Ode to Joy, Ode to Europe

Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (TEEC). On March 25th, 1957 - not even 12 years after having stood on opposing sides during World War II - representatives of Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany came together to form this European alliance that would be expanded over the years to officially become the European Union with the 1992 Maastricht Treaty.

The European Union still has many critics, as could be seen very publicly with the 2016 Brexit referendum in which the British citizens voted for exiting the EU, which will leave this continental alliance with its remaining 27 member states. It goes without saying that any such union of different countries, with different cultures, different languages, different agendas, and a very conflictive history for centuries can't be an easy union. However, there is one statistic that should show any critic that there's no alternative to this union.

No explanation needed, I guess. Without a doubt, the Brexit has shown that there is still a lot of work to be done. And hopefully our politicians will never rest and keep improving the European Union, so that it may always hold up high the very crucial values of friendly cohabitation, of trustful partnerships, of democracy and peace.

The European anthem is a part of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony", completed in 1824, inspired by "Ode to Joy", written in 1785 by Friedrich Schiller. The lyrics of the poem, which were partially adopted and rearranged for the anthem, are worth reading over and over again, especially the first stanza:

Joy, beautiful spark of divinity,

Daughter from Elysium,

We enter, drunk with fire,

Heavenly One, thy sanctuary!

Your magics join again

What custom strictly divided;

All people become brothers,

Where your gentle wing abides.

All people become brothers. A very romantic idea. A hope. A dream. But one worth living.