The Passion for Europe Session brought together participants from over 17 nationalities. The Session, held at La Pareille Centre from 24-26 September, gathered almost 50 participants from diverse backgrounds and keynote speakers of the EU institutions, NGOs and churches to discuss the Future of Europe in preparation of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

The session started with Mr. Alain Lamassoure introductory speech on the "Past and future of European Borders". The Chair of the Governing Board of the Council of Europe highlighted that the main key of the future of the EU will be its relationship with Africa. Mr. Lamassoure reminded the participants that all nations are redesigned by war and that the duty of current leaders is to convey and handover to the next generation the importance of learning from the past to design the future.

The former French Minister and MEP quoted George Orwell's: "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." Mr. Alain ended his intervention mentioning that the need for a common identity was never so high and that "if there is political will, everything is possible".

 On Saturday, the day started with the Session "Beyond borders" and with the intervention of Mr. Gyula Ocskay, General Secretary of CESCI (the Central European Service for Cross-border Initiatives) and Ms. Victoria Martin de la Torre. Mr. Gyula discussed cross-border regionalism and cross-border cooperation and Ms. Victoria presented how the roots of the founding fathers of the EU, their faith and values can inspire more the union and its future today.

Mr. Philippe Lamberts, Belgian politician serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and chair of the Green group of the Parliament, moved the audience by sharing his vision in the Session "Future of Europe", and expressed hope as a Christian despite the urgency to face Climate change while the pace is not sufficient and the 'Fit for 55' EU package targets could be more ambitious. In his keynote address, Mr. Lamberts stressed the importance of implementing effective tax rates for multinational corporations and rent seekers, he explained the difference between capitalism and the free market, and the enforcement of European values among the youth.

At the end of each Session, the participants were divided in multinational groups to discuss the main conclusions of the keynotes speeches. On the last day, Botond Feledy, Director of the European Leadership Programme (ELP), presented the draft contribution of Passion's For Europe Session to the Conference on the Future of Europe.