A discussion on Europe and what it means to be European from a cultural perspective with opinions from a diverse range of commentators.
Pat Donlon, Director of the National Library of Ireland, and Martin Mack, a student at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, provide their views on Europe.
While current European debates centre on social, economic and political issues, for many commentators cultural issues are at the core of the debate. English poet Charles Thompson talks of the cultural merits of being part of Europe and the "civilisation of the individual". Pat Donlon views Europe as having a broader canvas than the narrow economic and political one.
Richard Sinnot asks the question "Is there such a thing as a common European culture?" and points to differences between east and west.
Magna Baranock, a student at Marie Curie University in Poland, and Ciaran Benson, lecturer at University College Dublin, provide their views on common and diverse cultural sensitivities across Europe. Donlan describes Europe as "a large umbrella, under which many separate, small pieces fit".
Both literature and language are identified as key in unifying common elements in European culture.
