It is with great sadness that we learned about the passing of David Sassoli in the night of the 11th of January 2022. Mr Sassoli was the President of the European Parliament since 2019, and we have had the honour of having him as the patron of our organisation since 2020. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and everyone close to him.
Mr Sassoli started a career as a journalist, working his way up from a journalist for a small paper to deputy director of TG1. After many years in the news media, he shifted his attention to politics, being elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2009. He was an influential figure in European politics and a champion of democracy and active citizenship. We would like to thank him for his work and contribution to the European project and his support of young Europeans, including the European Youth Parliament. He will be gravely missed.
“I am honoured to be a patron of the European Youth Parliament. I want to highlight my appreciation for the millions of young people, girls and boys, who work and are engaged in building and strengthening what is a vital space for dialogue, inclusion and cooperation, showing attention to issues of crucial importance for our future and the one of our Union. You have a mission: to make Europe the benchmark for European citizens, as it is for you. We need more Europe because without Europe we cannot grow and we cannot build a better future.” – David Sassoli
Last summer, participants of our International Session in Warsaw had the chance to be welcomed by Mr Sassoli through a video message, in which he encouraged the participants to break down walls and to go forward and contribute their ideas to a more democratic and better Europe. You can see the full message he left for our participants below.
We shall remember Mr Sassoli’s work as a passionate European who strived to unite Europe, his belief in the importance of democratic participation and amplifying the voice of young people in society, as well as in the chance we have to design a Europe that is fairer, greener, more just, more digital, more forward-looking, and most of all owned by all.
The EYP Team
