Comment by Alexander Detev:
No, poetry was not created in Europe, nor mathematics or spaghetti. But despite the assessment of historians and archaeologists, Europeans have been ascribing various merits to themselves for a long time.
In addition to Europe not being the cradle of every human achievement, until the middle of the 20th century it was a warlike and dangerous place. From the 30 Years' War, which wiped out 20% of the continent's population in the 17th century, to the most terrible catastrophe in history - World War II, bloodshed is part of the everyday life of the people of the Old Continent.
However, today's Europe has much to be proud of and does not need to seek validation in its past. Because it can be proud of its present - today's Europe is home to the largest economic community in the world, and its countries are leaders in the peace index.
Athens, where there are no walls
And yet: Europe also has much to boast about in terms of history - for example, it is the home of philosophy. Athens is its birthplace, and Socrates is considered its father. After Socrates, who died in 399 BC, the polis became a kind of incubator for geniuses.
But why there? Journalist Eric Weiner tries to understand exactly this. In his best-selling book "Geography of Genius" Weiner finds out what distinguishes Athens from other polises - after all, the current capital of Greece was neither the richest nor the most militarized polis. No, Athens is different in something else - there, unlike Spartacus, for example, there were no fortress walls, and the polis welcomed merchants, intellectuals, travelers.
In the last 80 years, European nations have also been trying to eliminate all borders between themselves. It is this impulse that is at the heart of the European Union.
Why we are lucky to live in Europe
This impulse also contributes to the EU's success today - the average life expectancy in the countries that are part of the Community rivals the leaders in Southeast Asia, and such health systems and affordable medical care as are available in Europe remain a mirage not only for poor countries in Africa and Asia, but also for the "leader of the free world" the United States. Europe's standards regarding climate change and consumer protection, the air that Europeans breathe, the food they eat - all this allows them to be healthier than at any time in history.
Europe is also home to some of the world's leading universities, and access to education is easiest on the Old Continent. 15 of the 20 countries with the most educated populations, according to OECD data, are in Europe. The EU's Erasmus programme has enabled over 16 million students to live and study in another country.
Our common home
The achievements of today's Europe are countless, but this is perhaps the most important - no one has ever lived as well and as securely as the inhabitants of the European Union today. By individual indicators, countries such as Japan and Canada may overtake the EU, but the scale of European success and the consensus between different cultures living as allies, neighbours and friends are unprecedented.
For many young people born and raised in the European Union, the Schengen area and the Eurozone, home today stretches across 27 countries and covers an area of 4.2 million square kilometres. And despite all the common things that contribute to the European, diversity is part of the lives of most Europeans. Nearly 50% of Europeans today speak English, 11% - French, 10% - German. The goal - to understand each other better.
Yes, Europe has problems. And yes, polarization is part of the daily discourse on the Old Continent. However, the most destructive for Europe remain external influences. For years, the focus of Russian propaganda has been not to convince people that life is good in Russia (because official Russian indicators show otherwise), but that life is bad in Europe. Well, life is not bad. Life is better in Europe than anywhere else and than ever before. And we should not allow any evildoer to erase it. Happy holiday!