We, the students of the College of Europe, want to express our sadness and condolences for the over 361 migrants who died on the 3rd of October this year, off the coast of Lampedusa, at the border of our Europe.
This tragedy is the latest of a horribly long list. Since 1993, at least 20,000 people drowned in an attempt to find a better life by reaching the European Union’s southern borders. In 2011, the Mediterranean Sea was classified by the UNHCR as the deadiest stretch of water for migrants (around 1500 dead and missing that year alone).
This ongoing catastrophy cannot be ignored.
In a world in which borders still matter, we believe that a strong, committed and sincere solidarity is needed among the Member States and people of our Union to ensure a better future for everybody, in and outside of Europe.
Conscious that our thoughts and prayers will never compensate for those broken lives, we profoundly hope that this recurring tragedy at the borders of the European Union will raise the awareness of all Europe’s citizens and beyond, especially in our younger generation, which is called upon to shape the future and a better world.
For everybody.
We invite all the alumni, staff and everybody reading this news item to volontary sign it through the link below: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/statment-of-soliradity-lampedusa/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend