Protect the European Union
March 2017

Dear Friends,

Inspired by Wolfgang Tillmans’ anti-Brexit campaign, Jop van Bennekom and Gert Jonkers, the founders of Fantastic Man, have adapted his posters for the upcoming Dutch elections on March 15. With the support of partner organizations including Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art, De Balie and Cookies, the campaign’s focus is the protection of the EU against the current wildfire of political negativity.

With this campaign we want to tackle the illusions which the enemies of the EU promote and propagate. Cooperation amongst the citizens of all EU member states is the key to our future peace and prosperity. We believe in the common ground between our countries.

This is the time for action. Vote for whatever party, but don’t vote down the EU. Now is the time to raise awareness and to protect what has protected us, and our values, for so long. The campaign is a call to work together, to adapt the posters, to spread them and to talk with people of opposite beliefs. Access download links below.

The EU is not a faceless machine but the representation of 508 million people. While surely there are still many things to be improved, the core belief in this institution has secured the longest period of inter-European peace and cooperation in history. A democratic conversation between 28 member states is tedious – but it ensures a steady dialog, a constant weighing of the many different demands involved in making each single decision. These processes foster safety and stability, and allow us to call a whole continent something which would otherwise be much smaller: home.

With an increasing anti-European sentiment it becomes ever so more important to speak out and reinstate the position we believe in. Enraged nationalism is slowly becoming normalised in today’s political discourse by far-right politicians. It spews hate and anxiety.

Cooperation not confrontation. Protect the EU.

Jop van Bennekom 

Gert Jonkers 

Wolfgang Tillmans

 European Cultural Foundation 

Foam Fotografiemuseum 

Het Nieuwe Instituut 

Witte de With 

De Balie

 Cookies 

#pulseofeurope

More organizations will be confirmed. And more from all across Europe are welcome to join!

Because of the urgency of the Dutch, French and German elections we start this campaign in these languages, but we plan to translate the messages into all 24 official languages of the EU.

#protecttheeuagainstnationalism