![]() And that is good, we need to have on board everybody. Thanks to the strong support of the European Parliament that has been very much instrumental in ensuring the funding to create this pilot project, we finally see a certain number of European young people - young diplomats - that want to become fully-fledged European diplomats.īecause today, what we have is kind of a mix of diplomats coming from different Member States’ diplomatic services. Thanks to the support of some members of the European Parliament – and I want to make a special mention to one of them, to Nacho Sanchez Amor, a good friend of mine who is not here because he is acting as a Member of the Parliament. This idea has been turning around – the Parliament, the Commission, Florence, Bruges. This is an idea that has been in my mind many years ago, much before becoming the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. Here we are, launching this European Diplomatic Academy. ![]() ![]() And that is a very good thing because more than ever, foreign policy and defence policy go hand in hand. This position is a combination of what could be a Foreign Minister and a Defence Minister – both. You know very well, Federica - because you have been me before me - that we were not only a foreign policy-builder, also a security and defence builder. Yesterday, in the plane, I was reading nice articles explaining this approach.Īnd from my side, it is just the contrary: this war has been an occasion for the European Union to be more assertive and to push for the creation of a European stand – from the foreign policy side and also from the military and defence perspective. There are people who say that this war means the end for the European Union to have a foreign policy because we are following blindly the United States. This war will create a different European Union, from different perspectives. Because this war is changing a lot of things, and certainly it is changing the European Union. The post-Cold War has ended with the Ukrainian war, with the Russian aggression against Ukraine. And we are certainly living also a “moment of creation” of a new world. Now, we are definitely out of the Cold War and the post-Cold War. And these memoirs are still considered the best insider account of the framing of the United States policy in the post-war – with post war, I mean post-World War II. To be “present at the creation” are some words that were said many years ago by one of the most famous diplomats, George Kennan - in George Kennan’s memoirs. ![]() Today, just let me tell you that I am happy to participate in what can be said - and you said that - a “moment of creation”, to be “present at the creation”. You have to say only the truth but not all the truth.” But if we want to engage frankly and honestly, to discuss about the real problems and looking for solutions, then you have to tell all the truth – but we will do it later. You cannot lie – well, formally, you cannot lie. So, thank you, Federica, for hosting this experience, this pilot programme of the Diplomatic Academy.Īs the diplomats say, one told me: “In diplomacy, you have to say the truth. It has to be a way of supporting the others facing the big challenges of our time. We built a combination of these three things – political freedom, economic prosperity, social cohesion – and we cannot pretend to survive as an exception. Yes, this is my most important message: we have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us, by different ways and means. Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Because the jungle has a strong growth capacity, and the wall will never be high enough in order to protect the garden. A nice small garden surrounded by high walls in order to prevent the jungle from coming in is not going to be a solution. The gardeners should take care of it, but they will not protect the garden by building walls. Most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden. The rest of the world – and you know this very well, Federica – is not exactly a garden. And here, Bruges is maybe a good representation of beautiful things, intellectual life, wellbeing. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build - the three things together. Here, Bruges is a good example of the European garden. I am sure you are aware of how lucky you are. Thank you to all of you, and congratulations to all of you for having the extraordinary chance of studying here, in Bruges at the College of Europe. I am sure it is the atmosphere and the fantastic job that you have here – one of the best jobs one could imagine. Now, three years later – three years after not being anymore the High Representative, you look much better. I have to say that you look much younger. Thank you, Federica, for these nice words.
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