The heart of Europe: Rebecca Bellamy visits QCEA

‘Is the EU still a peace project?’

Last month I participated in a study tour organised by the Quaker Council of European Affairs (QCEA). Since I have been serving as a representative from Britain Yearly Meeting to the QCEA General Assembly, I was keen to get to grips with the context in which the organisation is working.

During the week we were introduced to people from the EU parliament, commission and civil society. We learned about: the alarming increase in militarisation and securitisation of the EU; the prolific lobbying pressure of arms companies; and the lack of democratic scrutiny of the EU’s European Defence fund. It led to the question: is the EU still a peace project?

QCEA’s staff shared with us their efforts to interweave the concerns of the climate crisis, peace and human rights. We were encouraged to learn about their strong and sustained relationships with a range of partners in Brussels, working together with others to strengthen important campaigns. I learned that so often valuable work on policy was not about adding something new, but about removing or tweaking wording that might otherwise have a significant detrimental impact on the lives of vulnerable people. Small changes have big implications.

I had almost come to terms with my grief following the Brexit referendum. I work with charities and NGOs that promote understanding and collaboration between faiths in Europe, so I have felt much loss for the symbolism of unity and cooperation that the EU project represented. But this tour has given me a more critical view of the EU. The grief I feel now is for the loss of our democratic voice within this powerful conglomerate.

I see now how important QCEA is. It is an instrument through which Quakers can speak truth to power, with thoughtful and clear campaigns alongside credible research. It’s a space for difficult conversations, where important relationships are cultivated. The team has ears on the ground in the Brussels policy arena, on behalf of Quaker concerns for peace, justice and human rights.

During this week I had been longing to come away with an abundance of optimism. It has been overwhelming to be faced with crisis after crisis these past years. During an epilogue, Tracey Martin, QCEA’s new director, gave a reading that really spoke to me: ‘Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for.’ I admire the steadfastness of campaigners and peacebuilders who may abandon optimism but remain driven, because they believe regardless of the odds that their work is vital.

We have a dedicated team in Quaker House in Brussels, working for peace and justice on behalf of the Quaker community. Let us place our hope and confidence in them and support their important work.

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Martin Ford
Treasurer British Friends of QCEA

By MartinFord on 16th December 2022 - 9:38

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