I was asked by organizers of the European Youth Parliament to speak at their 'Opening Ceremony' of the Session in Ivano Frankivsk Ukraine on 5th March 2011. My words connected with the delegates from Ukraine and Europe and they responded with long applause. The formal title is 'Social Responsibility and Unifying Standards' but my preferred title is 'Young Ukrainians say YES to a Better Future'. The speech follows.
"Social responsibility in Europe: on the way to unifying standards"
After the First World War people asked the question WHY? Why were they asked to suffer, fight and die when leaders of Empires disagreed with each other?
This question, WHY, led to the end of the absolute powers of Emperors, Tsars, Kings, Princes and Lords….but these were soon replaced by brutal Dictators.
The Second World War led to more WHY questions as well as demands for workable answers. In the West, people were given more democratic freedoms but Eastern Europeans became prisoners behind a great ‘Wall’.
Visionary leaders accepted responsibility and took steps to end the slavery of communism, and to unite Europe in freedom. Two famous speeches made in front of the Berlin Wall were made by men whose grandparents came from my country, Ireland. In June 1963 John F. Kennedy spoke these words;
‘Let me ask you to lift your eyes beyond the dangers of today,
to the hopes of tomorrow.
When one man is enslaved, all are not free.
We can look forward to that day
when this city will be joined as one
and [also] this country, and this great Continent of Europe,
in a peaceful and hopeful globe’.
In June 1987, also in Berlin, Ronald Reagan spoke these words;
"This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality."
Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall.
For it cannot stand against faith; it cannot stand against truth.
The wall cannot stand against freedom.’
The wall came down in 1990 because people believed it was possible and they acted to turn their thoughts into realities.
If you don’t have a vision of where you want to go,
You will end up some place - you don’t want to be.
Not having a vision, means giving control of your life, and your future, to another person with another vision. Let me share with you my future vision for Ukraine. I am sure many of you think the same way. I see Ukraine as a respected, responsible, equal partner with her neighbouring nations, with Europe and with the World.
I believe this vision will happen, but not until some organizational, social and personal steps are taken towards it. To make these steps possible, leaders and people have to accept responsibility, and freely choose this way.
All need to work hard to change their behaviour, and to harmonize official and unofficial systems with European and International standards.
The World Bank Country Comparison Report for 2011 places Ukraine in 145th place in the World for doing business. This is not because of famine, war, bad education, disease or bad climate. It is because of continued use of slow uncompetitive, un-connected systems, and old Soviet operational mentalities. If European technical and customer service standards were accepted today, the Ukrainian economy would quickly begin to improve.
The benefits of an improved economy and connection to a free trade market in Europe would mean higher wages, better social services, better infrastructure, and more tax revenue. This is a WIN-WIN situation for Europe and for Ukraine.
It is possible for me to be here today because leaders of the past convinced people to believe and work towards a better future.
Now it is time to put the past to sleep….. It is time to look to the future.
Do not expect other people to change - if you do not first change yourself.
Do not forget the suffering of the past.
But bring life to the dreams of those who suffered
and died in the past, by imagining a better future for all,
not just for Ukraine and Europe, but for our World.
To finish, let me ask you a question.
Do you think a better future is possible for Ukraine? [loud YES from delegates]
Do you think a better future is possible for Ukraine? [loud YES from delegates]
Will you change yourselves and work to bring life to that future? [big YES]
My words are not important.
You have spoken…and you are the future. [long applause]
Patrick (Padraig) Purcell, 5 March 2011
Opening Ceremony of the European Youth Parliament, Ivano Frankivsk, Ukraine.
End of Speech
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