Let´s just take a hundred years back in time. All the wars and oppression were still to come. I have lived with people who had to go through it all and the wounds were long lasting. Still it feels now like it must have happened a very long time ago.
In my opinion European Union deserves to be praised for its acchievements especially at present when the economical crisis has taken all our attention. The Nobel prize reminds us what the Union was originally created for.
In my opinion, two things in present day Europe may put its reputation as a peace maker in danger:
1. EU countries officially exported weapons for the worth of 31,7 milliard euros in 2010. Probably the number is much bigger because the countries have not reached an agreement on how this trade should be reported.
2. EU does not represent a common voice. A European citizen has not been born. Instead, national interests are playing a more and more important role in common decisions. The rich north is blaiming the poor south of something and vice versa. EU has not been able to keep the extreme right and ultranationalist forces under control.
tomac, your share of the prize is 0,23 cents.
Racism is a big problem in Europe. And EU is still a christian club.
