This week the pupils in 1º bachillerato have been lucky enough to receive a visit from Cristina Laso, who works in Brussels at the European Union Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety. On a brief visit home to Spain from her regular work in Brussels, Cristina, the relative of several past and present pupils of this school, came to give us a passionate overview of the EU, both in its origins and its present-day relevance.
She started by giving us a fun quiz with questions about the EU's official languages, its population, and how it can help us when travelling or using our phone abroad. Then we learned about how the destruction and poverty caused by the Second World War inspired the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community, leading to further treaties and an expansion of competences, leading to the EU that we live in today.
Finally, to illustrate that the EU is not simply an anonymous, distant political machine with little impact on our lives, Cristina invited a pupil to look through her handbag and take the objects for all to see. Our use of each object (whether a pen, purse, mobile phone or driving licence) is possible thanks to EU legislation or supervision: for example the Euro, our single currency that we use all over the continent, or the laws concerning food safety, medicine production, or other consumer rights.
Cristina's passion for the European project really came across to all the attendees, and we all learned a lot of interesting things. Hopefully now we all feel that the European Union is a little closer than it was before. Our thanks go to Cristina, and we hope she can make a return visit before too long!
Link: the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
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