Transeuropa Festival calls for European democracy
and end to caging of animals
Transeuropa Festival has opened up a space since 2007 for a Europe of democracy, equality and culture beyond the nation state.
This year’s edition, in Cluj-Napoca, calls on the European Commission to respect its unequivocal commitment to bring forward a legislation to end the caging of animals for farming, nearly 1.5 million signing the European Citizens initiative ‘End the Cage Age’.
The European Citizens Initiative is a unique instrument of transnational participation, of which the European Union should be proud. Not respecting a clear commitment to follow up on a successful initiative undermines confidence in all democratic processes in Europe at a time when democracy is under pressure worldwide.
The engagement of over a million people to end a form of cruelty to animals shows Europeans taking a planetary responsibility for other species, and thereby shows how democracy can be at its best.
The theme of Transeuropa festival this year is ‘holding space’, and through democratic assemblies we explore different ways we can hold space for each other and build solidarity. We also have a responsibility to hold space for other species and give a voice in democracy to those who cannot speak for themselves. This makes it even more important for us to add our voices to those calling on the European Commission to respect its democratic commitments to people and animals across Europe.
