Federalists’ two pan-European broadcasts
by Edward Steen. Vienna, March 6, 2022
The Union of European Federalists has over a space of two days organised two historic pro-European demonstrations. On Friday (March 4) Volodymyr Zelensky himself, President of Ukraine, was able to speak directly to European civil society.
“If Ukraine falls, Europe will fall”, he declared, with his supporters cheering in cities across Europe.
In a moving address, he said he would not be silenced and would continue his fight for democracy and for his country.
Supporters across Europe watched his speech live via video walls, an action initiated by Klaus Klipp and his team from the Europa Union Frankfurt (UEF Frankfurt), supported by European Federalists all over Europe.
The livestream was watched over 450,000 times on the UEF YouTube Channel of the Europa Union Frankfurt alone. The speech was also re-streamed by the Austrian UEF, and went live on other social media, reaching hundreds of thousands more.
Yesterday (05/03/2022), over 800 people logged into the live chat at the wildmics channel over Twitch and participated in the “#moreEUROPEnow we stand with Ukraine” online demonstration. Over 5000 more watched the broadcast, making the hashtag #moreEUROPEnow one of the top 40 Twitter trends in Germany.
European NGOs like Europe:United helped set up the innovative live stream, with high-profile speakers live-streamed on Twitch.tv, thanks to the help of writer and comedian Tommy Krappweis and of the Wildmics team.
Speakers from all over Europe made brief statements in English interspersed with live poetry readings and music.
Moderators were Austrian journalist Dr. Nana Walzer, president of Europe:United, Götz Otto, the German Hollywood actor, who played in films such as Schindler’s List, The Fall – Hitler’s Last Days, Iron Sky), and German journalist/ streamer Mháire Stritter. The streamer, gamer, and influencer initiative 2gether.gg also involved itself in this swiftly-organised but highly-successful to support Ukraine and the Europe to which it belongs.
This new format of democratic protest by the European Federalists was the result of truly European cooperation, mainly produced at the Wildmic studios in Ireland, at the #Ferngespräch Team in Bavaria, the UEF Headquarters in Belgium, and at the H64 Max Wratschgo Europahaus in Hennersdorf.
“Be loud – be heard!” were the rousing, welcoming words of Götz Otto. Viewers were asked to spread their protest online quickly and widely to maximise political pressure.
Christa SCHWENG, EESC President, Rainer WIELAND, President of Europa Union Germany, Vice-President of the European Parliament and MEP (EPP), Sandro GOZI, UEF President and MEP (Renew Europe), Eva MAYDEL, EMI President and MEP (Renew Europe), Brando BENIFEI, MEP (S&D), Daniel FREUND, Spinelli Group President, MEP (Greens/EFA) and Lukas MANDL, UEF Austria President and MEP (EPP) were among the speakers.
Primarily reaching young people, so-called “non-political non-organised Youth”, the recording can be seen here. Both historic events were spontaneous initiatives of European Federalists Europe-wide are a best practice example of active European civil society in functioning European democracies.
Right now, when European values and free societies are so fundamentally threatened, “our continent needs many more such courageous, committed, and energetic activists”, said Edward Steen, Secretary-General of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ). “I can only admire this extraordinary, timely effort by the European Federalists to revive the spirit of 1989, and to support Ukraine at this terrible time.”
LINKS
♦ Recording of Saturday pan-Europa online protest
♦ Friday address by Ukrainian President Zelensky