It's March 5, 2017, a Sunday. Winter is saying goodbye and spring is preparing to take over. Time for a new beginning. A few days ago, Nini Tsiklauri launched a Twitter appeal: "Pro-Europeans, let's bring #PulseofEurope to Vienna!" With her new European flag, she makes her way to Vienna's Karlsplatz. "Completely without expectations", as she later admits. When she arrives, she meets people who obviously had the same idea. "Complete strangers," says the 25-year-old. "But after a few sentences, it was as if we had always known each other."
Europe and its out-of-tune rhythm
The answer: the "Pulse of Europe" initiative. At the time, it had been struggling with arrhythmia for some time. Brexit, the election of Donald Trump as US president, the upcoming elections in France and the Netherlands: These all caused concern for countless inhabitants of the continent. Among them Daniel and Sabine Röder. In November 2016, the lawyer couple from Frankfurt therefore decided to stand up for the European values that are so important to them. They mobilized friends by email. "Pulse of Europe" was born.
On the first Sunday of every month, the initiative aims to give a voice to all those who believe in the idea of Europe.
"Because it's no longer enough to sit around the table with red wine and reassure each other that you're right. Because I want to encourage those who remain silent. We're still here too," Daniel Röder told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
In short: flying the flag. The European flag.
European idea sweeps across the continent
"Pulse of Europe" spread in no time at all in all directions. After just two months, people in a good 80 cities had followed the Frankfurt example. Only in Austria was it still quiet.
That annoyed Nini Tsiklauri. "I had hoped so much that the initiative would finally arrive here too. I really wanted to contribute to this big wave."
So she headed for Karlsplatz on that very day, March 5, 2017. The rest is history. Since then, there have been several meetings in Vienna with up to 400 participants. After the summer break, the initiative will pick up speed again from October.
"We want to encourage people to become active themselves and take responsibility," explains Tsiklauri.
The open microphone provides an opportunity for this. A speaker's platform that all visitors can use.
"The great thing about 'Pulse of Europe'," she enthuses, "is that it doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter what social background you come from. We bring people together who would never normally meet, let alone exchange ideas. It's incredibly good to talk to people in person."
Discussions welcome at any time
The pro-European viewpoints do not necessarily have to be shared.
Recently, for example, people in Hungary have been taking their European flags into their hands and taking to the streets.
About the "Pulse of Europe" initiative
What should the future of Europe look like? The "Pulse of Europe" initiative meets regularly to find answers to this question. On the first Sunday of every month at 2 p.m., people interested in politics meet in many European cities. In addition to rallies or the open microphone, the aim is to show presence for the European idea. Events also take place in Austria. The meeting points are Karlsplatz in Vienna and the Annasäule in Maria-Theresien-Straße in Innsbruck. It's worth stopping by. You can find more information here: Pulse of Europe.
