I will message the Deputy.

Sentiment score: 0.00

Europe Day is a celebration of peace, solidarity and the shared values across our Continent. As someone who is proudly Irish, I am also proud to be European and part of a German family. Given the number of people who live in Ireland from elsewhere, it is important to celebrate our differences and what brings us together. I come from a proud bilingual family. We speak both German and English at home, and I am also learning Irish again. When a person speaks another language, they have a view into another culture, world and way to live. When many young people are learning different languages, not only are they learning how to communicate to buy something in the shop, or whatever else it is, they are seeing how other people live. Speaking another language allows people to understand a culture at a different level. They understand it in a way that cannot be achieved by just visiting and observing. They become part of the culture. Europe gives us the opportunity to do that. At a time in this world when there is such a focus on what makes us different, Europe has the potential to show us that although we are different, we have shared values. It gives us a way of examining what makes us different and similar. It allows us to reach out and ensure that the negativity that seems to be seeping across the world of difference is challenged. At this time of year, a lot of college students are getting ready to figure out what they are going to do in the summer. I am sure their parents are asking them what they are going to do. They might hope they get a job. Some of them will have the opportunity to travel. The interrailing initiative, DiscoverEU, gives many people the opportunity to do that. I would love to see that scheme expanded to more young people. It allows them to travel in a climate-friendly way. They interrail rather than take short-haul flights. Most European cities and countries have excellent networks of rail. We need to look at expanding the scheme to more young people because the more young people who travel to explore differences, learn new cultures and languages and see something different, not only will it give them pride in themselves but also pride in being a part of Europe. I would love to see more young people going abroad to study. There are such excellent schemes. Studying abroad allows them to be able to learn in a different education system and experience different work ethics and way of working. There is so much we can learn from one another in Europe. At a time when many differences are being highlighted, I want us to hold onto that in our country.

Sentiment score: 0.30