On July 26 and 27, a group of 30 European leaders from business, academia, civil society and politics gathered for a workshop of rare intensity at the Maison Jean Monnet in Houjarray. Organized by Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Marcello Palazzi, Otti Vogt and Jean-Marc Lieberherr, the event took place in a highly symbolic location: the house where Jean Monnet lived and worked for decades, and where the Schuman Declaration, the founding act of the European Union, was drafted.
Throughout the weekend, participants addressed a central question: how can we revitalize the European project through collective, concrete action?
Guided by Monnet’s unshakeable vision of a united, peaceful and sovereign Europe in an interdependent world, the discussions were nourished by his philosophy of action. One phrase in particular resonated throughout the debates:
“Anything becomes possible as soon as you focus on one specific point that drives everything else.”
What would this “precise point” be today? What could be the equivalent of the coal and steel of the 1950s, or the single market of the 1990s?
Beyond the main principles, the challenge is also to know how to talk about this new European ambition in such a way as to reach out to the younger generations and convey a concrete, mobilizing vision, anchored in action.
In a place steeped in history, the Maison Jean Monnet was more than just a backdrop: it provided an emotional anchor and clarity of purpose. Participants left with renewed energy, full of ideas, and a shared determination to move Europe forward.
This is just the beginning. The momentum is there, the community is growing. Europe has the potential – and no doubt the duty – to regain leadership. Now it’s up to us.