"How Close to Our Heart is Europe for Us Styrians?"

"How close to Our Heart is Europe for Us Styrians?" - Styrian retirees from argrarian professions dealt with this question in the course of the eponymous seminar held in St. Martin in Graz. The discussion made clear that senior citizens treasure peace and security, but find it rather difficult to connect these values with the aims of the European Union. 

Georg Tafner, project manager of the Styrian EU-project "EUGEM" and member of the Regional Department for European Affairs and External Relations, illustrated the results of the latest Eurobarometer survey. It shows a "father-son-conflict:" while men aged 65+ have little acceptance for the European Union, the group with the largest number of EU-advocates is their "sons" - men under 35.

"Senior citizens like us find it difficult to do anything with these subjects," the audience explained, but lauded the seminar for the information they were given.

Until May 2006, various events will take place in Styria in the course of the EUGEM-project with the financial support of the EU-Commission for Expansion. The Department for European Affairs and External Relations and the Styrian Regional Managements may still contribute topics for certain events. For more information, please contact fa1e@stmk.gv.at