Atlanticism in the XXI Century

Mr. Giuseppe Belardetti

President of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association

NATO Youth Forum, Strasbourg, 2 April 2009

It is my distinct honor to represent the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association in this historical moment when the Alliance is gathering along the riverside of the Rhine to celebrate its 60th anniversary with new members and a reinforced transatlantic link.
I am proud to be part of a Youth family bringing together the successor generations of forty countries in Europe, Asia and North America around the NATO values fostered by the Atlantic Treaty Association over the last six decades.
A Summit constitutes always a special occasion to reflect on the Alliance's policies and strategic vision. I will not expand on the new threats and wider challenges the Alliance is today called to face.
Nevertheless, I wish to assure you that the new Atlanticists are ready to provide the Atlantic community with new strength and to take over at the proper time the responsibility to protect and promote the Atlantic values that you preserved up to now.
In order to successfully meet the future challenges, the Atlantic successor generation should look ahead with a new approach. Over the last sixty years, "why" to be an Atlanticist was easily understandable: to protect democracy, individual freedoms, and the rule of law. In the past, few doubts could be raised on who was an "Atlanticist" and who was not.
On the contrary, in recent times somebody started questioning Atlanticism as a constriction of the past and a relict of history.
YATA is here to testify that this is not the case. Over the past twenty years many changes took place: new members, new partnerships, and increased missions transformed the Alliance. However, the Atlantic values and goals never changed and are clearly represented in the NATO's emblem: to guarantee peace to its members, as symbolized by the compass; to strengthen unity, as reflected by the circle surrounding it; and to integrate the two sides of the Atlantic, as reflected by the dark-blue background.
Nevertheless, in the new international scenario there is a need to re assess to the youth public opinion "why" to be an Atlanticist today.
To those belonging to the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association this is clear: true Atlanticists are all those who regardless of their nationality, religion or ethnic group believe that the Euro-Atlantic values are the bedrock of peace and stability and the backbone of an effective cooperation between democratic institutions. To us, the Atlantic values are embedded in the Preamble of the North Atlantic Treaty and represented by the transatlantic link.
Moreover, the young Atlanticists are sometimes confused by the misleading concept that places Europeism and Atlanticism in competition. Europe and North America share many political, cultural, and social aspects, and this appears evident to the young generation and the students that feel to belong to a single community. A vision that tries to put Europeism versus Atlanticism or vice versa, does not reflect the reality and cannot be accepted. Rather than in the political declarations, the true spirit of Europeism lays in the feelings of the young Europeans that will never look to rewind the history and to live in a Euro-Atlantıc hemisphere divided by physical, cultural and social artificial barriers.
Europeism and Atlanticism can go together if NATO and EU go together. It is wise to recognize the added value that the Atlantic Alliance can bring to development of a European Security and Defense Policy while NATO needs a stronger and more responsible European Union. 
As many senior Atlanticists committed themselves in promoting Atlanticism as a guiding principle of national foreign policies, today a similar engagement should be carried out by the young Atlanticists.
In a fast growing and fast consuming world, information has never been so easy to access and so vast. However, we must keep dialogue alive and information correct and reliable. YATA expanded this dialogue to our friends in the East, in the Caucasus, and established new relationships with youth association in the Middle East.
Moreover, in times when the concept of the "clash of civilizations" is still popular among global media, YATA always recall that dialogue must start from what unites us, and not what divides. Specific religious, political or linguistic heritages must not be perceived as "divisions" but they are better qualified as "differences", that – as such – are enriching our world and the Euro-Atlantic community. Informing correctly and engaging in true partnership, are the key elements for a successful and smart outreach strategy, able to stand up from other international educational activities and international platforms.
We learned that leading a correct and effective communication constitutes a winning tool to reach the hearts and mind of the new generation. In addition, the development of equal partnerships is the key to drive the Euro-Atlantic successor generation towards a cooperative and peaceful common future.
It might not be wise for me to point at my age to support my assertions. I am in the mid twenties and some years ago, when I stop watching cartoons and tuned on news channel, the Soviet Union was barely disintegrated, while the Western Democracies biggest threats were the Eastern workers and not the Soviet Army. My generation was born in times of changes, not in static ones. The feeling of growing interconnections, expanding opportunities, almost unlimited choices and open doors is vivid and welcome not as a threat but as an opportunity.
Notwithstanding all these changes and new opportunities, we have to keep in mind what a NATO Secretary General once said: "Paradoxically peace is still the cause we are fighting for".