European Union Parliament
Today we went to the European Parliament! Some of the first details I noticed were the texture and ornament on the building. There was glass that allowed you to see into the building and reflective glass that showed you a reflection of yourself and the world around you. I think that this could represent the transparency that the European Parliament wants to have. The European Parliament stands for democracy and represents the best interest of its citizens, which means that the citizens should have access to the building and feel as though they can be a part of it. I think that the reflective glass also nicely embraces this concept. It allows the citizens and Parliament to look back on themselves. The building is also in the shape of an oval, which I learned is the symbol of a union! I think that this building is a wonderful example of an architect putting thought into a design in order to make it not only functional but symbolic as well.
This building houses the European Parliament which is an important part of the European Union. The European Parliament is the only part of the EU that is directly elected so it is a big symbol of democracy. In this building, Parliament makes decisions about policies, has debates, and passes laws. All of these things have affected the past of Europe, are relevant now, and will hopefully remain relevant (in a positive way) in the future. This building is also important because of the educational opportunities it offers. Just like we were able to go through and learn about the European Union, Parliament, and other politics, visitors and students alike have the same opportunities. The building hosts presentations and discussions and fosters an environment of learning and understanding.
This building contributes to Brussels being a cultural capital because politics are a large part of a city's culture. European Parliament is all about being democratic and promoting the idea that everybody has a voice. That is a culture that appeals to a lot of people and draws people in. Even for those that don't live in Europe (like amazing awesome beautiful BYU study abroad students) the building has a pull. People from all over want to come and learn about all that Europe has to offer, the history of this country, and how they came to be where they are today. This provides a steady stream of diverse groups from all over. We saw this in action when we went there today because we got to learn with people from Turkey which was super cool. We kind of contributed to the cultural diversity of this city! The European Parliament building is also a center for culture all across Europe. There are people represented from a lot of different countries which is wonderful.
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Hey Lilly-To answer the questions on the final, I would explain how Brussels' status as a lively, global city and its position as a cultural hub are enhanced by the European Parliament building. Highlight its function as a center for global cooperation and dialogue and as a representation of European unity and democracy. I like how your post included that democracy strives to include everyone's voice! That's what makes the EU parliament a place of dialogue for several countries.
ReplyDeleteNice post, Lilly! I think the way you discuss how the Parliament relates to the cultural capital is quite interesting. You even you use an example of how we contribute to this and the role we play, which I think is helpful for one of the questions on the final. You could even say more about the diversity of the nations and how the European Parliament unites them together. I do think you raise a good point that we (BYU students) are even drawn to something that is outside of our government and nation. By using this example, you show just how much pull the EU parliament has. And you also discuss the specific details in which the building aims at united nations (even getting down to the shapes of the building/interior).
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