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Oct. 31 - Nov. 7, 2004 |
3 - The Borderless Country of Europe
The University of Udine offers culture beyond just research and learning
By Antonio Maglio
Originally Published: 2004-08-22
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Rector Furio Honsell
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The idea came to Paolo Costa, European MP and Mayor of Venice: a comic book storytelling the history of the European Union to children 6 to 11 years old. The idea was recently turned into reality: the story is entitled Desiderio e il luogo che non c'era ("Desiderius and the Place That Wasn't").
Paolo Costa presents his idea in the foreword of the booklet with these words: "Many times I tried to tell people what the European Union is. Many times I told them that it is a Utopia made real. Utopia is a word coming from Greek that means 'the non-place', a place that isn't. Better yet: a place that wasn't. This is how the idea of telling kids how Europe was unified was born. You children were born in Europe, but you will have to keep building it up, following in our steps, when you'll grow up."
The story (28 full-colour pages) was an instant success. It was distributed for free in the schools of the main cities of Veneto, Friuli and Emilia Romagna, and every day new requests pile up on the desks of Costa's secretaries. Desiderius, the protagonist, is Desiderius Erasmus from Rotterdam, the Dutch humanist. Many consider him the precursor of the idea of Europe as capable of overcoming division and enmities in the name of the common roots of the populations living in it. A magic spell projects Desiderius Erasmus from his age, the Renaissance, to the present, in the home of two children, Francesca and Giulio, who explain to him what is the European Union.
The author is Giorgio Cavazzano, one of Italy's best-known cartoonists, "who was born holding a pencil". I'm quoting myself here, and maybe my readers will forgive my digression. Giorgio Cavazzano was serving as a corporal, while this scribe was a sergeant and an officer cadet. Italy had compulsory military service back then, and we were serving in the Serenissima Lagunari Regiment quartered in Villa Vicentina, near Udine. Chance had it that every time I was on duty, Corporal Cavazzano was assigned as my assistant. However, after the flag-raising ceremony, he disappeared every time: he hid in the desert barrack and drew cartoons for Mickey Mouse. Once, the Colonel found him there and punished him. Then, it was my turn: "You did not verify that the Corporal was carrying out his work. You will be punished too." "Yes Sir," I replied, "you can punish me and of course I shall be more vigilant next time. But if you punish Cavazzano you will obtain nothing: he was born holding a pencil, and he'll keep on drawing." The Colonel laughed and that was that. End of my reminiscence. Here in north-eastern Italy, where borders have disappeared and Europe can be touched and felt, much attention is devoted to children and youth, and as a result the idea of being "citizens of Europe" has established firm roots in their cultural heritage. This has been accomplished through meetings for sports and studies, visits exchanged with classes from other countries of the Union, and university projects that share degrees among every European university.
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