We are Carlos Santos, Jose María Cueto and Javier Lanza, three students at the University of Cantabria that last March had the opportunity of taking part in the Inaugural Session of the European Students Assembly in Strasbourg as members of the EUNICE alliance.
During our time in France, we worked with more than 250 students from other European universities’ alliances, in the framework of the European Universities Community, to discuss some of the most crucial topics for the future of the European Union and develop some proposals trying to address the biggest issues.
The European Parliament and the University of Strasbourg were the places where we debated which economic model the European Union should adopt in the long-run, how the EU can reunite its people around its common values or if we need a European health union, among other topics. During the month before the event we worked in groups of thirty students to establish the main lines of the different proposals that eventually were gathered and exposed in the Palais Universitaire de Strasbourg.
Having the opportunity of meeting students from all countries around Europe and from every field of knowledge was the most insightful part of the event. We discovered tons of new points of view on some questions that will define our future. We experienced first-hand what is working in a multicultural environment under the values of respect to diversity and freedom of speech and how fruitful it can be.
Carlos Santos:
In my particular case, being able to travel, to share experiences and learn with other European students made me feel extremely lucky. It has been a unique opportunity with which I have been able to learn and share my ideas, especifically in the field of cybersecurity, to finally create a proposal for improvement. Thanks to these types of events, it is easier to face the crucial challenges that the European Union is currently facing with new and refreshing ideas.
José María Cueto:
Learning from experts and other European students about the field of sustainable development and the different issues that the EU will have to face in the future has been a truly rewarding experience for me. I will not forget those days in Strasbourg full of joy and work.
Javier Lanza:
Having been able to meet those many people from all over the European Union, all of them with the sole purpose of contributing to the future of all European citizens, has been an incredibly productive and touching experience. I have learnt a lot about the procedures of the EU, but especially about what being European means.
Thanks to the University of Cantabria and the EUNICE alliance, we have lived an unforgettable experience. Hopefully, the first of many.
