
EGEE I, 1984

First Franck Biancheri Year – Congratulations to AEGEE Delft!

AEGEE Delft has won the competition for the First Franck Biancheri Year

To help keep Franck Biancheri’s work alive, AEGEE and AAFB (Association des Amis de Franck Biancheri) have jointly created the FRANCK BIANCHERI YEAR, in which one AEGEE antenna organizes events related to the legacy of Franck Biancheri during the whole year. Each year we call all AEGEE antennas to hand in proposals and will give financial and educational support to the best project.

 

This year the antenna of AEGEE Delft will be the torchbearer.

First Franck Biancheri Year - Congratulations to AEGEE Delft!
They will inaugurate the year with a cultural event on March 21, which is aimed at bringing international and Dutch students together and where they will present the work of Franck Biancheri. Just before the European elections, they will organize a week of debates in cooperation with other organizations from Delft. After the elections in June there will be an event focussed on overcoming language barriers, a subject, which Franck Biancheri has seen as crucial for the European project. For the summer university they will organize together with AEGEE Leiden and Utrecht a lecture about the ideas of Franck Biancheri and they will close the year with the Franck Biancheri Memorial Event in October.

 

First Franck Biancheri Year - Congratulations to AEGEE Delft!
¤ Franck Biancheri (1961-2012), the founder of AEGEE was a relentless fighter for a more democratic Europe with more influence worldwide, an innovative analyst and a sharp political thinker. His life’s work can be summarized under the motto of his last appearance at the AEGEE Agora at Enschede “Occupy the Future ”. He was the initiator of citizen’s projects, the first trans-european political parties, several think-tanks and other creative projects. It was under his presidency, that AEGEE-Europe realized what can probably be considered it’s most glorious feat, and that is when it played a key role in the adoption of ERASMUS, a program wished by the heads of states, but quietly being buried by their administrations had there not been AEGEE’s decisive fight. ¤ This taught Franck that citizens where key in the success of the European construction and that a European democracy was not just a moral aim but a prerequisite of sustainability of the European project. For this reason he spent the rest of his life advocating by all means the need to democratize European decision-making processes and general functioning: by his innumerable writings on the subject, through many organizations he founded and ran (think-tanks, citizen organizations, political parties, etc…), in launching countless innovative projects (congresses, websites, debates, marathons, online elections, etc…).

 

AEGEE and AAFB are looking forward to the Delft FRANCK BIANCHERI YEAR and the many following years, that will be triggered through this start.