Nick Hopkinson at our EM Insights Club
Nick Hopkinson at our EM Insights Club
At our EM Insights Club meetings we welcome members and supporters to join us for a social evening where a theme provided by a top speaker is followed by good discussion and Q&A. And so it was on 25th November when Nick Hopkinson, a former Director of the Wilton Park F & CO think tank talked to us about British foreign policy towards Europe in the post-WW2 period, something he knows enough about to have been able to write a book about it. We had an excellent turnout - over 40 people - all squeezed into The Studio at the lovely New Park Centre. Nick's talk was fascinating and somehow the atmosphere contributed to the lively and thought-provoking discussion that followed. Our next EM Insights Club is coming soon!
Euro Café at The University of Chichester
We were very pleased to hold a EuroCafé for students and staff at the University of Chichester in November. As ever, discussion and debate were reinforced by an excellent cup of coffee and pastries. Our host Professor Hugo Frey provided the context of post-war nation-states' pooling of sovereignty and resources in order to build the strong economic and political framework that has become today's EU. Madeleina Kay, Youth Engagement Officer of the Young European Movement led a lot of the discussion of what Europe means to young people and how our relations with our closest neighbors and biggest trading partner should develop. There was a very strong sentiment in favour of rebuilding which in turn should lead to rejoining the European Union, and to recovering our lost rights of Freedom of Movement to be able to live and work in Europe. Many thanks to our hosts and we look forward to doing another university EuroCafé next year.
Euro Café
Chichester 4 Europe x TTC
Chichester 4 Europe invites you to a special Euro-Café event focused on environmental issues. An opportunity to connect with Transition Town Chichester, to exchange ideas and inspire action on environmental issues which transcend borders.
Following an inspirational presentation by a panel chaired by the EM’s new co-vice-president, Caroline Lucas, at the EM Grassroots Conference (see above video), our upcoming Euro Café will be focused on forging connections between Chichester 4 Europe, our local environmental groups, and their counterparts in Chichester’s twinned cities of Chartres, Ravenna, Speyer and Valletta.
Environment knows no borders
For this Euro-Café we will be inviting members of Transition Town Chichester to connect and exchange ideas with us on sustainability and environmental issues and to learn about why our departure from the EU is concerning for environmentalists.
Topics to discuss might include:
Will the UK once again become “the dirty man of Europe”?
Is the UK falling behind on environmental standards after leaving the EU?
Sewage in our rivers, lakes and seas. Is this a Brexit benefit?
After seeing the terrible mountains of UK fashion waste, dumped in wetland habitats in Ghana, we can discuss the EU vs fast fashion, and what action we can take.
“The Transition Town Movement began in Totnes, Devon, and has grown into a global network of around 3,000 towns committed to community-led action and resilience, moving away from fossil fuel dependency.”
Dominic Grieve: Our Route Back Into Europe
We were very pleased to welcome Dominic Grieve to speak to our members and supporters at our first Insights Club at the Vicars Hall. Everyone with an interest in Europe and Brexit will know of Dominic Grieve who was a very prominent Remainer and, as an MP, was also Attorney General and Shadow Home Secretary.
Dominic's enthusiasm for a close relationship with Europe is undiminished and he is a co-Vice President of the European Movement along with Caroline Lucas, the former Green Party MP.
Dominic's theme - "The route back to the EU" allowed him plenty of scope to also discuss the threat to western democracy and the rise of populism in Europe and the USA. An hour's discussion with the 50 or so members of the audience followed his talk - no shortage of engagement by his supporters in Chichester! All in all it was a stimulating and very worthwhile evening.
Stay tuned for our next Insights Club!
Euro Café
Thanks to those of you who attended Euro Café #2.
I’m sure that, like me, you’re feeling a bit more optimistic that we can make positive change, within our circle of influence, to undo some of the damage done by the calamity of the UK leaving the EU. Even though our cousins across the pond might have added another potential factor to one of Craig’s excellent infographics!
In case you didn’t make it, Craig Gershater, Lib Dem City Councillor and former Mayor of Chichester, gave an excellent talk to the eager throng at New Park about the route back into Europe. Craig drew on his discussions at the recent Lib Dem conference and spurred a very productive discussion amongst us, on his vision for Chichester as a potential European Hub.
I’m including a couple of those brilliant infographics here, because I know you’ll want to show them to your friends.
They really speak for themselves.
National Rejoin March
National Rejoin March
28th September ‘24
Central London
“The most positive, uplifting experience and an incredibly moving display of solidarity and friendship. The previous Pro-Europe marches have been the most heart-warming, peaceful and unifying occasions. We left London cleaner, and happier, than we found it.”
marchforrejoin.co.uk
Euro Café
The first of our pro European events in our new incarnation as Chichester4Europe was a Euro Café and our, then candidate and now MP Jess Brown-Fuller came to represent the Liberal Democrats as an openly pro-rejoin party.