EU citizens celebrate community and engage policymakers at gathering
EU citizens came together at the University of Manchester to address key policymakers and politicians, share their experiences and celebrate their community.
On Friday, 11 July, the EU Citizens玉米视频� Gathering took place at the University of Manchester, bringing together community leaders, policymakers and citizens to celebrate the contributions of EU nationals in the UK.
The event, organised by the EU Delegation to the UK in partnership with the University and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, aimed to provide a platform for EU citizens to connect, learn and empower each other, while promoting a sense of belonging and unity.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, opened the event before welcoming EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael MacGrath to the stage for his keynote speech 玉米视频楶eople at the heart of the EU-UK relationship玉米视频�.
The Vice President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley, also delivered a keynote address, and President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison thanked all delegates for their contributions.
Throughout the day, a range of breakout sessions, workshops and discussions took place which addressed key challenges for EU citizens and explored ways to strengthen civic engagement in the future. Sessions covered the importance of collaborating with stakeholders, the wellbeing of EU citizens post-Brexit, and how to foster EU networks in the UK, among other topics.
There were also chances for networking throughout the day, encouraging guests to connect with fellow EU citizens, community leaders and representatives from a variety of institutions.
Organised in conjunction with the gathering was a public roundtable discussion on the European security landscape, hosted by the Manchester Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (MJMCE). The roundtable was chaired by MJMCE Director, Silke Trommer, and featured a panel of diplomats and academics, including EU Ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano; Ambassador of Slovakia to the UK Peter Susko; Maltese High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Montefort; High Commissioner of Cyprus to the UK Kyriac蠈s Kouros; and Global Politics Professor Toni Haastrup.
After introductory remarks on the future of EU-UK security cooperation, Silke invited questions from the audience, which was made up of around 150 students, staff and external guests from local, national and international politics.
Through dialogue, recognition and collaboration, both events gave citizens a chance to spotlight key issues and understand the bigger picture of the EU-UK relationship, while sharing lived experiences, challenges and vulnerabilities with one another and building a supportive community of people.
Professor Dimitris Papadimitriou, the Faculty of Humanities玉米视频� Vice-Dean for Social Responsibility and Inclusion, reflected on the EU Citizens玉米视频� Gathering, saying:
This was the EU Delegation玉米视频檚 headline outreach activity to EU citizens and the first time it has ever taken place outside London.
Building on the University玉米视频檚 commitment to civic engagement, we were delighted to host this event at our campus, particularly since Greater Manchester is home to over 120,000 EU nationals.
Our Faculty玉米视频檚 Social Responsibility team were extraordinary in helping to facilitate proceedings on the day and a lot of very useful networking has taken place, connecting University leaders to some of the most senior EU officials in the country.
