Tony Bennett, Differing diversities - Council of Europe

Differing diversitiesa Euro-lottery whose prize-money would be awarded in ECU, “to make Europecome alive for the Europeans” (ibid.: 21). The Committee also called for the formationof European sports teams; the transmission of more factual informationabout Community activities and their significance for European citizens (including“the historical events which led to the construction of the Community andwhich inspire its further development in freedom, peace and security”); the inaugurationof school exchange programmes and voluntary work camps for youngpeople, and the introduction of a stronger “European dimension” in educationthrough the creation of new school books and teaching materials (ibid.: 21-25).These populist measures were designed to enhance European consciousness and“Europeanise” the cultural sector. But the Committee went further. To create a“People’s Europe”, it argued, also required new symbols communicating theCommunity’s principles and values. As the European Commission states(1988: 9):“Symbols play a key role in consciousness-raising but there is also a need tomake the European citizen aware of the different elements that go to make uphis European identity, of our cultural unity with all its diversity of expression,and of the historical ties which link the nations of Europe.”If the citizen lacked awareness of (sic) “his European identity”, the Commissionevidently saw its task as remedying this deficiency. Foremost among the symbolicmeasures proposed was the new European Commission emblem and flag: a circleof twelve yellow stars set against a blue background. That flag, adopted in June1985, was taken from the logo of the Council of Europe. The rationale for thisemblem, as the Council of Europe described it, was because:“Twelve was a symbol of perfection and plentitude, associated equally with theapostles, the sons of Jacob, the tables of the Roman legislator, the labours ofHercules, the hours of the day, the months of the year, or the signs of theZodiac. Lastly, the circular layout denoted union.” (cited in Löken, 1992: 9) 1For the Commission this represented “the symbol par excellence of Europeanidentity and European unification” (Adonnino, 1995: 9). Other symbolic vehiclesfor communicating the “Europe idea” included the creation of European postagestamps bearing portraits of famous European pioneers; the standardised Europeanpassport, driving licence, and car number-plates; and a European anthem – the“Ode to Joy” – taken from the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.To boost the Community’s image Adonnino recommended EuropeanCommission-sponsored sporting competitions and awards, “public awareness”campaigns, and a host of high profile cultural initiatives from the conservation andrestoration of the Parthenon and the formation of a European Youth Orchestra andOpera Centre, to the formation of a “European literature prize” and hundreds of“Jean Monnet Awards” for creating new university courses and posts in European__________1. Bainbridge and Teasdale (1995: 189) also point out that the circle of twelve gold stars is also aChristian symbol: the Virgin Mary’s halo (Revelation 12:1).112