On Thursday 14 September 2023, the first event of the Academic year discussed “What has the EU ever done for us?” and took place in person, at The Helix, on the DCU Campus, Dublin, from 13.00 to 15.00. This event was co-organised by the DCU Brexit Institute and Friends of Europe, in the context of the European Young Leaders (EYL40) programme.
Welcoming remarks: Prof. John Doyle (Vice-President for Research, Dublin City University)
Kick-off remarks:
- Prof. Federico Fabbrini (Full Professor at DCU and Founding Director of the Brexit Institute)
- Oleksandra Matviichuk (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Head of the Centre for Civil Liberty)
- Kensika Monshengwo (Intercultural Training Coordinator at the Immigrant Council of Ireland)
- Shona Murray (European affairs correspondent at Euronews and Independent.ie)
It was an occasion to share views on the European project, including the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s EU membership, Brexit and EU enlargement. Participants had the opportunity to discuss these topics with inspiring Young European Leaders across many sectors. This event took place as part of the EYL40 seminar “The emperor has no clothes“.
Leaders in attendance included Federico Fabbrini, Full Professors at Dublin City University (DCU), Founding Director of the Brexit Institute and Young European Leader Class of 2022; Francesca Cavallo, best selling author of “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls”; Malcolm Byrne, Irish Senator; Emine Dzhaparova, Ukrainian First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Valentina Diouf, professional volleyball player; Markus Freiburg, Founder and CEO of Financing Agency for Social Entrepreneurship (FASE); Giulia Bonfà, Lieutenant Commander in the Italian Navy General Staff; Daire Hickey, Managing Partner at 150 Bond; Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Jesse Klaver, Leader of the Green Dutch Party; Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Latvian Parliament, and Matthew Caruana Galizia, investigative journalist and Director of The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation. Read the young leaders’ profile here.
This event took place also in the framework of the DECADES project, with a grant funded under the Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI) of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.
