Europe day should be a Public Holiday

The EU needs more people with a European mindset!  

The EU pioneers wanted peace and prosperity for Europe, which has been achieved through the European project. However, following the migration and financial crisis in our recent history, there has been a revival of nationalistic sentiments across the continent, stronger support for populist and nationalist parties, Brexit, and an increasing resistance to the aim of an ever-closer union. In the face of future challenges (posed by climate change among others), it's more crucial than ever that people cherish the unity on European level on par with the unity that they cherish on national level. Europe needs to reach a point where different nationalities regard one another as more than good neighbors and business partners to secure the continuity of the European project. A point where they regard one another as family, to allow for a closer union.     

The Union cannot live up to its full potential unless people start to truly think as Europeans, and they accept and allow for an ever-closer union. The European identity needs to be on par with the national identity in the mind of individuals to facilitate an ever-closer union. The same way as the national identity today is on par with the regional or local identity in peoples' minds, which provides an insurance for unity even in times of adversity.  

Such transition takes obviously time. However, it is possible to speed up the process by changing some factors that influence an individual's mindset. National identity is a result of what people learn while growing up. They are taught at home, in school, through public holidays to celebrate and remember historical events, which strengthen affinity in the group. There are not enough components in place today to foster a European mindset, versus all ingredients employed to produce a strong and proud national identity in every member state. There needs to be a good balance between elements that promote affinity on European level and that promote affinity on national level.        

Turning Europe day into a public holiday in all EU member states would be a component that promotes closer affinity on European level. Today, Europe day for most people is just another working day. In many schools, it's not even mentioned on the day itself. If people could spend quality time with their families and friends on that day, if the day would be marked in calendars as a public holiday, if it was important enough for schools to mention this day and why we celebrate it to their students, and if people in all member states would be allowed to share this experience with one another across the continent on the same day as members of the same European family, it would promote closer affinity in the EU and support the evolution of a European mindset.  

Thus, a European Citizens' Initiative should be started for calling on the European Commission to send a directive to the member states to turn Europe day into a public holiday.