DEAR EUROPE
Second Citizen was a performance by Angus Farquhar starting from a request to the head of every member state to retain EU citizenship.
Replies were received from 20 countries, with Slovenia alone opening an official dialogue to consider citizenship.
Commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, Dear Europe was staged in Glasgow on 31st March 2019, the first proposed night of separation.
My reason for doing this, is a belief in the power of peace and how the most profound reason to remain part of Europe has been roundly ignored as the more pragmatic manoeuvring for position around trade deals has dominated many months of nationalist posturing and stilted dialogue.
There is nothing without peace.
No chance to solve migration issues, no hope of economic stability, nor meaningful cultural exchange. It is the genuine cooperation and compromise between near neighbours that has given many a chance to make something of their lives.
The move to leave reflects a populist lurch to the right in England and is an unspoken celebration of isolationism and inflated self-belief.
Such sentiments intermixed with toxic immigration scaremongering, do not historically lead to happy endings.
Angus Farquhar
The Letter
President Steinmeier
Federal President
Der Bundespraesident
Spreeweg 1
10557 Berlin
Dear President Steinmeier
As you will be aware the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union on the 29th March 2019. Although many people now question the credibility of the claims put forward in the build-up to the referendum, millions of British people are impelled to accept their loss of EU citizenship and the profound change that will come with that, irrespective of the long-term damage to the UK and Europe itself.
As a significant artist working in Scotland I have been commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland and the BBC to devise a performance titled ‘Dear Europe,’ which will focus on taking away citizenship and what that means. It will be performed on the 29th March 2019, the night of separation.
I wish to remain a European citizen. Does the UK’s withdrawal from the EU mean that I must lose my EU citizenship? The suggestion that citizens of the UK might be able to remain as an EU citizen post Brexit was first raised by the Belgian MEP and President of the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, shortly after the referendum. His idea intrigues me. How does that idea translate into a performance? How could that performance become a legal reality?
I am approaching this idea of retaining my EU citizenship from the perspective of an artist, but I am deadly serious. ‘Dear Europe’ touches on the nature of citizenship – how and why it is bestowed, as well as withdrawn. It also goes to the heart of what it means to be European.
I therefore make a simple request. It would be an honour if Austria would consider me for citizenship, thus enabling me to remain an EU citizen. I appreciate with this comes responsibilities. I will remain fully engaged with the duties that come with the EU project and I accept that my citizenship is premised upon that. I will contribute to Austria in line with my obligations under EU law and in turn you will not treat me differently from other EU citizens.
In recent years a number of wealthy individuals have able to ‘buy’ passports in EU countries irrespective of their personal backgrounds. I am not rich. I am not in a position to buy citizenship. I do however make a clear contribution to my community. I include the EU as part of that community. For 26 years I ran NVA, one of the most successful independent art charities in the UK (www.nva.org.uk). We worked with artists, musicians and performers from across Europe, making unusual large-scale performances in incredible locations.
This has included choreographing thousands of endurance runners and cyclists in specially designed light-suits for the Olympics and Tour de France. We have performed on hills, docks and the whole Ruhr Emscher park in Germany (https://vimeo.com/79412226) The film is 3 minutes long and gives a good impression of the scale of production.
If you are willing to accept me as a citizen, I will work with your arts community to make new productions and long-term cultural exchanges with the UK, under the aegis of the National Theatre, celebrating the core of what it is to be European. It is time to touch audiences and inspire the public, to consider and affirm the deeper values of mutuality and civic respect that sustain peaceful co-existence.
It is important to bring the issues ‘alive’ in a way that captures the public imagination. If you accept me as citizen, valuing my 25 years of experience of directing inspirational theatre and performance, valuing my ‘cultural capital’, I will deliver a high-profile public Citizenship Ceremony to document and publicise the process.
This initiative represents a serious opportunity to counteract the isolationist thinking at the heart of Brexit and to demonstrate progressive European integration on both a fundamental and symbolic level. Is Europe a union of its citizens or its states? I am acutely conscious that if I am able to retain my EU citizenship, it will have a significant impact on the EU project as a whole, as well as Brexit.
I thank you in advance for your consideration and your willingness to engage in this project.
Let me know if you require further information. I expect that you will have many questions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Angus Farquhar
Germany
“As you will be aware President Steinmeier has repeatedly and on different occasions publicly lamented the democratic decision of the British People to leave the European Union. Only weeks ago, the President participated, as first German Federal President, at Remembrance Day in London. The inscription on the wreath laid down on that occasion said: “Honoured to remember side by side, Grateful for reconciliation, Hopeful for a future shared in peace and friendship.”
It is understandable that especially you, as an artist, strive to conserve your EU-citizenship. And it is an honour indeed that you consider an application to obtain German citizenship as an adequate means to reach that goal.
It is therefore with regret that I inform you that the Federal President has no constitutional power or means to support your wish.”
Lithuania
“I wanted to express my personal gratitude and also the Gratitude from the Embassy from this particular expression of the pro-European attitude and also your stance on the issue.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that neither Law on Citizenship, nor other legislation regulating citizenship matters provide an exemplary list defining activities and achievements to be considered as outstanding merits to the Republic of Lithuania. “
Austria
“We require a minimum of 5 years with a settlement permit required and the following:
Integrity
No ban on residence (Aufenthaltsverbot) and no pending procedure to revoke the leave to remain (Verfahren zur Aufenthaltsbeendigung) in Austria or any other EEA country as well as no issuing of an expulsion order (Ausweisung) within the past twelve months (with German words or not)
Clear criminal record
Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
Positive attitude towards the Republic of Austria
Renunciation of former nationality (if feasible and reasonable)
Knowledge of the democratic system and history of Austria and Vienna
Proof of German language skills (German)”
Estonia
“An alien who wishes to acquire Estonian citizenship must:
Hold a long-term residence permit;
Be proficient in the Estonian language in accordance with the requirements provided in section 8 of this Act;
Know the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act;
Be loyal to the Estonian state;
Take an oath: " [In applying for Estonian citizenship, I swear to be loyal to the constitutional order of Estonia.]”
The Responses
The Future
Slovenia
In addition to regular naturalization, the Citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia Act ZDRS also provides for extraordinary naturalization in case of the existence of a national benefit in a certain field of social, economic, cultural, or national life.
Provided:
- the admission to the citizenship of the Republic of Slovenia does not present a danger to the public order, security or defense of the state;
- you make an oath of respect for the free democratic constitutional order established in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia.
The Republic of Slovenia may acquire a person, even if he does not fulfil the condition of uninterrupted residence and the condition of the regulated status of an alien, taking into account his exceptional contribution to the development of the Republic of Slovenia.
“They say it’s not impossible, it’s a long process and it would take a lot of time and paper work. And all applications must be written in Slovenian language. The Presidential Office has just forwarded the whole thing to the Ministry of Internal Affairs... ”
REVIEWS
“In the concluding Second Citizen, all pretension had dropped, It was honest and pure and finished with an electric performance on the marimba.”
“A moving personal testimony of what Europe means to Farquhar. Set to a techno beat, the music sees him getting back to his roots in every way”
“The evening moved to a magnificent and sombre conclusion with Angus Farquhar’s Second Citizen, the tale of his family’s relationship with Europe through two world wars and his efforts to retain his European citizenship.
Then at the close, in a final act that brought the audience to their feet, Farquhar and his colleagues began to beat out once again that great post-punk music of defiance against all the borders that once divided Europe.”