Europe and the 3Ts

Here is an abridged version of a press release today from the European Parliament.

Chancellor Angela Merkel gave her first speech to the European Parliament as President-in-Office of the European Council. Chancellor Merkel highlighted the forthcoming Berlin Declaration to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the European Union and the need for tolerance.

Mrs Merkel believed Europe already had a soul, which was linked to its "tremendous diversity"...    But for diversity to exist, another quality was needed: freedom.  And real freedom required respect for the freedom of others or, to use the famous quotation attributed to Voltaire, "I may disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it "... Ultimately, she believed, "Europe's soul is tolerance. Europe is the continent of tolerance". This lesson had taken a long time to learn and the worst period of "hatred, devastation and destruction" lay not so far in the past but this was all the more reason for Europe to promote the virtue of tolerance at home and abroad.

She said an American academic, Richard Florida, had identified three ingredients as crucial to successful development in various parts of the world.  These were "technology, talent and -tolerance!" "What good news for Europe!", said Mrs Merkel. Indeed, she added "Europe thrives on innovation, on scientific, technical, economic and social progress" and "Europe thrives on curiosity".  Ultimately, "Europe without its outstanding power of innovation would not be the Europe that it is today".

Read the rest here.