When hundreds gathered to celebrate Europe Day 2024 last Thursday evening, Marianne Van Steen, European Union (EU) ambassador to Jamaica, declared there was not much happiness to cheer about.

Van Steen, in giving her last welcome and remarks as ambassador during the get-together for Europe Day, said war, hate speech, xenophobia, cyber insecurity and lack of respect for territorial integrity and increasing disregard for international law have taken over.

“I’m very sorry, but even if it’s Europe Day today, it’s very difficult to celebrate peace under these circumstances. In Europe, we are in between two wars. One of which I do not need to mention. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Two years ongoing and counting. Another war in south in the Middle East that is even more divisive, and a third war that we should not forget, global warming, and we all know we can only win that war if mankind unite, and I think we’re very far away from that, so yes, we are very worried,” said Van Steen, who arrived in the island almost four years ago.

“We are still inspired by the Schuman Declaration – the running pride that gave birth to the European Union and that remains as relevant today as it was 74 years ago – but if all of that sounds very dark and obscure and it’s not exactly what we want to hear… , there are still countries in the world with people and with leaders who share a commitment to the values that we hold dear [such as] human dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights and Jamaica, the country I have had the honour to serve as an ambassador for almost four years now, is one of those,” she said.

Europe Day is usually the day when the EU celebrates peace with its origins the desire for peace and democracy for the people of Europe and the world. It also honours the legacy of former French foreign minister Robert Schuman, and it is for this reason some persons acknowledge the annual celebration as Schuman Day.

On May 9, 74 years ago, Schuman made a proposal for the cooperation between the European nations after the two world wars, and trying to make the nations live together and making war between them unthinkable.

The annual celebratory event took place at the Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica at Fairway Avenue in Jamaica’s capital.

Worried about extremism

There, Van Steen also said extremism is on the rise and there will soon be elections in Europe at the beginning of June. She noted that she and other Europeans are worried to see an extremist vote arising in that union.

“I’m afraid that this Europe Day, today, May 9, 2024, is not really a day that we can celebrate peace. Our world today is markedly different from the world we aspired to 74 years ago,” Van Steen said.

“Extremism is not only arising in Europe. It’s arising in far too many countries in the world. There are bombs and missiles killing innocent people. There are young people who are protesting, because they see a world in which they see an increase in absence of justice. There are young people protesting, because they are inheriting a world where climate has become a fret for them, for their children [and] for their grandchildren,” she said.

Van Steen noted that she is lucky to find Jamaica a strong, reliable partner, and a nation with which the EU has built a solid relationship for almost 50 years.

For her part, Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, also touched on the significant impact war has on the EU and other states.

“We reflect on the reality that, despite Europe’s vast socio-economic progress, the spectre of war has not been escaped. The cooperation envisioned by the Schuman Declaration was intended as a vehicle to achieve peace and unity. It is indeed the sad reality that the Russian war against Ukraine continues to destroy lives on both sides and threatens the stability which Europe worked hard to achieve,” Johnson Smith said.

“As wars and conflicts rage across the globe, in the Middle East and Africa, the international community continues to count on the EU and its core belief in peace, to assist in returning the world to a place in which peaceful settlement of disputes and reliance on a rules-based multilateral system, guide us all. Jamaica shares in these valued principles and is committed to doing our part,” she said.

Johnson Smith also emphasised that a celebration of Europe Day would not be complete without due recognition of the EU’s extensive international development cooperation programmes. For many decades, these programmes have provided tremendous support to developing countries, like Jamaica.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Jamaica and the EU 49 years ago, the EU has supported Jamaica’s economic growth and development, in critical areas including agriculture, the cultural and creative industries, environment and climate change, citizen security and justice and, most recently, digital transformation.

“In line with Jamaica’s Vision 2030, the EU’s development support continues, but now under the Samoa Partnership Agreement and its NDICI programming, which in turn supports the government’s efforts to improve the quality of life for all Jamaicans,” she said.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com