The Festival | One Week. One Europe. | Berlin 2011

The song

More than any regulation, norm, treaty, or even a common currency could ever accomplish, music has always touched the hearts of people.

We needed a song, a hymn for our pro-European movement. Something a viral marketeer would feel enthusiastic about.

There has never been an uplifting, authentic, pro-European song out there which could hit the dance floors across the continent. 50% of the well-known songs are about blooming love, the other 50% are about fading love. We needed a producer…

Leon Larkin is an American producer, singer, songwriter, and owner of Larkpro Music Productions based in Berlin and Mallorca. Florian and Leon met at an event in Berlin in October 2008. Leon’s first comment was: “Blackberry, hugh?” That was clearly too much of a conversation, so it proceeded. After that first encounter they stayed in contact.

Ironically, the only sound that works with people from all over Europe is the American sound. Our song had to lean against this unwritten rule. RnB for the baseline, RnB for the hookline. But we also wanted to reflect the European musical roots, which led us to the idea of granting protagonism to classical instruments like the piano.

Leon asked Florian to write the lyrics, Florian incredulously answered: “What?!”

The current version of “I am European (The Festival Hymn)” was recorded and produced in the Larkpro Studios in April 2009. The voices in the sung parts belong to several Berlin based international artists from Bulgaria, Poland, Germany and the UK. The rap parts are performed by an Unknown European.

Title: I am European (The Festival Hymn)
Length: 4:00 m
Project Name: Voices of Europe
Performed by: Wanja Janeva, Trevor B. Lewis, Silinya Meden, Adesse Roessner, Silvia Scheumka (Vocals) // The Unknown European (Rap parts) // Trevor B. Lewis (Guitar)
Lyrics by: Florian Mück
Music by: Leon Larkin, Rob Priebs & George Kaleve
Produced by: Leon Larkin and Rob Priebs for Larkpro Music
Mixed by: George Kaleve
Mastered by: Thomas Peters

The Lyrics

Greek dance, Tour de France, Appenzeller, football fans,
Colossus of Rhodes and magic dragon Amsterdam,
Swiss watches, beer bar, Döner Kebab, sauna,
Flamenco, help for Africa, Yves Saint Laurent the mega star,
Croatian islands, Mozart, Spring of Prague, German cars,
BB lips, Pommes Frites, Norwegian fjord, and Cold Play hits,
Scottish kilt, oil rigs, the Irish and Saint Patrick’s,
French wine, Spanish wine, Italian wine, Neuschwanstein…

I am European – and I love it to be
I am European – it’s my destiny
I am European – that’s my place to be
I am European – you’re my family
I am European – and I love it to be

Black Sea, Baltic Sea, everywhere democracy,
Philosophers, Socrates, Seneca, and Champions League,
MP3, ecology, in our hearts Versace!
Beethoven, Pizza, the English on Ibiza,
French baguette, Basque beret, Romeo & Juliet,
Shopska Salata, Kopernikus, Smetana,
Fish & Chips, Kafka, Oktoberfest laughter,
The Swedish and Midsummer night, the dream of Shakespeare set it right…

Many roots, many hearts
Many souls, many stars
Many dreams, many me’s,
We’re all Europeans! // One Europe, our destiny!

I am European – and I love it to be
I am European – it’s my destiny
I am European – that’s my place to be
I am European – you’re my family
I am European – and I love it to be

© 2009 thefestival.eu

Behind The Lyrics

“Imagine… Once you start to feel European, this could be all yours!”

How to write a song about Europe? More than 500 Million different points of view. More traditions than anybody could ever count. Impossible to generate content in only 16 lines, more or less, plus the hookline, which would attract the attention of this melting-pot of cultures and tastes. Then we thought, what about expressing in a simple way how rich we are in heritage and culture. Expressions that everyone would automatically relate to Europe, like Fish & Chips or Mozart. Billy Joel once had a hit called “We didn’t start the fire”. This sequence of expressions might work for the European context as well… Two days later we came up with a list of 138 typically European expressions. 52 of them we put in order and rhymes. In the end, we came up with the following…

	Greek Dance Greek dance is a very old tradition, being referred to by ancient authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways. There are over 4000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece. In this song Greek Dance stands for the diversity of traditions in Europe. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that covers more than 3,500 kilometres throughout France and a bordering country. The 23-day race is broken down into day-long stages. Individual times to finish each stage are totaled to determine the overall winner for the race. The rider with the least elapsed time each day wears a yellow jersey. The course has always finished in Paris. The Tour de France is the oldest, the most prestigious and the best known bicycle race in the world. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Martin Mück
	Appenzeller Appenzeller cheese is a hard cow’s-milk cheese produced in the Appenzell region of northeast Switzerland. A herbal brine, sometimes incorporating wine or cider, is applied to the wheels of cheese while they cure, which flavors and preserves the cheese while promoting the formation of a rind. Appenzeller has a documented history of at least 700 years. Today, about 75 dairies produce it, each with a different recipe for their brine wash. Most of the recipes are trade secrets. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: PdPhoto.org
	Football Fans What would be the game without its fans? Singing and cheering football fans all across Europe have always caused goose bumps. And most of them agree with the fans of Liverpool when those sing: “You’ll never walk alone!” / Image: unknown
	Colossus of Rhodes The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek god Helios, erected on the Greek island of Rhodes by Chares of Lindos between 292 and 280 BC. It is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Before its destruction, the Colossus of Rhodes stood over 30 meters (107 ft) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Magic Dragon Amsterdam More than 4 Million visitors a year cannot be mistaken. Amsterdam is a beautiful, fashionable and open-minded metropolis, which offers entertainment, culture and history like few others. Many of us roared with laughter when Jules and Vincent talked about the city’s peculiarities in Pulp Fiction. Whether your name is Puff or not; you just have to fall in love with Amsterdam… // Image: unknown
	Swiss Watches The Swiss watch and clock industry appeared in Geneva in the middle of the 16th century. In 1541, reforms implemented by Jean Calvin and banning the wear of jewels, forced the goldsmiths and other jewellers to turn into a new, independent craft : watchmaking. By the end of the century, Genevan watches were already reputed for their high quality, and watchmakers created in 1601 the Watchmakers’ Guild of Geneva, the first to be established anywhere. More… // Source: fhs.ch / Image: unknown
	Beer Bar Actually, it should have been called “Pub”, probably the coziest form of a beer bar. But then again, “Pub” wouldn’t have rhymed with “Sauna” (below). The consumption of Beer itself dates back to the ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia around 9000 BC. Beer was then spread through Europe by Germanic and Celtic tribes as far back as 3000 BC. And without those brave Bavarian and Belgian monks, it probably wouldn’t have gained so much popularity. Today we have a beer bar culture in most parts of Europe; from the city of Pilsen to Sheffield. // Source: partly Wikipedia / Image: beerquest1k.com
	Döner Kebab Döner kebab (Turkish döner kebap or döner kebabı, literally “rotating roast”, often abbreviated as döner) is a Turkish dish made of lamb meat cooked on a vertical spit and sliced off to order. Döner kebab has been described as the origin of other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes such as shawarma and gyros. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Sauna A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities. These facilities derive from the Finnish sauna. The word “sauna” is also used figuratively to describe an unusually hot or humid environment. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Flamenco Flamenco is a Spanish term that refers both to a musical genre, known for its intricate rapid passages, and a dance genre characterized by its audible footwork. The origins of the term are unclear. The word Flamenco, which applies to the song, the dance and the guitar, did not come into use until the 19th century. It is generally acknowledged that flamenco grew out of the unique interplay of native Arabic, Andalusian, Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures that existed in Andalusia prior to and after the Reconquest. Flamenco is the music of the gypsies and played in their social community. It is widely admired by tourists from all over the world. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Help for Africa According to the EU homepage the Union is the biggest donor of aid for development around the world. For sure, our neighbors from Africa receive a good portion. As Europeans, we believe it is one of our major duties to help abolish hunger and desease from this beautiful continent and help its peoples flourish both economically and culturally. Bono, Bob Geldorf, Herbert Grönemeyer, to name but a few, are our civic front-runners in this crucial fight against poverty plaguing so many on the African continent. // Image: Wikipedia
	Yves Saint Laurent the mega star Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent, known as Yves Saint Laurent (August 1 1936 – June 1 2008), was an Algerian-born French fashion designer who was considered one of the greatest figures in French fashion in the 20th century. In 1985, Caroline Rennolds Milbank wrote, “The most consistently celebrated and influential designer of the past twenty-five years, Yves Saint Laurent can be credited with both spurring the couture’s rise from its sixties ashes and with finally rendering ready-to-wear reputable”. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Croatian Islands In the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea, there are 698 islands, 389 islets and 78 reefs, which makes the Croatian archipelago the largest in the Adriatic Sea, and second largest in the Mediterranean Sea (the Greek archipelago being the largest). The main industries on the islands are agriculture (primarily viticulture and olive growing), fishing and tourism. Today, thanks to its islands Croatia has become one of the European sailing hot spots. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. The Austrian composer created over six hundred works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Spring of Prague The Prague Spring (Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II. It began on January 5, 1968, when reformist Slovak Alexander Dubček came to power, and continued until August 21, when the Soviet Union and members of its Warsaw Pact allies invaded the country to halt the reforms. In this song the Spring of Prague stands for a symbol of our long-lasting struggle for freedom and democracy in the past. // Source: partly Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	German Cars Germans might not be famous for making the most delicious baguette or for being the most humorous characters in Europe; but they certainly know how to build great cars. Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen; German car brands rank among the finest in terms of technology, reliability and design. And who could honestly say, he or she wouldn’t like to sit in that 911 GT2 over there? // Image: Porsche
	BB Lips The lips of the 50ies and 60ies belong to Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot (born 28 September 1934), the French actress, former fashion model, singer and animal welfare/rights activist. In 2007 she was named among Empire’s 100 Sexiest Film Stars. She started her acting career in 1952 and after appearing in 16 films became world-famous due to her role in the controversial film And God Created Woman. Bardot starred in 48 films, performed in numerous musical shows, and recorded 80 songs. After her retirement from the entertainment industry in 1973, Bardot established herself as an animal rights activist. During the 1990s she became outspoken in her criticism of immigration, interracial relationships, Islam in France and homosexuality. On the other hand BB supported the campaign of Barack Obama. Maybe she has understood that racism is simply old-fashioned… // Source: partly Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Pommes Frites Belgians claim that “French” fries are in fact Belgian. Belgian historian Jo Gerard recounts that potatoes were already fried in 1680 in the Spanish Netherlands, in the area of “the Meuse valley between Dinant and Liège, Belgium. The poor inhabitants of this region allegedly had the custom of accompanying their meals with small fried fish, but when the river was frozen and they were unable to fish, they cut potatoes lengthwise and fried them in oil to accompany their meals.” Whether or not Belgians invented them, “frites” became the national snack and a substantial part of both national dishes — making the Belgians their largest per capita consumers in Europe, and their “symbolic” creators. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Norwegian Fjord Once in a lifetime, you should visit the Fjords in Western Norway. There are some of the longest, deepest, narrowest and most beautiful fjords in the world… thousands of them! Sognefjord is the longest one with a length of 204 kilometres. Some places the Sognefjord is more than 1300 meters deep, with the surrounding mountains as high as the fjord is deep. The Naeroyfjord - a narrow branch of the Sognefjord - and the Geirangerfjord are both on the UNESCO World Heritage list. // Source: fjords.com, fjordtravel.no / Image: Øyvind Heen - fjords.com
	Coldplay hits Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in London, England in 1998. The group comprises vocalist/pianist/guitarist Chris Martin, lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer/backing vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Will Champion. To date, Coldplay has sold 50 million albums, and are also known for their hit singles, such as “Yellow”, “The Scientist”, “Clocks”, “Speed of Sound”, “Fix You” and “Viva la Vida”. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Coldplay
	Scottish Kilt The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has been associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Gaelic heritage elsewhere. It is most often made of woollen cloth in a tartan pattern. Though the Scottish kilt is most often worn mainly on formal occasions or at Highland Games and sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable informal, and formal, male clothing in recent years. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Oil Rigs Clearly not the most ecological way of extracting oil from mother earth. But they are part of the North Sea picture, and brave men and women work hard for us to be able to lead a more convenient life. Plus, we needed some word that rhymes with “Saint Patrick’s”. // Image: unknown
	The Irish and Saint Patrick’s Saint Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig), colloquially St. Paddy’s Day or simply Paddy’s Day, is an annual feast day which celebrates Saint Patrick (circa AD 385–461), one of the patron saints of Ireland, and is generally celebrated on 17th of March. The day is the national holiday of Ireland: it is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It is also a public holiday in Montserrat. In Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Argentina and New Zealand, it is widely celebrated but is not an official holiday. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: AP
	French Wine French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year (7–8 billion bottles).[1] France has the world’s largest wine production ahead of Italy and the second-largest total vineyard area (behind Spain). French wine exports make up 34.01% of the world market share, ahead of Italian (18.03%) Australian (10.24%) and Spanish (9.18%) wine. French wine traces its history to the 6th century BCE, with many of France’s regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. The wines produced today range from expensive high-end wines sold internationally, to more modest wines usually only seen within France. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Spanish Wine Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 2.9 million acres planted - making it the most widely planted wine producing nation, but it is only the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest being Italy and France. This is due, in part, to the very low yields and wide spacing of the old vines planted on the dry, infertile soil found in many Spanish wine regions. The country is ninth in worldwide consumptions with Spaniards drinking, on average, 38 liters a year. If you would like to know more about Spain, then simply Ask Francisco! // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Raimat
	Italian Wine Italy is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers produced wine in the country long before the Romans started developing their own vineyards in the second century BC. Roman grape-growing and winemaking was prolific and well-organized, pioneering large-scale production and storage techniques like barrel-making and bottling. Two thousand years later, Italy remains one of the world’s foremost producers, responsible for approximately one-fifth of world wine production in 2005. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Neuschwanstein Neuschwanstein Castle (pronounced [nɔʏˈʃvaːnʃtaɪ̯n]) is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner, the King’s inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted, it is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Black Sea The Black Sea is an inland sea bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Bosporus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects it to the Aegean Sea region of the Mediterranean. These waters separate eastern Europe and western Asia. The Black Sea also connects to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is a brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and the Little Belt. The Kattegat continues through Skagerrak into the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Baltic Sea is artificially linked to the White Sea by the White Sea Canal and to the North Sea by the Kiel Canal. The Baltic is bordered on its northern edge by the Gulf of Bothnia, its northeastern edge by the Gulf of Finland, and on its eastern edge by the Gulf of Riga. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Everywhere Democracy From the Black Sea to the Irish island, from the Baltic Sea to the southern Atlantic coastal line of Portugal; everywhere in Europe today we benefit from the fruits of our struggle for democracy in the past. Without a doubt we are all different, culturally and habit-wise. But we all are free to speak, free to vote, free to choose the religion which suits us best. We are free to gather and free to express our opinions. Our common democratic values are the fertilizer for our European togetherness. // Image: zukunfteuropa.at
	Philosophers Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, law, justice, validity, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing these questions (such as mysticism or mythology) by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned argument. The word is of Greek origin: φιλοσοφία, philosophía, “love of wisdom”. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Intervain
	Sokrates Socrates (469 BC–399 BC) was a Classical Greek philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known only through the classical accounts of his students. Plato’s dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Seneca Lucius Annaeus Seneca, often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC – AD 65), was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Champions League The UEFA Champions League (usually referred to as simply the Champions League) is an annual football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It is the most prestigious club trophy in European football. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	MP3 Not many people know that the MP3 compression algorithm was invented and patented by the Fraunhofer Institute headquartered in Munich. Its license revenues generated about €100,000,000 in revenue for the society in 2005. In this song “MP3″ stands for the great power of innovation we harbor in Europe. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Sony
	Ecology The EU and its member states are the driving force behind the global awareness of how important it is to act now, if we want to maintain our ecologic system for the generations to come. Find out more about our environmental policies! // Image: unknown
	In our hearts Versace Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan’s Via della Spiga in 1978, and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world’s leading international fashion houses. Versace designs, markets and distributes luxury clothing, accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings under the various brands of the Versace Group. Gianni Versace was killed by Andrew Cunanan, who was dressed as a poncho goblin, on July 15, 1997. His sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice-president, then stepped in as creative director of Versace and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time. Born in Bonn, then in the Electorate of Cologne in western Germany, the creator of the European Anthem moved to Vienna in his early twenties and settled there, studying with Joseph Haydn and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. Beethoven’s hearing gradually deteriorated beginning in his twenties, yet he continued to compose, and to conduct and perform, even after he was completely deaf. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Pizza Pizza is a world-popular dish of Italian origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and mozzarella cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference. Originating in a part of Italian cuisine, the dish has become popular in many different parts of the world. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: associatedcontent.com
	The English on Ibiza The English just love this center of the Mediterranean party scene… Ibiza is considered a popular tourist destination, especially due to its legendary and at times riotous nightlife. Well-known nightclubs are Privilege (the largest club in the world), Eden, Es Paradís, Amnesia, Space, Pacha, and DC10. During the summer, well-known DJs like Carl Cox (left) perform at the various clubs on weekly schedules, in between touring to other international destinations. Many of these DJs use Ibiza as an outlet for presenting new songs within the house, trance and techno genres of electronic dance music. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: trainspottr.com
	French Baguette A baguette is a specific shape of bread, commonly made from basic lean dough, a simple guideline set down by French law, distinguishable by its length, very crisp crust, and slits cut into it to enable proper expansion of gasses and thus formation of the crumb, the white part of bread. The standard diameter of a baguette is approximately 5 or 6 cm, but the bread itself can be up to a meter in length, though usually about 60cm. A baguette typically weighs 250 grams (8.8 oz). It is also known in English as a French stick or a French bread. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Basque Beret Berets (chapelas, from Basque txapela) have become the standard headgear of the Castilian peasant. In the Basque Country, a commemorative beret is the usual trophy in sport or poetry competitions, including Basque rural sports or the Basque portions of the Tour de France. The Basque word for “champion”, txapeldun, literally means “the one in a beret”. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young “star-cross’d lovers” from Verona whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding families, the House of Capulet and the House of Montague. It was among Shakespeare’s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Shopska Salata Shopska salad is a Bulgarian dish popular in Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Albania and the Czech Republic. It is made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, raw or roasted peppers (preferably roasted), and sirene (white brine cheese). The vegetables are usually diced and salted, followed by a light dressing of sunflower oil or olive oil, which are occasionally complemented by vinegar. The addition of vinegar only contributes, however, to the sour flavor that the tomatoes impart. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: unknown
	Kopernikus Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) from Poland was the first astronomer to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology, which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. His epochal book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), published in 1543 just before he died, is often regarded as the starting point of modern astronomy and the defining epiphany that began the Scientific Revolution. His heliocentric model, with the sun at the center of the solar system, demonstrated that the motions of celestial objects can be explained without putting the Earth at rest in the center of the universe. His work stimulated further scientific investigations, becoming a landmark in the history of modern science that is now often referred to as the Copernican Revolution. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Smetana Bedřich Smetana (March 2, 1824 – May 12, 1884) was one of the most significant Czech composers. He is best known for his symphonic poem Vltava (also known as The Moldau from the German), the second in a cycle of six which he entitled Má vlast (”My Country”), and for his opera The Bartered Bride. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Fish and Chips Fish and chips (sometimes written “fish ‘n’ chips”) is a popular take-away food which originated in the United Kingdom. It consists of deep-fried fish (traditionally cod, haddock, or flounder) in batter or breadcrumbs with deep-fried chipped (slab-cut) potatoes. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Kafka Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 – June 3, 1924) was one of the major fiction writers of the 20th century. He was born to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family in Prague, Austria-Hungary, presently the Czech Republic. His unique body of writing—much of which is incomplete and which was mainly published posthumously—is considered to be among the most influential in Western literature. His stories, such as The Metamorphosis (1915), and novels, including The Trial (1925) and The Castle (1926), concern troubled individuals in a nightmarishly impersonal and bureaucratic world. The term “Kafkaesque” is widely used to describe concepts, situations, and ideas which are reminiscent of Kafka’s works, particularly The Trial and “The Metamorphosis”. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	Oktoberfest laughter Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September (and running to early October). It is one of the most famous events in Germany and the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year, and is an enjoyable event with an important part of Bavarian culture. Oktoberfestbiers are the beers that have been served at the event in Munich since 1818, and are supplied by 6 breweries known as the Big Six: Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: ngz-online.de
	The Swedish and Midsummer Night In modern Sweden, Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer’s Day are celebrated from the eve of the Friday between June 19 - 25. It is arguably the most important holiday of the year, and one of the most uniquely Swedish in the way it is celebrated. The main celebrations take place on the Friday, and the traditional events include raising and dancing around a huge maypole. One typical dance is the frog dance. Before the maypole is raised, greens and flowers are collected and used to cover the entire pole. Raising and dancing around a maypole is an activity that attracts families and many others. People dancing around the pole listen to traditional music and many wear traditional folk costumes. The year’s first potatoes, pickled herring, sour cream, and possibly the first strawberries of the season are on the menu. Drinking songs are also important at this feast, and many drink heavily. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia
	The Dream of Shakespeare set it right William Shakespeare (baptised April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s preeminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon” (or simply “The Bard”). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays, eg A Midsummer Night’s Dream, have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. // Source: Wikipedia / Image: Wikipedia

A vision: EU for Eurovision?

When we played the draft versions of the song to people we knew in order to get first opinions, most of them said something like: “That would be a great song for the Eurovision Song Contest!”

True, the tune’s content combined with the European identity creating idea behind it could make the I am European song indeed become a decent candidate for the biggest song competition in Europe.

But then we would face a challenge. Which country should be the host of the song? This is exactly what we are not trying to accomplish. We focus on European togetherness, not on national glamour.

And then Germán Ramirez from Barcelona proposed: “What about the EU?” Great idea. If the EU participated with a song, it could be represented by a multi-cultural combo. That sounds logical.

In the near future we will follow up on this idea and see, if it makes sense to dig into this direction.

Epilogue: The pro-European Elections initiative

Given The Festival’s pro-European spirit, it was only natural to promote European Elections in June 2009. And so do our partners, our friends from Team Europe Ventures.