After World
War II, the world wanted peace and stability. In Europe,
leaders envisioned an end to hatred and rivalry. Coal
and steel, seeds of the modern European Union, helped
to reconcile six different nations. The organization grew:
it developed into a larger economic community, it held
its first elections to the European Parliament, and it
gained members such as Greece and Portugal. When the Berlin
Wall and the Soviet empire fell, Europe was changed forever.
New democracy flowed to countries, promising to add strength
to the organization. On November 1st, 1993, the modern
European Union was officially created. I am a member of
the recent Generation Y, and I have not seen the horrors
of World War II or the wars that ravaged Europe in the
first half of the 20th century. When I hear about the
terrible events of the past, I can only imagine the pain
and suffering. I sense an overwhelming discontent, a past
zeitgeist of pessimism. I find myself asking the same
questions that many have asked in the face of war and
strife: How could there be so much hatred between equal
men and women? What can we do to change things? After
learning about the European Union, I reinforced my belief
that international cooperation is the answer. Although
I am not a European, I understand that the issue at hand
is a global one, not restricted to any national boundary.
To me, the European Union is a successful example of what
can be done when differences between countries are put
aside for a greater purpose. By uniting the citizens of
Europe together, the European Union took a step closer
to uniting the world. Strong beliefs in human rights,
social solidarity, free enterprise, fair distribution
of economic growth, and respect for cultural, linguistic,
and religious diversity are just some examples of the
venerable ideals the European Union strives toward.
The European Union means effective international cooperation.
It means establishing a common ground for countries while
protecting diversity at the same time. With accomplishments
such as establishing a single currency and more recently,
gaining the membership of former Soviet-bloc countries
Bulgaria and Romania, it is clear that the European Union
is instigating real, helpful, tangible change to the world.
In the end, the European Union gives hope that we can
enact changes that will help us avoid the wars and strife
of the past. Truly, the European Union works toward the
peace that all countries strive to attain.
