Freedom 2 – I Won’t Let You Down

Life is a funny old thing. Years ago, I landed myself a job in the European Commission. It was the adventure of a lifetime for a college drop out, living abroad aged just 18. I worked in the office during the day and I gigged all over Flanders at night, playing my fiddle in all sorts of crazy bands. 

A few lifetimes later and this trip to Bratislava is just the latest in a long line of new adventures I’ve been having since returning to college. The trip is to take part in the FilmEU Challenge where we will meet other students from all over Europe and work in teams to create a short film and media campaign for an NGO. 

When I decided to go back to college, it was a deliberate choice to do something completely different. I’ve worked in offices for years and I thought choosing courses in Media Production would get me away from bureaucracy and admin. 

But it’s back to the European Institutions for me. My team has been paired with Transparency International EU, an organisation working to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in EU decision-making. One of the areas we will explore in our campaign is MEPs with second jobs and the potential for conflicts of interest.

I was initially disappointed to be assigned to this NGO. I was hoping for something a bit more fun or uplifting. But as my week in Bratislava progressed, and as I learned more about what it was like for people to live under an oppressive regime,  I started to feel the fear about the rise of the far right and I realised just how important this assignment is. 

While the current threat to democracy might feel like something far away, it’s coming our way. The attempts to challenge the funding of NGOs that call for transparency and accountability are a huge concern, and we should all be working together to ensure our voices are represented and our democratic rights are upheld.

I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into this campaign. My team is made up of an incredible range of talents from all over Europe. We will come up with something great. But, should I tell them I used to be an EU double-jobber? Perhaps not.