« Antidemocratic and xenophobic forces of Europe have always been attracted by the European unity dream, the mystic of the imperial Rome»
(FB - 1998)
" Being a citizen is a voluntary act "
(FB - 2009)
"Thinking about the future only makes sense if it is aimed at improving one’s thinking about the present and about the trends at work"
(FB - 1998)
"The European project is not a dream, but a hope. It is rooted in rationality, which is not the case with dreams. We Europeans have seen our dreams end in nightmares too often not to be suspicious."
(FB - 2005)
"The strength of a network is judged at the information level of the weakest link, or more precisely the link furthest from the centre of the network."
(FB - 2004)
"Europe's destiny is escaping the two "Greats" and it will come knocking on the door of the Europeans."
(FB - 1989)
"The history of Europe is a bit like a multifaceted diamond. Everyone sees the same diamond... but no one sees exactly the same facets."
(FB - E-storia project, 2004)
"Let us dare the future as the founding fathers of Europe did"
(FB - "From EU to Euroland", 2001)
"The European citizenship can not be decreed. The European citizen can only be born..."
(FB - 1992)
"Every state is a minority in the EU. In any case, let’s not forget that if all our states went into building the EU it is because they all felt too small to face alone both their future and the rest of the world."
(FB - 2003)
"From a single (EU) Currency to a single (EU) Citizenship. The euro is only an instrument."
(FB - 1997)
"An empire is always providing platforms where conflicts and wars prolife­rate... an empire needs enemies, whilst a Community requires partners."
(FB - 1992)
"Europe’s history has taught us that dreams and nightmares are the two faces of the same coin"
(FB - “Europe is Peace” 2006)
"Everybody wants to have a successful enlargement whereas it is a successful enlarged EU which is important."
(FB - 2002)
"It is clear that the existing national political parties can not serve two masters: national and European."
(FB - IDE, 1989)
"It takes teamwork to make Europe move forward."
(FB - 2005)
"There is nothing like one European. The European is a team of Europeans... the only way we can imagine a European, it is a team of people from different countries, not a single man or woman."
(FB - Enschede (NL) 2012)
"On the horizon with a heaven of freedom and a land of responsibility, this is perhaps the soul of Europe."
(FB - 1992)
"The future challenge for the European project is not about Europe anymore, it is about the Europeans."
(FB - 2005)
"The more Brussels speaks English, the less Brussels understands the Europeans"
(FB - 2004)
"Occupy the Future of Europe!"
("What do YOU want as a future for AEGEE?" Franck Biancheri at the 2012 Agora in Enschede)
"To combine new technologies and democratic principles to succeed in the entry of European integration in the 21st century or e-democracy at the service of Euro-democracy"
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"In the years 00 of the 21st century, democratization can only take place in the perspective of the democratic election of a European executive that remains to be invented."
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"We must build the European Community, otherwise Europe will soon be culturally Americanised, politically Finlandised and technologically Japanised"
EGEE I, 1984

Letter to our friends and followers (29/03/2020)

Dear friends,

 

In this difficult period of illness and confinement our thoughts are with you. We hope that you are all doing as well as possible, and that the coronavirus has not affected you, your families, your friends, too severely. Some of you live in areas where the situation is dramatic, and our thoughts go to them, to our most fragile friends, but also to our young friends for whom this period is a real challenge, with a future rather dark on all sides.

 

It is definitely a world that is closing up, dramatically, and it will be up to us to rebuild it together. When facing the disease Franck Biancheri has never surrendered. At the beginning of his life as a young adult, he vanquished it and came out with a formidable acuity and hindsight in the analysis of the future and the ruptures in our societies, just as those of life. The end of his life was a long struggle in which he continued to fight with all his energy, accompanying us with his anticipations in the long hard work of the GEAB and leading exciting debates and discussions. Up to his death.

 

We, the Friends of Franck Biancheri, can only follow his example and support the initiatives that are emerging to build together this post-Covid-19 Europe. We owe this to him. It is up to us to pass on our experiences, to contribute to the debate by daring to affirm our convictions for this European community for which we have fought alongside him at one time or another in our lives. This disease must bring us together in solidarity but also in our reflections on future prospects. We can do this by contributing each at our own level, or by coming together, online, as we know so well how to do. You will soon receive an invitation to a first debate. « Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will » more than ever his epitaph resonates with everyone.

 

We wish you to go through this dark period with courage, strength and optimism! Please be assured of all our sympathy in these difficult times,

 

Marianne Ranke-Cormier, vice-president

 

To put you in a good mood, let’s come back to a very moving confinement, that of Franck Biancheri’s archives in the Fonds of the Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe in Lausanne, transferred just one year ago, in March 2019.