Dear Distinguished Professors,
Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are honoured to have been selected to speak on behalf of the students in this Master Programme and each of us would like to describe a different aspect of our course. I would like to give the word to Angelina to present some ideological or perhaps idealistic elements of the programme, to Gresa to speak about the contextual issues. Finally, I would conclude with the personal touch. Angelina, please!
Thank you, Zoran!
Today we officially become Masters of European Integration and Regionalism. But have we mastered European integration. Do we know what our degree means? Allow me to summarize the results of our group.
First and foremost, European integration is a dream, a product of the mind. Like Professor Marko, we are young intellectuals who are convinced in the necessity to identify, analyse and follow influential ideas. In all our countries, the countries in South-eastern Europe, in the beginning there was a dream – the dream of united Europe, Europe without borders, not only because borders can cause conflicts, but because borders always damage freedom – freedom of movement, freedom of establishment, even the freedom to choose a state, peacefully of course.
Second, European integration is a programme which complements the dream. As you all know, this programme includes EU law (including the case law of ECJ), regionalism and federalism, minority integration, migration and enlargement policy, and cooperation with international organizations such as the United Nations, OSCE, the Council of Europe.
Finally, European integration, as we lived it in our Master Programme means tolerance through enlightenment. Academic knowledge and depth are necessary but not sufficient. To benefit from the Master Programme, each of us had to sacrifice time and effort, yet also home comfort, lifestyle, inertia, even prejudice. These sacrifices however did not affect the uniqueness of each of us. They only allowed us to know each other and live together – sing the same songs (in different languages), create common jokes, ask the world the same questions.
I know it may not sound credible, but it is possible, since it happened to us. It happened to us and prepared us for the present moment and the future. Gresa?
Thank you, Angelina!
It is true that there have been two years of hard work and commitment, preparing ourselves for the challenges of the future.
The 2007 is crucial year for South Eastern Europe! It has started with two new members states joining the European family. The Western Balkans has come a long way as well. The incentives related to the accession into the European Union have proven to be very effective in helping to promote reforms. The actual integration process has paved the way for successes that have been difficult to imagine just seven years ago.
Being from Kosovo it is important to mention that the European integration perspective and the European oriented youth like ourselves are the greatest guarantees for peace and stability at the eve of the Kosovo’s future status determination as the last remaining piece to be resolved in the Western Balkans. We hope that notwithstanding what comes out of the status package, the situation will be kept constructive, the cooperation spirit alive and that future boundaries will not become walls between enemies but bridges between neighbors.
As soon to be alumni of the Masters Program on European Integration and Regionalism, we will be able and better prepared to embrace obligations and contribute to the reforms in our countries, regional cooperation and European integration itself. This Masters has given us the knowledge and experience to understand and deal with the requirements of the path towards EU in one hand and the importance of the local governance and protection of minority rights in the other. The latter is especially important in the context of most of the countries that are represented in the Masters Program. Respecting our differences is a great value and the base for building a future together. This Masters is a witness of the strong friendships that have grown among us. Amazing things can happen when we are only given the chance to speak to each other….
On this note, we need to express our deepest gratitude to the institutions involved in this initiative, the University of Graz, the European Research Academy and the European Institute for Public Administration, for seizing the opportunity to build a new generation of people whose ideals will be to respect and work for incorporating the EU values into those of their own countries.
Our special thanks and deepest respect to the Scientific Director of the Program, Professor Marko for all his support and commitment not only to the program, but to the idea of bringing youth together through higher education with the purpose of expanding values, networks and cooperation.
Of course lets not forget that the soul of this program have been the students with whom we have been through some of the greatest moments in our lives. Now, I will pass it on to my colleague Zoran who will speak about the Masters Program from a more personal perspective.
Thank you very much.
Thank you Gresa!
Let me express my greatest honour to speak about the personal perspective of what we have been through and the people that made this wonderfull experience possible. Since, becoming an expert in a certain field is hard, but becoming and remaining a good human being is one of the hardest and greatest challenges in life.
Prof.Marko, it seems to me that apart from the knowledge filter you have applied some kind of an invisible “good character filter” in the selection of the participants of this program. And this also applies to the management of our program. Emma and Sergiu were always very kind, cooperative, helpful, supportive, both so professional and so personal with all of us.
And my colleagues- they ranged from hitchhikers and adventurists, urban legends from the Balkans, gracious and very intelligent ladies whom I had the greatest privilege to meet and work with.
Sure, we worked hard, but we didn’t forget our social activities. From exploring South Tyrol and visiting the Aichner familiy for an unforgettable lunch, sledging in Austria and even some bizarre moments like recovering the stolen briefcase of our professor on the streets of Barcelona...
We built an atmosphere of high mutual respect and friendship, a curiosity to learn about each others cultures, the “soft learning” the Prof.Heichlinger was talking about. We made a big European family with a joint European vision!
I would feel deeply honoured if I have given my small contribution to the overall great success of this programme!
Therefore, Prof.Marko, let me thank you for being the mastermind of this programme, let me thank the management of the University of Graz for having the courage and vision to support Prof.Marko’s adventurous endeavours to found this MA Programme that already became very popular and “talked about” in all of our countries, let me thank Emma for being the heart of the programme, Sergiu for being the hands of the programme and each and every one of you for being its living cells!
On behalf of the three of us, congratulations and all the best in life!
(Huge applause:)
