David SASSOLI, EP President makes a statement during the ceremony conferring an honorary degree in European and International Studies to Antonio Megalizzi at the University of Trento. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

fight against terrorism (T)

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Italy

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

Ceremony conferring an honorary degree in European and International Studies to Antonio Megalizzi: statement by David SASSOLI, EP President - University of Trento

Title: Ceremony conferring an honorary degree in European and International Studies to Antonio Megalizzi: statement by David SASSOLI, EP President - University of Trento

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Good morning. Mr. President of the Republic, very kind civil, political and religious authorities. Mr. Rector. Greetings to Antonio's family, to dear Luana. Obviously to all friends of the city of Trento, to the students of this prestigious University.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, It has been 30 months since that evening of 11 December 2018. In those days in Strasbourg, you will remember, the plenary session of our Parliament was in progress at a time of celebration. The city was in a Christmas atmosphere, it was animated by tourists, by many parliamentary journalists. Among them there was also Antonio Megalizzi, a young man who paid for a ticket to participate in the plenary sessions of the Parliament, who had a mission to fulfill, that of telling young people about Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, To tell it, to explain it, to tell about the measures we adopted and thus try to create among the young people that harmony with a Europe that at that moment was being attacked from many sides, which was somehow tempted to divide. The death of Antonio and four other people, including his Polish friend and colleague Niedzielski. On that evening of pain and terror, they are still very much living wounds for us.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, They are alive in our memory and will remain in the history of the European Parliament. We cannot forget what happened. Antonio, like his peers, represented, as the rector very well said, the symbol of the Europe we want. A Europe close to its citizens, supportive, authoritative, which grows thanks to dialogue and comparison. Two aspects that underlie good politics, which constitute the backbone of any democratic system.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, This day, so important, on which the University of Trento has decided to award Antonio an honorary degree in European and International Studies, allow me to greet all the students present, those who are connected with us, especially the friends of Europhonica, the university radio network with which Antonio collaborated. A place for exchanging and elaborating ideas, for good communication, but also an open space for information, for in-depth study dedicated to young people.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Because Antonio was a person who strongly believed in the European dream and fed it every day with his work, with his passion. In fact, his goal was to make millions of boys and girls aware of Europe's opportunities, to stimulate debates and to open up to discussion. We like to think that he would have appreciated the way in which the European Union has dealt with the serious crisis of the pandemic in these 13-14 months. In ways that are profoundly different from the past, the ones he hoped for.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, To see our programs also dedicated to the younger generations. The recovery and resilience program with the Next Generation EU. To know that the European Parliament has fought and obtained an over-due increase of that flagship program of the Union which is Erasmus, which he considered essential for the formation of European citizenship. We would have had him by our side. We are sure of this. Also in the defense of the rule of law, of the fundamental values that animate the European debate today and find a point of reference in the European institutions.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Peace between nations, freedom of thought, respect for people, for all people, the protection of diversity are the founding principles of our identity. If we took all this, Europe would find itself without identity and functions. This is why the European Parliament asks that the protection of our treaties be ensured with care, at a time when some countries are intervening, undermining the autonomy of the judiciary and information. Just as we support the opening of infringement procedures and encourage them, by the European Commission, against those countries that declare some of their territories LGBTIQ + free zones. This is intolerable for us.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, When we talk about territories that are forbidden to someone, our citizens' right to equality is questioned. In Europe the rights of every person are rights of all. Antonio would help us to speak to young people, to convey the message that the European way of life is admired around the world. Too often it is underestimated by us, in our debates, in our countries. Faced with intolerance, hatred, terrorist threats, interference, new challenges that the global world presents to us, Antonio Megalizzi would have reminded us, as the President of the Republic often did, that Europe is ours. destiny. Or as he liked to repeat: "the real key to our future". Thank you.