EUROPEÍSTAS. Europeístas Association (Europeanists) - Dossier 2017 Non-profit organisation based in Spain

Transcription

1 Europeístas Association (Europeanists) - Dossier 2017 Non-profit organisation based in Spain!1

2 INDEX 1. What is Europeístas 2. Motivation - Why Europeístas 3. Fields of activity 4. Organisation 5. Facts and media 6. How to collaborate / become a member 7. Contact!2

3 1. What is Europeístas Europeístas is a non-profit organisation founded in 2017 in Spain, which aims to support and promote its three basic pillars: Modern Family Ecology and sustainability Europeanism Because the social changes of the 21st century have broadened the concept of family and a healthy society must count on all of them. We want to highlight the importance of the family in the 21st century, in all its varieties (single-parent, same-sex, divorced, blended, nuclear, grandparents, etc.) and its role as a pillar to support an education in European values, and to uphold rights and freedoms. All family members should be protected without distinction. The best interest of the child shall be the paramount concern, without discrimination. Because sustainability is something we cannot leave until later if we want this "later" to actually arrive. We see ecologism and sustainable development not only as a recognised need, but also as an opportunity. We propose to integrate environmental considerations into the decisions taken under other policies, thereby ensuring the qualitative improvement of the welfare state, and not only quantitative aspects as traditional politics tend to measure. Because nationalism and populism are threatening great European achievements over the years. We want a strong, solidary and democratic Europe. We want to highlight the European achievements and further build the EU, but at the same time pointing and correcting the Union own flaws. We want a Union which is more than the sum of its members, which makes us competitive in a globalised world and strong against growing economic and social threats that could not be faced as individual states.!3

4 EUROPEÍSTAS In order to effectively face the problems and challenges posed to the European citizens in those areas, it is fundamental to step away from a language based on confrontations of contraries, which has become usual in politics during the last years and which, far from finding solutions, polarises the society. Europeístas foundations lay on radical and social liberal grounds, namely, by seeking solutions that are able to act on the roots of a problem and go beyond the mere symptomatic treatment of the same, and based on the belief that the good of the community is harmonious with the freedom of the individual (i.e. social justice is compatible with individual liberty). 2. Motivation - Why Europeístas Europeístas was born from the feeling of vertigo that remains after looking around and realising what we have before us: Brexit, that will set the United Kingdom outside the EU and, along with it, thousands of European citizens; the arrival of Trump to The White House with his hyper protectionism and polemic measures; that video provided by NASA, that you surely watched, showing Artic Ice Sea depletion over the past decades. Europeístas was born from an everolder Europe, in age and intellectually, a less advanced and solidary Europe, which slowly moves away from what it always represented: Enlightenment, Renaissance, philosophy, welfare... Europeístas was born to stop staring and start taking action!4

5 3. Fields of activity Each of our basic pillars naturally encompasses a number of sociopolitical issues, which translate into problems affecting the society. These give rise to the following aspects (listed points are not meant to be exhaustive but shown as illustration): Modern Family Promote respect, solidarity, tolerance and care. No discrimination. Parental co-responsibility. Joint custody. Work/life balance policies. Intrafamily violence. Freedom to form a family, choose an education, etc. Ecology and sustainability Conscious consumption. Food security. Informed labelling (i.a. processes). Energy prices, supply security, competitive market, environmental sustainability. Waste management. Circular economy. Animal protection. Europeanism 'Polycrisis': economic, refugees, etc. Loss of trust in EU institutions. National governments failing to meet compromises. Internal threats: rising nationalism and populism. External threats: USA, Russia, China, etc. The association Europeístas is endeavouring to promote and publicise the topics related to its foundations in an attempt to raise awareness and find solutions to the problems posed, be it via research and analysis, debates or discussions forums involving citizens and/or experts, thematic seminars or supporting organisations or movements sharing our goals or some of them, only to name some possible actions. Europeístas is fully committed to human rights.!5

6 4. Organisation The association Europeístas was initiated by 37 founding members with different professional backgrounds, who stem from a plurality of political and social concerns and/ or activism. The steering committee is formed by ten members, as follows: Miguel Á. Arranz 1st Vice-president José F. Sigüenza President Fernando Castellano 2nd Vice-president presidencia@europeistas.com vicepresidencia@europeistas.com secretaria@europeistas.com Mayte Pascual Secretariat europeistas@europeistas.com familia@europeistas.com Iván Rodríguez Vocal gestion@europeistas.com contacto@europeistas.com Germán J. Sanz Treasury prensa@europeistas.com Arkynea Barat WG Family Rocío Santos Communication Patricia Pérez Press!6 David Fernández Social Media

7 Europeístas has developed three working groups (WGs), one for each main topic: modern family, sustainability and Europe. Any member of the association wishing to collaborate with his/her ideas and work, is able to choose in which working group he/she is interested the most. In addition, there is a dedicated communications and social media team, also open to collaboration of associates, either by generating or managing content, or even with ideas we have not thought of yet. We value creativity and willpower greatly. 5. Facts and media Europeístas is a young organisation. However, due to its active online and offline presence, it has soon made a name of itself among the pro-european movements. Online it is very active mainly in Twitter, but also in Facebook Offline has been present in different events, conferences and debates. Europeístas was one of the first organisations that became official partner of #MarchForEurope2017 and the first one from Spain. The March was promoted by The Union of European Federalists (UEF), The Spinelli Group, Young European Federalists (JEF), Stand Up For Europe and The European Movement International, and supported by dozens of European and national personalities. Some early partners of #MarchForEurope2017 Europeístas has also partnered with different organisations in the alternative march organised in Madrid, for those who could not make it to Rome.!7

8 With only some months of life, Europeístas has already participated in the local and national media, even enyoying a weekly space ( europeistas) in the digital version of the general-interest Spanish daily La Razón, which has high national circulation. 6. How to collaborate / become a member Whether you are a organisation planing some action or a private individual who shares our goals (or some of them), we are pleased to work together with you. By visiting our website you can either suscribe to our newsletter or write us a message using the form found under CONTACT US. Alternatively, you can send an to contacto@europeistas.com or to one of the specific addresses listed above under Organisation. If you are interested in becoming a member, you only have to notify us and we will send you all the necessary information for the inscription. If you apply after the start of the year, you will not have to pay the full-year fee of 60 euros, but only the proportional part starting from the current month (e.g. if you apply in April, you would only pay for the remaining 9 months, namely, 9/12 of the anual fee, that is 45 euros). There are plenty of ways to work together in order to achieve the common goals and we are also happy to hear or read your own ideas. Together we stand. 7. Contact General contact contacto@europeistas.com