It was a premiere: We are Europe!, Pulse of Europe Düsseldorf and four reputated artists of the series KÜNSTLER SEHEN EUROPA – Nadja Zikes, Robinson Tilly, Rhea Standke and Theresa Kallrath – issued the first almost 60 European democracy passports on 23.11.2019 in Düsseldorf. With this passport the demand is given emphasis to transform the EU from a club of 28 individual democracies finally into one transnational democracy. For the future of Europe much will depend on learning to see Europe not only through national glasses (“It would be good for us Germans if Europe …”), but to ask the question: What is best for Europe as a whole? In other words: We must learn to think, talk and act as Europeans. Literally it says on page 2 of the passport:

The holder of this passport is a European citizen. All institutions to which this passport is presented are requested to work for the transformation of the European Union into a transnational democracy in which freedom and citizenship rights can be exercised across borders and regardless of nationality.

The European democracy passport no longer contains any reference to the nationality of its holder. Its highlight: Each individual passport is individually designed by a European artist on page 3 and is therefore unique. Jens Baganz, Co-Chair of We are Europe!:

The arts are the language that has united us Europeans for thousands of years. They build the common ground we stand upon. Therefore, we are infinitely grateful that artists from all over Europe announced to actively support us in the design of our passports. Every European is unique, and so will his and her European Democracy Passport be!

Special thanks go to the curators of the series KÜNSTLER SEHEN EUROPA, Nadja Zikes and Nada Kannenmacher, and the other participating artists who made this project possible!

Düsseldorf has made a start – but we intend to issue European democracy passports in other cities as well. Are you interested in organising this in your city? Then write to us!