40 / 514
Knowledge For Synchronization and Durability
29
n
Religion
is an important aspect for Europeans, especially from Eastern Europe but also for Western countries like
Netherlands or Denmark where people claim to be religious. Atheism is strikingly rare in Europe though France
has 18% of the population declining any believe in spiritual life. The main characteristic of Europeans individu-
alization of the society seams to manifest through religious behavior. It might be coined by the phrase “believing
without belonging” (Grace Davie), many people declaring that “they are religious but they do not practice in any
traditional sense” mainly in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Estonia. The sense of trust and solidarity,
well developed in Switzerland, Sweden and Norway generates perhaps the reverse value of “belonging without
believing” where church membership is linked with identity.
4. The Knowledge and Information Role for Creating a European Behavior
The knowledge and learning about the European model, might be one of the factors towards synchronicity and
durability. This, as a result of recognizing in each European citizen, an individual system of values which, ac-
cording to European statistics overlays with the most significant European values towards the common goals.
Knowledge and learning is a mean to perceive this inner resemblance at the beliefs and values level, despite the
outer differences. This inner level of recognized common values is the key to unite in diversity, to feel belonging
to Europe no matter the skin tone, the alimentary habits, the color and the texture of the cloths, the variety of
dances or music.
Erasmus scholarship program (Mutlu, 2011) is a good example to illustrate this type of recognizing European
identity through knowledge and learning by direct experience. It is a program oriented to promote European
consciousness, to increase awareness of common socio-political issues and to enhance knowledge of Europe’s
history and cultural aspects. It also is an important tool as “education and training will increasingly become the
main vehicle for self-awareness, belonging, advancement and self-fulfillment as lays the foundation of awareness
and European citizenship” (Papatsiba, 2005). During the maximum nine months exchange period, the students
direct experience cultural and educational diversity and, as testimonies reveal, feel “the European spirit”. The
program intends and realize the creation of relationships, adaptation to host countries, management of identity,
the development of intercultural competence. The Erasmus program reflects a success of the EU education and
knowledge stimulation programs the most important effect being the dialogue between and the perceiving of dif-
ferent cultures (Devrin, 2012). It is also possible to affirm that the students involved in Erasmus program have
developed a new identity. A European identity. It could also be maintained that one of the key purposes of the
Erasmus exchange program is to remove prejudices by maintaining student mobility and cross-cultural dialogue
and to unite societies under concepts such as European Consciousness and Being European through strengthen-
ing interactions between EU member citizens.
Knowledge is, from this perspective, a factor for synchronicity. But, in order to maintain the European conscience
and perpetuate the European identity, the author considers that educational system represents the main pillar,
discussed in future works.
5. Conclusions
The EU model appears as the assertion of majority’s values: rich cultural heritage, human rights, social solidarity,
freedom of enterprise, equitable distribution, clean environment, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, and a
harmonious blend of traditions with modernity.
If European behavior is supposed to be consistent with European values system then perceiving, recognizing
the importance of these above values for individual life, embracing and acting accordingly creates the European
behavior and, on a deeper level of consciousness, the European identity. More, this type of recognizing and being
proud of the membership to a large scale community, creates, in author’s opinion the proper ground for syn-
chronicity and durability of the European structure.
It appears also to be possible to say: through knowledge and direct cultural exchange and cooperation as factors
for individual development the citizens gain European consciousness. Durability though can be achieved through
educational system in order to preserve and perpetuate European legacy.