For the peace and brotherhood of men

Though these are hardly images of “peace and reconciliation”, it is worth considering that the demonstrations and strikes take place because they are legitimate channels for citizens to express their discontent in democratic societies. And the negotiations are tough because they are about large sums of money that sovereign states are offering each other out of solidarity, and in protection of a common project.
In addition, these talks focus on new ways for EU member states to pool their sovereignty, such as in financial governance. These are certainly topics worthy of firm debate within and between democratic states.
What we are witnessing, then, is not the sun setting on an old EU, as some commentators like to argue. I believe we are seeing the dawn of a new EU. It has been said before, and I will repeat it here: What we need is more Europe, not less of it. This is what will ensure the return of sound public finances and renewed competitiveness in Europe. This is what will put back to work those who are now unemployed.
Amid this current turmoil it is easy to forget, even for Europeans, that the origins of modern Europe did not lie in the expanding peace and growing prosperity that the continent got used to in the course of the past 60 years. Halfway through the 20th century, Europe had fought three major wars in the seven preceding decades, each more devastating than the previous one. The destruction that the European people faced when hostilities finally ended in 1945 is almost unimaginable now, with millions dead, infrastructure destroyed and hundreds of thousands of refugees roaming the continent. The foremost objective of the founders of the European Union, then, was to break out of this cycle of violence and despair to achieve a sustainable peace and rebuild hope in a better future.
Europeans had learned from bitter experience that sustainable peace and development could only be built on democratic governance, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights. Together they set out to achieve reconciliation and development through international cooperation. Starting with cooperation in the two industries that had underwritten the wars of the time, coal and steel, our project expanded to include ever-closer economic cooperation, environmental policies and even external relations. Adherence to our core values is a precondition for aspiring member states and as the union expanded from six to 27 countries, the EU proved instrumental in overcoming military authoritarianism in some countries and communist dictatorship in others. It bolstered democracy while building the world’s largest market.
The path we have chosen is not an easy one. Making decisions in a diverse group of countries takes time, but we have learned that the price of conflict is much higher than the cost of consensus. It is time well spent, using a model that has served us well and that, I believe, can be of inspiration for other regions in the world looking to promote freedom and overcome conflict.
Today, more than half a billion people, some 7 per cent of the entire world population, are citizens of the European Union. They live in peace and relative prosperity, and in democratic societies that are governed by the rule of law and with respect for human rights. We built the European Union together and this Nobel Peace Prize is for all the EU’s citizens.
We can be proud of our achievements but in order for them to remain relevant our founding values have to be protected and fought for every day. Rather than resting on our laurels we should take this award as an inspiration for our engagement to lasting peace and prosperity – within Europe, but also outside of its borders. Already, the EU champions human rights around the globe. It is the biggest provider of humanitarian and development assistance worldwide and it is the largest trader and investor in the world.
Logically, considering our foundations, the European Union is also a firm supporter of multilateralism. We support the fight for international peace and for inalienable human rights through the UN family. We help ensure a level playing field in international trade through the World Trade Organisation and we promote the delivery of international justice through our support for the International Criminal Court.
On the medal that will be awarded today is engraved the image of Alfred Nobel and, in Latin, the text “for the peace and brotherhood of men”. This motto reminds us of the need to make Europe’s mission for peace a forward- and outward-looking one, and help those who do not enjoy the same freedoms that we do, those whose lives might be threatened by war, those who suffer from deprivation or oppression. In spite of the current difficulties we face at home, the EU will continue to reach out. We owe it to the history of the European Union and we owe it to the future of the world.

Ambassador David Lipman is the head of the delegation of the European Union to Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, a post he has held since 2009.