Forum: “A Progressive Renaissance for Europe”

With the aim to encourage citizen’s participation in the European election debates, and to promote political discussion, FEPS is organising the Renaissance forum in Brussels from 3rd to 5th April with all it’s close partners and members. There will be interactive debates, workshops and other side activities. Speakers confirmed: Elio Di Rupo, Martin Schulz, Hannes Swoboda, Massimo D’Alema, Bruno Tobback, Karl-Heinz Lamberts, Kaisa Penny, Georges Dassis and many more…

Europe is facing a crisis today and it is up to the European Left to propose common solutions. This initiative, called “Renaissance for Europe for a common progressive vision” and launched by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, Fondazione Italianieuropei and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, have accompanied during the last two years three electoral campaigns in France, Germany and Italy.

In 2014 Renaissance for Europe has a broader challenge: to defend the progressive vision during the electoral campaign of the European Elections. The ambition of this event is to reengage progressive leaders and citizens in a political discussion about the state of the Union and the desired directions of integration.

On the Thursday, 3rd of April, we will debate about the main principles of Renaissance: openness, equity and sustainability. FEPS President, Massimo d’Alema, the President of S&D Group, Hannes Swoboda, the President of PES Sergei Stanishev, the President of PES Women, Zita Gurmai, the President of YES, Kaisa Penny, the President of PES Group in the Committee of the Regions, Karl-Heinz Lambertz and the President of the European Economic and Social Committee worker’s group Georges Dassis will lead this discussion. On the Friday morning, 4th of April, ten different workshops will consider different points of views about a specific issue: Democracy, Social Rights, Alternative Economy and Gender Equality are among the topics to cover.

We will address European Local Democracy on Friday afternoon counting on the presence of Progressive Mayors and city councillors. Finally, in the evening, we will decide how to build a Progressive Renaissance for Europe in our leaders debate, with the participation of the Belgian politicians Elio Di Rupo, Prime-Minister of Belgium, Paul Magnette, President of the Parti Socialiste Belge (PS) and Bruno Tobback, President of the Socialistische Partij Anders België (Sp.a) and the closure with the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.