The image may have surprised.
One by one, the panelists gathered at that time get on a chair to give their point of view.
This is a parallel workshop, born of the frustration caused by the slowness of the debates and the uncertainty concerning the future and the application of the recommendations of the panelists during this plenary session in March.
All - or almost - belong to the working group devoted to migration and all wish to recall that the fruit of their discussions must be treated with respect.
Among them, Laura-Maria, an Italian, originally from Tuscany.
A determination and an energy put at the service of the collective, to advance this dialogue in which she believes so much.
One by one, the panelists gathered at that time get on a chair to give their point of view.
© France 24
"I will fight to the end to defend this exercise. A unique democratic exercise"
As early as October, Laura Maria had sounded the alarm in the middle of the hemicycle.
The tone of his speech struck a chord with the participants.
There is no question of letting the agendas be dictated by politicians, the citizens of the Conference have things to say:
"We really want to be an active part of this democratic project and we want to be heard so that you can help us to be this active part so that this event is really successful and is not just a masquerade, but something that builds a real democratic project.
From the rostrum, the 22-year-old Italian decided to challenge the authorities of the Conference to try to "save this unique democratic exercise" and to express a feeling that many panelists were unable to express. .
"I will fight to the end to defend my ideas and defend this unique democratic exercise, so that it is not just a masquerade" © France 24
"The first plenary, the one in October, was really badly organised. It was the first time that such an event had taken place. It has evolved a lot since then and everyone has worked a lot for it, I am aware of that. But at that time I felt very frustrated and unhappy at the same time because during the discussions between citizens I could find a polite environment in which we could exchange our own ideas, but with the politicians and the representatives of civil society, it happened differently. And I did not expect it. But I will fight to the end to defend my ideas and defend this unique democratic exercise, so that it does not just a masquerade."
An energy, a commitment to get things done that does not seem to surprise those close to him and especially Fulvio, his childhood friend.
Fulvio and Laura Maria are neighbors and have known each other since kindergarten.
It was a stone's throw from their home, in his chaplaincy, that we found the panelist's friend that morning: Fulvio taught catechism there.
The anecdote makes the young Italian smile, who finds there character traits well known to his friend:
"She's the Laura Maria I know, the one I grew up with, yes, he admits with a big laugh. She's a committed, 'cash', passionate person. She's also someone someone who gets involved for others, for his city. Someone who is curious and who is always listening. But he is also someone who fights for his ideas. I remember that during a election of student representatives, she got me in trouble by questioning some of my proposals which, according to them, were not going in the right direction. She remained my friend and we ended up working together , but she had questioned me quite a bit, let's say. That's all she is. She's involved and if she commits, it's all the way. She's a sincere and respectful person too, who listen a lot,who questions himself and who does not cheat."
The migration panel chose dialogue to move forward
Do not cheat, and take advantage of this opportunity to try to move the lines, such could be the credo of Laura Maria within the Conference.
The issue of migration within the European Union is a divisive subject and she knows it.
But his panel chose dialogue to move forward.
people don't know much about European policies or national laws regarding immigration.
I think people deserve to be better informed about this."
The dialogue around migrations within the working groups revolves around democratic Erasmus.
There emerges an energy and a real complicity that seem to advance the discussions and overcome the differences of viewpoints when establishing recommendations.
An alchemy settles within the group in and outside the hemicycle of the Parliament of Strasbourg.
A real alchemy has settled between the members of the "migrations" group.
© France 24
"It happened naturally, almost immediately, explains Laura Maria in the middle of an Alsatian dinner and before a game of table football. It's incredible, moreover, we can say that solidarity, this solidarity which is sometimes lacking in Europe, we can find it here between us. I don't know if the Conference will have consequences, results, progress, but what is certain is that there is a real European spirit. It is something that I discovered at the start of this event."
Laura Maria savors every moment: her Strasbourg adventure - she is aware of it - could never have started.
It is to the withdrawal of her father that she owes her participation.
The organization wanted a third of the participants to be between the ages of 16 and 25.
His father decided to leave him the place.
"The idea of the Conference is good but the realization is not easy. When the phone rang I thought it was an interesting experience that allowed me to travel, to meet people, I said to myself that my daughter was more suited than me to take advantage, to live this experience to the fullest… She is passionate about politics and she is full of passion and enthusiasm and then she speaks much better than me", says tenderly her father, Rigo Roberto, a smile.
Laura Marion owes her participation to the withdrawal of her father.
The organization wanted a third of the participants to be between the ages of 16 and 25.
© France 24
Prato: a melting pot of 124 nationalities and an inspiration for Laura Maria
This enthusiasm, Laura Maria, freshly graduated in cultural anthropology at the University of Bologna, puts it at the service of the Conference and of a certain idea of Italy and Europe, which she wishes to be open, welcoming and responsible.
A commitment which, according to her, owes nothing to chance, but finds its origin in her city of birth: Prato, a city in Tuscany located only about fifteen kilometers from Florence.
Prato has just over 200,000 inhabitants, it is a rather industrial city, considered the European textile capital.
But the other specificity of the city is its multiculturalism: there are 124 nationalities.
"Cultural diversity and migration. It's something we've been dealing with almost every day for quite a few years, so it's something natural for us. To be completely honest, there's there could also have been problems here in relation to migration of course, but over the years Prato has learned to benefit from this cultural diversity. And I think this diversity is something that makes us much richer on a human level ."
During our meeting in Tuscany, Laura Maria wanders among the Renaissance buildings.
His steps lead us quite naturally to the local "Chinatown": Prato notably has the largest Chinese community in Italy and one of the largest in Europe.
An opportunity for the young Tuscan, who decided to make it a subject of study, an opportunity also for the city which benefits from a rather rare cultural dynamism.
It is here that Laura Maria finds Vitoria.
The blue-haired artist chose to move to the neighborhood more than ten years ago to take advantage of this new energy too.
In Prato, the gallery, Dryphoto, has become a reference and a symbol of dialogue between communities in the city.
Laura Maria decided to make it a subject of study.
© France 24
"Art feeds on conflict, where there is conflict there can be creativity. Art is not there to find solutions to conflicts, it does not belong to us, that is the domain of politicians , warns the artist. But our role is to create links, to allow people to ask themselves questions, to question themselves perhaps too. So in this case, we play the role of mediators. "
His gallery, Dryphoto, has become a reference and a symbol of dialogue between communities in the city.
Vitoria does not hesitate to bring, for example, the great photographers into the stores of the Chinese community of the city.
"You have to question, decompartmentalize and bring culture everywhere. Art has a role to play."
An action which has "made it possible to create bridges and this dialogue has brought us closer, confirms Victor, representative of the Chinese community on the municipal council. the outlook on the communities has changed."
“It is counterproductive to close the borders. We need an organization for a policy managed at European level”
Throughout the Conference, Laura Maria found inspiration in Prato and defended this model with enthusiasm.
The inhabitants of the city do not forget that it is also its Chinese community which partly saved Prato during the Covid crisis, by applying the confinements before time and by providing medical equipment such as masks while the European Union was slow to show solidarity.
For Laura Maria, diversity can be an opportunity, Europe must remain open and the term migration crisis problematic:
"I think it's necessary to change the way we talk about it. It's not a crisis. It's a natural thing for people to move. It's against nature to close the borders. We don't We don't need walls, they're not useful at all. We just need an organization for migration policy, something that is managed at European level and not necessarily at a more or less national level."
After several working sessions and discussions, this conception of an open and responsible Europe is one of the recommendations of the group in charge of migrations.
Laura Maria is aware that the idea will require a lot of education, but she has decided to fight to defend the work of her group and that of the 800 panelists of the Conference.
She is waiting to see how the politicians will seize it.
In the meantime, the Italian anthropologist will still put all his energy into making this Conference a success of participatory democracy.
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