Congratulations to Ms von der Leyen! Europe is a woman indeed! The courage and boldness of your actions will set the pace of what you called an EU that strives for more. There is no other way than the one to dream and provide a Sustainable Europe for future generations.

Dear President, Dear David, I would like to congratulate you on your election as President of the European Parliament, the institution that best represents our European democracy. In your inauguration speech, you illustrated a vision that I fully endorse.

"They [the Catholics] are not to be trusted. They do not belong here." Just back from Ireland, the voice of a mother resonates in my mind, pointing out just how fragile peace is in a place that once, not so long ago, was devastated by religious divisions and psychological borders. The mother has since changed her mind after participating in the EU-funded PEACE programme, but her words are a strong reminder that Brexit can reignite past discord. 

The President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Luca Jahier will visit Belfast and Bangor on 25-26 June to discuss the future of Northern Ireland beyond Brexit. Mr Jahier is the only President of an EU institution to visit Northern Ireland since the 2016 referendum on UK withdrawal from the EU. 

As EESC President, I welcome the new strategic agenda for 2019-2024 adopted on Thursday by the European heads of state and government. There is no other alternative than to strengthen the role of the European Union in an increasing volatile and unsettled changing world. At the last European elections, citizens have given us five years to build the Europe of tomorrow. We cannot waste this new chance and deliver business-as-usual.

On 13 and 14 June 2019, the EESC, together with the Consiglio Nazionale dell'Economia e del Lavoro (CNEL) organised the yearly “Annual meeting of the Presidents and Secretaries-General of the Economic and Social Councils of the EU and the EESC” in Rome. The topic of this year's conference was “The ESCs role in sustainable development and the implementation of the Social Pillar”.

Less than two weeks ago, the citizens of Europe expressed their democratic right and voted in the European elections. For the first time in the EU elections' history, the turnout was higher than in the previous round and higher than in any European election since 1994. Clearly, the legitimate concerns over climate change and environment were on top of the agenda of voters in many European countries and also in all the four main political forces.

A delegation of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), composed of President Luca Jahier, Jaroslaw Mulewicz (Chair of EESC ACP-EU Follow-up Committee) and Carlos Trindade (Chair of EESC Permanent Group on Migration) is visiting Ethiopia this week (27-31 May) to bring EESC support to local civil society and to discuss the EU strategy in Africa.

Recent events are showing us that we must not let down our guard and believe that the 60 years of peace in Europe are to be taken for granted. Our Fundamental Rights, which are enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union are not to be taken for granted. It is inadmissible that last year saw the largest number of anti-semitic acts in decades, leading to an increasing sense of emergency among Jewish communities worldwide. 

Culture is a powerful tool to build bridges between people and reinforce mutual understanding. Artistic freedom, enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU as well as the Treaty of the EU, is essential for development of our open democracies and our European values and identity. I, therefore, welcome the Council conclusions on an EU strategic approach to international cultural relations and a framework for action of 8 April.

Civil society intends to play its part in the run up to the European elections scheduled for 23-26 May. To mobilise members and civil society organisations at all levels, the European Economic and Social Committee organised an event titled Civil Society for rEUnaissance on 21 February 2019.