London Festival of Europe 2007
1 March 2007
Who says no one is talking or thinking about Europe? The period of reflection which began following the NO votes to the Constitutional Treaty in France and the Netherlands in 2004 did seem at first to be generating very little. In fact it is fair to say people scoffed at the whole idea, writing it off cynically as playing for time or kicking things into the long grass. However, maybe it is a little like that period of nervous silence just after a speaker has finished speaking and asks for questions. Who will be first? This familiar silence is apparently explained by the brain switching from receive to emit mode. It must take a while for 27 countries to switch. In London, that "most Cosmopolitan of cities with the most parochial press", one specific initiative taking place from 19-31 March 2007 is the first London Festival of Europe. The two founders of the Festival, Niccolo Milanese and Lorenzo Marsili talk about why they have set it up....More >>