Video message by President von der Leyen on the legacy of Altiero Spinelli 40 years after his passing

Professor Dàstoli,
Thank you for inviting me to this important event on the life and legacy of Altiero Spinelli.

Mayor Gualtieri,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Altiero Spinelli holds a special place among the founding fathers of our Union.

He was a visionary who dedicated his entire life to Europe. As a political prisoner in Ventotene, he dreamed of a peaceful and united Europe. As a free man after the Liberation of Italy, he created the European Movement and many of the organisations that you represent today.

As a European Commissioner, he worked for a strong European industry that could compete on the global stage. And as a member of the first elected European Parliament, he pushed to transform our economic community into a true European Union.

Spinelli lived for Europe. And he fought for it every day, with heart and soul.

Today you discuss Spinelli's legacy and our Union's future. So let me speak about three key lessons from his life, a life in the service of Europe.

First, Spinelli always dared to dream big. Many of his contemporaries thought that his ideas were too bold, and simply impossible to realise. 

But it is because of pioneers like Spinelli that our Union has kept moving forward. The story of Europe shows – what seems impossible today can become reality tomorrow. But we must dare to fight for it.

Second, Spinelli understood that big ideas can only turn into reality if the pro-European forces unite.

That's what he did in the European Parliament. He brought together men and women from across the political spectrum. They didn't agree on everything. But they shared the same belief in Europe and in democracy. And together, they pushed through the first draft of the Treaty establishing the European Union.

This is how Europe moves forward. Not by focusing on our differences. But by choosing unity.

Finally, Spinelli was a life-long supporter of a common European defence.

He wanted peace and freedom in our continent. And he believed that this required a strong Europe of defence. A more independent Europe.

This was true forty years ago. And it is even truer today. It is up to our generation to make it happen.

Un'Europa libera – perché unita, forte e democratica.

Thank you very much.
And long live Europe!