“Check against delivery”
Your Majesty,
Federal Chancellor Merz,
Lord-Mayor Keupen,
Dr. Linden,
Esteemed laureates of the Charlemagne Prize,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Europe is my life. It is the greatest honor of my life to stand here before you today. I want to start by thanking His Majesty King Felipe and Chancellor Merz from the bottom of my heart. Their words embody the spirit of the Charlemagne Prize. This prize and this city stand as a symbol of a united Europe. Aachen speaks to our culture and history, and to the beauty and tragedies of Europe. The miracle of Europe - the reunification of people, history, and destiny - is etched in this city. Here, there are three monuments that powerfully speak about history and the meaning of Europe.
The first is the Aachen Cathedral. Attending a special mass in the Palatine Chapel, you feel Europes history in the 9th century. This cathedral is a testament to the renaissance of Europe by Charlemagne. His vision was a Europe of science, culture, education, and justice. He believed Europes future should be built on its past. For me, Europe means culture, knowledge, history, and values.
The second important place is the old synagogue of Aachen, which 100 years ago saw a young Edith Holländer marry. The synagogue was later destroyed during Kristallnacht. Edith and her family did not survive the war, but her daughter Anne wrote a famous diary. Her words remind us to be vigilant against hate and division. Europe must never go down that path again.
The third place is the town hall, where 75 years ago Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi received the first Charlemagne Prize. His vision of a Europe united by culture and values has largely become a reality. Peace, prosperity, freedom, and unity are what Europe means to me.
These symbols tell us what it means to be European and give direction for our future. They show that our history binds us. Europe must embrace the spirit of change and improvement again. We must strive for an independent Europe, a union that collaborates with its neighbors.
Dear friends, an independent Europe is about our freedom. It is a fundamental choice we must make now. Europe must determine its future itself, free from coercion and aggression. This means working together on security, the economy, and the natural foundations of life. Europe must be stable, open to the world, and defend its values.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
An independent Europe requires us to renew our democracy. Our democracies are under attack, both from outside and within. We must fight back. For many in Europe, life without democracy is still fresh. We must strengthen our democracies to build a stronger Union. Europe can only thrive if democracy thrives.
I began this speech by saying Europe is my life. As a child at the European School in Brussels, I saw Europe as something simple and wonderful. Different people, different languages, but connected. That is what Europe is for me. I dream of a Union where every young person can study or work in another European country. Europe must remain unique and form the basis of our Union. We must use our differences for a stronger Europe. We are not only Italian, French, or German; we are European. This is the legacy we must pass on to our children.
Long live Europe.