On the 9th of May, many Europeans join in celebrating Europe Day. It marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration in 1950, which laid the foundation for a new form of political cooperation in Europe. The European Cultural Foundation wants Europe Day to be a real celebratory day—a moment to pause, gather, celebrate what makes Europe home, and discuss what could contribute to making our continent a better place.

The film Europe (2022) by Philip Scheffner offers us an insight into the lives of many on our continent we don’t always meet in our daily routines. How can Europe – in these challenging geopolitical times – also become a home for those who aren’t included yet? Can Europe live up to its dream of ‘united in diversity’, whereas ICE has shattered the American one? What would it take for Europe to grow into the continent where the rule of law applies? Can Europe win culture wars?

Following the screening of Europe Caroline de Gruyter, columnist and European Affairs correspondent for Dutch newspaper NRC and a regular contributor to Foreign Policy, EU Observer and De Standaard, discusses these questions with André Wilkens, Director of the European Cultural Foundation.