The progressive family in Europe, on the initiative of the S&D Group, is launching an 18-month project designed to listen and find answers to the problems the EU is facing. 'Together - A new direction for a progressive Europe - Stand up for our future!' goes beyond a traditional political consultation: it means involving our citizens in building a progressive Europe.
 
Together is a journey. Over the next 18 months, our values, principles, policies and strategies will pave the way for a new progressive Europe. We will be holding events across the EU encouraging people to contribute to this new direction for Europe. European citizens will have the chance to debate and pose questions to leading politicians and academics on the major challenges Europe faces. Topics will include everything from Brexit to the refugee crisis, the digital revolution to sustainable development and fair taxation. From how to build a social Europe to tackling populism, nationalist movements and constitutional questions on the future of the EU itself.
 
We will start this journey on 19 October 2016 with a public event at the European Parliament in Brussels. We will then hold a series of events across the continent with local progressive parties, organisations and citizens to develop this new vision. Our partners, the Party of European Socialists (PES), social-democratic representatives of national parliaments, the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions, Socialist Group in the Council of Europe, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), Global Progressive Forum (GPF), SOLIDAR, civil society and progressive NGOs, will join us on this journey. This will culminate with an event back in Brussels in mid-2018 where we will adopt a ‘Call for Europe’, outlining our vision ahead of the 2019 European Parliament elections.
 
At the kick-off event on 19 October, leading left-wing politicians and renowned academics will respond to questions from young Europeans and citizens on the future of Europe. Speakers confirmed so far include S&D Group President Gianni Pittella, PES President Sergei Stanishev, Portuguese Prime Minister António Luís Santos da Costa, European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Bruno Le Roux, President of the Socialist Group at the National Assembly of France, Commission first Vice-President Frans Timmermans and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini. Other speakers include Elio Di Rupo, President of the Belgian Socialist Party, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini, PES Committee of the Regions President Catiuscia Marini, FEPS President Massimo D´Alema and leading academic Professor Jan Zielonka, among others.

The full programme of the launch event on 19 October can be found here.
 
A press point will be held before the event, more information will follow nearer the date. 
 
Please join us online using #EuropeTogether.
 
Access is free and the public can register via our 'Together' website here.
 
The event will be live streamed here.
 
Please note that places are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

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