Dear Friends,

I hope you all had a peaceful and relaxing festive season with your families and friends.

I would like to thank the European Parliament and the Ecumenical Community of Taizé for making this event possible and for giving me the opportunity to address you today.

The theme of this event – "New forms of Poverty – New forms of Solidarity" – is a very topical one.

Across Europe, poverty and inequality are on the rise.

In some countries the economic crisis has plunged people into new depths of poverty.

We are seeing an increasingly unequal distribution not only of salaries and wealth, but also of access to housing, to social protection, to quality education.

By some accounts, more than 80 million Europeans live in poverty.

As many of you here today know very well from personal experience, it is the young generation which has been hit particularly hard.

More and more young people are slipping through Europe's social safety nets.

Those that do have work are often trapped in low-paying or temporary jobs.

It is therefore not surprising that many young people feel betrayed by the political class.

That they feel disenchanted with a system that does not guarantee their dignity.

Let there be no doubt: poverty is a violation of human rights.

And we must never forget, not even for a second, that human rights are universal.

Dear Friends,

It is precisely due to these major challenges that we must protect and preserve a system that provides fairness.

A system that provides dignity.

A system that provides solidarity.

It is therefore high time that Europe follows Brother Roger's example.

The story of Brother Roger is the ultimate story of solidarity.

It was over seventy years ago, in the midst of a world war, that Brother Roger arrived in the small village of Taizé.

He risked his life to set up a centre of refuge for the persecuted, at a time when hate and destruction were tearing the seams of society.

He set up a community based not on a shared religion.

Not on a shared nationality.

But on shared values and shared humanity.

It this sense of community, this type of solidarity and selflessness, that we so urgently need to rekindle today.

A solidarity which brings together believers of different religions as well as believers and non-believers.

A solidarity between young and old .

But also a solidarity between rich and poor,  as is so powerfully demonstrated by the Taize brothers in Africa, Asia and South America who choose to share the living conditions – and the suffering – of those around them.

Their mission is to be a presence of love among the very poor.

A glimmer of hope for those who have been abandoned and abused.

Their commitment to social justice is heart-warming and is an inspiration to us all.

Dear Friends,

The story of Brother Roger and Taize is also a story of tolerance.

Let us not forget how Brother Roger would go deep into the woods to pray, out of discretion towards some of the Jewish and agnostic refugees he was sheltering.

He did not want any of the refugees to feel ill-at-ease.

Today, the Taizé commitment to reconciliation, repect and unity among humankind is as relevant as ever.

This is a commitment shared by the Council of Europe.

The quest for equality, social justice and tolerance lies at the very core of the Council of Europe's existence.

Europe today is witnessing a number of crises.

We are facing an economic crisis but also a crisis of institutions.

Not only our national governments, but also European institutions are struggling to cope with the economic crisis and are often perceived as unable or unequipped to deliver immediate, concrete and effective responses to the problems we are facing.

The crisis of institutions breeds the third crisis, the crisis of confidence.

The sharp decline of trust in public institutions is dramatically reflected in people's attitudes with regard to their national institutions of government and their political class.

The cumulated effect of these three crises is the fourth one – the crisis of values. We have perhaps not lost our belief in them, but there are many signs that we may have lost the stamina to live up to them.

This is reflected in the rise of extremism and hate speech, new nationalism, vilification of immigration and any other form of otherness.

Countering these preoccupying trends is, and must remain the key priority for all governments in Europe. It certainly is a priority for the Council of Europe.  We are the Organisation mandated to protect and promote human rights – including social rights, which are their indivisible part. Our main, I could say constitutional instrument – the European Convention on Human Rights – has its social rights equivalent in the European Social Charter.

These are international legally binding treaties. They are laws and as such they are very important. They sets limit to what governments can, and cannot do. Morality cannot be legislated, said Martin Luther King, and the law cannot change the heart, but it can restrain the heartless. True, our member states are not heartless, but they do suffer from occasional arrhythmia, so we need to be there to help them get any human rights and democratic palpitations under control.

But we also work to change hearts. We are working with and for young people. We work through culture and education. We have programmes focusing on the most vulnerable communities and groups, such as Roma and migrants. And we work with the civil society. This is why I have been so delighted to receive your invitation to speak at your conference. To look together how we can forge new alliances and look for new solutions, new solidarity.

I am also delighted that tomorrow, Taizé participants will be attending workshops in our European Youth Centre to discuss themes such as the interreligious dimension of the intercultural dialogue and the No Hate Speech Movement and to experience first-hand on innovative working methods with young people.

Without reinforced solidarity the crisis – in plural – will persist with devastating effects. Economies will eventually recover, but if we do not react, people's trust and our common values may not.

It is encouraging to be with people who share these concerns and share the resolve to do something about them.

Just as Taize has become known as a centre of peace and respect, Strasbourg – the home of the Council of Europe – has come to represent reconciliation in the heart of Europe.

This city, at the crossroads of cultures, has become an important symbol of hope for building a Europe grounded in solidarity.

For the Council of Europe, it is important that we stay true to this historic legacy.

In a time punctuated by Facebook likes, Instagram posts and smart phones, the scope for distraction is very large.

It is therefore more important than ever that both young and old are not distracted from what is truly important, from what really matters.

Dear Friends,

To conclude, I wish to encourage you to continue on your path of humanity and common values. Taize is not only a reminder of how far we can go when we put our differences aside and work towards a common goal. Your movement is a model of solidarity and it makes an important contribution to the societies we live in. Carry on the good work!

Thank you.