Vienna – ESI presentation at high school on war, peace and Europe’s invisible borders

Gerald Knaus. Photo: ESI

ESI’s Gerald Knaus visited the Kundmanngasse high school in Vienna for a lively discussion on Europe’s history of war and peace. He explored how European integration, transatlantic alliances and open borders have helped turn a once war-torn continent into a zone of peace.

Using examples from the wars in the Balkans, Ukraine and the Caucasus, he showed that violence has continued in many parts of Europe since 1990 – but not within the EU. He argued that enlargement and integration have been the most successful peace strategies in Europe’s modern history.

He ended with a call to take seriously the lessons of the past and to build a Europe where war is unthinkable – through inclusion, credible enlargement and the defence of democracy.

• ESI proposal: Safe Third Country Agreements
• ESI proposal: EU-Turkey Statement 2.0
• ESI proposal: Humane Borders
• ESI proposal: Offer the four freedoms to the Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova For a merit-based EU accession process with a credible goal
• ESI proposal: End the turtle race How the EU can address the crisis of the accession process
• ESI proposal: Preventing violence – transform Kosovo dialogue

Gerald Knaus. Photo: ESI