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According to a classical Greek legend, a girl named Europa was carried across the Mediterranean Sea toward the sunset (because ‘Eur’ means ‘evening, sunset’) by the God Zeus, who took the form of an ox. The Greeks believed that Europe was just some distant land, like an island overseas. They did not know that Europe is a huge continent, one of the six parts of the world, washed by two oceans and a dozen seas.
For us, the inhabitants of Russia, Europe is part of our homeland. Geographically, we are almost one-half European. For us, like for residents of France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Portugal and other countries there is nothing surprising in the fact that January can be snowy and cold, while June is warm (it just the other way round for people living in Australia and South America!). Nor are we surprised to often see plains and beautiful mountains on huge tectonic plates forming the “basis” for Europe. We are used to being the happy successors of Mediterranean culture, to possess Renaissance masterpieces and to have the birth of Christ as the beginning of our era. Europe, in the deepest meaning of the word, is a unified cultural and geographic block, the most important landmark in the history of the planet.
Europe gave birth to science and technology; it is here that the wheel and the bicycle were invented, ships, locomotives and trains were built; the airplane was designed, and space rockets were launched. The TV set, radio, cinema, computer, automobile, fashion, restaurants, casinos, beach vacations, the press, ballet and cookery all originate from Europe. The Europeans started all world wars, but they also invented vaccines, surgery and modern methods of diagnostics and disease treatment. Literature, archeology, mathematics, physics, biology, philosophy and history were all given to the world by Europe. The Greenwich meridian from which all world time zones are counted runs through Europe (England).
Europe is a virtually unique part of the world. A whole world full of natural and geographical diversity fits into 10 million square kilometers. Between the polar deserts of Iceland and the sand dunes of Tabernas in Spain tundra, steppes, forests, fields, lakes, rivers and seas are spread out… A person can choose where to settle down. Perhaps this might be the southern parts of Spain, Italy and Greece rich in vineyards, gardens surrounded by warm sea waters. Or in the mid latitudes of Germany, Great Britain and Bulgaria. Or one might prefer the North (Switzerland or Sweden) with their peaceful character and abundant prosperity, ski slopes and Alpine heights.
Europe has the honor of discovering the rest of the world, including America. The Silk Road ran through Europe, as it was situated at the crossroads of all migration routes. Europeans populated all six parts of the world. Today, Europe lobbies for global unification, for the disappearance of all national borders (both geographic, financial and language). The contemporary European Union is an ultimately open, humanistically oriented, comfortable space for life, business, travel and rest. The largest percentage of well-to-do people in the world is combined with the most comfortable household and service conditions. “European tradition”, “European quality”, “European level” are meaningful phrases for every person on Earth. At present, the European Union is tending to expansion in the Russian direction. Even though real consolidation hasn’t happened yet, any of us can call Europe a Big House where everyone is welcome and there is a place for all.
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