The College of Europe. Fifty years of service to Europe

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Important notice

This book, published in 1999 to mark the College of Europe's 50th anniversary, contains an image that includes blackface. Blackface is a deeply racist practice with a long history of dehumanising people of color, in particular black people, and its presence in this publication is harmful and wrong, regardless of the intent at the time.

We make this book available as a historical document, and we do so with this notice rather than without it. Acknowledging this content honestly reflects our commitment to the values of dignity and non-discrimination that are central to the European project the College exists to serve. We recognise that our institution has not always lived up to those values, and that naming these failures openly is part of doing so today.

The College of Europe deeply regrets that such an imagery was included and considered acceptable at that time, and does not condone it today. 

You will find below further resources to understand why the blackface practice is racist and problematic on different levels: 

https://humanityinaction.org/knowledge_detail/black-pete-analyzing-a-racialized-dutch-tradition-through-the-history-of-western-creations-of-stereotypes-of-black-peoples/?lang=fr 

https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2017/12/18/le-blackface-une-pratique-raciste-encore-presentee-comme-humoristique-en-france_5231575_3224.html
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This book celebrates the 50th anniversary of the College of Europe. Illustrating the dynamic life of the oldest post-graduate institute for European studies in Europe it includes a look back at the founding of the College and continues through the first fifty years of its fascinating history.

Scanned version