Inaugural Green Summer School to discuss Lisbon, climate change and migration

Green Party senators and officials will discuss the future of the Lisbon Treaty at the first ever Green Summer School in the German-Polish border cities of Frankfurt Oder and Słubice this weekend. More than 800 participants from 42 countries will attend the green ‘creative laboratory’ and participate in workshops dealing with issues ranging from migration to nuclear energy.

The Summer School will bring together political scientists, trade unionists, filmmakers, authors, environmentalists and scientists, as well as Green politicians from around Europe. Among the guest speakers are Czech Environment Minister Martin Bursík, Finnish Labour Minister Tarja Cronberg, Chairperson of the French European Movement Sylvie Goulard and Leader of the Greens in the European Parliament Daniel Cohn-Bendit. Also attending are cultural figures from across Europe including: Iranian filmmaker Marjane Satrapi (“Persepolis”), and authors Geert Maak (“The Bridge of Istanbul”, “Europe”), Herta Muller (“Animal Heart”), Zülfü Livanelli (“Mutluluk”) and Yuriy Andrukhovych (“My Europe.”)

Green Party Spokesperson for European Affairs Senator Déirdre de Búrca has been invited to speak at a workshop on the Lisbon Treaty on Sunday. She said: “I know my European Green colleagues will be very interested in hearing an analysis of why the Irish people voted to reject the Lisbon Treaty. I believe it is important that those of us representing Ireland at the Summer School help other Europeans to understand why the treaty was rejected. A certain amount of anger and confusion at the Irish result has been expressed by people from other European countries. I think it is important that they are helped to fully understand the complex reasons behind the Irish No vote.”

Senator de Búrca said that, regardless of the future of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union cannot continue on with ‘business as usual.’ “It is obvious that there is a huge sense of disconnect on the part of EU citizens from the European Project, and this must be addressed,” she said. “There must be a willingness on the part of EU leaders to recognise the extent of the problem and to commit themselves to taking the necessary steps to re-engage citizens over the coming years. A major EU-wide initiative will be called for, and I will be outlining some of my thoughts on the issue at this weekend’s Summer School.”

Green Chairperson Senator Dan Boyle added: “Green representatives and thinkers from across European and beyond are attending this important gathering, and it gives us the opportunity to compare and contrast the experience of green parties in government, green parties with significant parliamentary representation, and developing parties – particularly those from former communist countries in Eastern Europe. I’m hoping to discuss new initiatives, ideas and policies that can help our participation in Government in Ireland.”

For the full Summer School programme visit: http://www.green-summer-university.eu/index.php?id=37

Information:
Senator Deirdre de Burca: 086 806 1450Senator Dan Boyle: 087 277 2701

Press Office of the Green Group in the European Parliament:

Helmut Weixler: +32 475 671340Christopher Coakley: +32 485 241622 

Filed under:
European Affairs, Press Release by Deirdre