eyefeastoffoolsFor Europe, Strasbourg is a symbol. A symbol of both hatred and friendship between France and Germany, a symbol of the European movement, a symbol of the money wasted by the European Union as the most extravagant of its three parliamentary locations. Since 2001, Strasbourg has also become the symbol of another Europe born from the ideas, energy and the work of a handful of Erasmus students who gave birth to the magazine you are reading: cafebabel.com.

Though there are issues seemingly imbedded in the lives of all Europeans – the Euro, Maastricht and the European Council but to name a few examples – the ability to look at the phenomenon-Europe without the distorted lens of national perspectives remains an obtainable goal. No "European media" could balance the growing European political power, no effective pan-European political party was active in European institutions and the social movements of Europe were denied access to a legal status of "European association".

Cafebabel.com seeks to break the barriers to achieve these goals down as they are not mere intellectual speculations but tools to achieve political goals. Europe is seen as the solution, to better solve our problems, to enlarge the space for the rule of law, for democratic and economic freedom. All against the limitations imposed by feeble national spaces.

This vision presents us with ambitious political projects when compared to the conformism and breathlessness of today's Europe. After the belated and disappointing compromise of Nice, the Convention of Giscard d'Estaing and the so-called "Constitution" defeats in France and Holland there was an interminable period of "reflection". The ability to move on from this deadlock was presented in the form of the Treaty of Lisbon but yet again the answer was no thank you.

That is why we wonder if there is still room for us in Europe. Is there consensus to build a European public opinion? Is there opportunity in today's Europe for European associations? Is there desire for a European media that can hold EU democracy accountable? Is it possible today to build a political alternative to challenge the Eurosceptics cries of the EU’s democratic deficit and the fatigue of the European "bureaucracy"?

These are the questions asked by the activists working everyday to build through this magazine a genuine European public opinion. We decided to share these concerns with all the readers of cafebabel.com. We launch today a consultation on the future of cafebabel.com and on the future of the association Babel International. Speak your mind!

Nicola Dell'Arciprete is the president of Babel International, a pan-European association which publishes the magazine cafebabel.com

Shruti Dudhia is the head of the youngest cafebabel.com team, in London

Fernando Navarro Sordo is the political editor of cafebabel.com