Yellow daffodils to remember the Warsaw ghetto uprising19/04/2018

Today, 75 years ago a group of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto began theuprising against the Nazi which lasted 27 days. Today, we remember theheroism and sacrifice of those who chose to resist against the impossibleodd to die in dignity and save the human spirit.

The anniversary of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is celebrated everyyear in Poland by the distribution of yellow paper flower pins (symbolicallyrepresenting the yellow star).

At the opening of the EESC plenary, today, as newly elected president ofthe EESC, I encouraged all members to wear their yellow pin to remember.

No civilization can survive and take bold view of its own future if it lacks a sense of memory. Memory is awarning, but it nurtures positive energies for the future.

Remembering the Warsaw Ghetto uprising is a way to show that we should not take peace for granted.Reconciliation and peace are the greatest achievements of the European Union. By interlinking oureconomies and interests, by perfecting the art of compromise, we have created the most reliable system forlong-term peace in the world.

We should work relentlessly to combat the current threat of global conflicts, flaring up in the light of recentgeopolitical shifts.

For the very first time since its creation, the EU is challenged by its first ever divorce (Brexit) and by growingtensions in its neighbourhood and beyond. At home, some fail to uphold fundamental rights, values offreedom and solidarity, democracy and the rule of law.

Let me be clear, without Peace there is no growth, no decent jobs and no cohesion. Without peace there isno Europe as history reminds us.

We need a profoundly new human positive narrative. We need to rediscover the word of the Frenchrevolution: fraternity. There is no time to waste, as many defeats in history can be summarised in two words:too late.

That is why we need to wear all the yellow daffodils.

I want to thank my colleague and friend Jacek Krawczyk, president of the Employers group in the EESC, forthe initiative. "Yellow daffodils symbolise not only the remembrance of the victims of the uprising, but remindus that tolerance and unity are crucial for maintaining peace and prosperity!", said @Krawczyk_EESC.

Minuta ciszy podczas Sesji Plenarnej @EU_EESC w Brukseli upamiętniająca 75 rocznicę wybuchupowstania w gettcie warszawskim. #LaczyNasPamiec

A minute of silence to commemorate 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Thank@EESC_President for agreeing to this initiative. pic.twitter.com/uJYJ5B9HxC

— Jacek Krawczyk (@Krawczyk_EESC) 19. April 2018