Richard Demarco is named 2025 Scottish European of the Year

At an event in Edinburgh on Saturday evening, artist Richard Demarco was named 2025 Scottish European of the Year by the European Movement in Scotland.

Mr Demarco who is 95 was not present but Chair of the European Movement in Scotland, David Clarke, said the award will be made to him at a private ceremony soon.

The certificate awarded by EMiS reads:

“In recognition of his lifelong commitment to European culture, his championing of the values of free expression through the Arts, his numerous contributions to enriching the cultural life of Edinburgh and Scotland, his internationalism and his championing of unity and peace across Europe.”

Me Demarco is the only British citizen to be awarded the European Citizen’s Medal by the European Parliament. Born in Edinburgh, he is an Italian-Scot. He has been at the centre of Scottish artistic and intellectual life since the 1940s. He was a founder of Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and a central figure in the creation of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Speakers at the dinner included the First Minister, John Swinney, who made an impassioned speech outlining why Brexit has been a disaster for Scotland on many fronts. He said: “But it’s not just economic damage that’s been done. It’s social and cultural damage that has been done because we are not benefiting from the enriching experience of freedom of movement, either for us or for European citizens coming to be part of life here in Scotland with the obstacles that are now put in place as a consequence of the removal of freedom of movement and some of the collaboration about research programmes and cultural programmes are not as developed and not as enhanced as I would like to see them, nor as they were when we were members of the European Union.”

He remarked that it had been a great pleasure to meet Ursula Von Der Leyen earlier in the year when she was on her way to Turnberry to meet US President Trump. He said: “It was a welcome opportunity for me to be able to express to President von der Leyen the commitment of the people of Scotland and the feelings of the people of Scotland about the sense of loss that we feel about European cooperation and our determination to do everything to rebuild those relationships.

“And of course, in that process, we’re greatly assisted as a government and as a country by the service of members of the European Movement in Scotland who, over the last 35 years have helped to nurture and develop and sustain Scotland’s spirit of cooperation with our European partners and neighbours.

“I record tonight with you my deepest appreciation for the commitment that have been given by members of this organisation to encourage and to cultivate that opinion within Scotland about the benefits of European cooperation.”

Guy Verhofstadt the former Belgian Prime Minister and former Chair of the Brexit Steering Group was guest speaker.

His style is robust and without notes he spoke for 12 minutes about the various reasons why Europe is relevant. He explained that Europe needs to be stronger and more aligned than ever before. He said that at the moment Europe has 130 weapon systems while America and Russia have 25 each and China a mere 30. This number alone reflects the waste in duplication in Europe which Verhofstadt said must end. He said: “The initial idea after the Second World War was to create a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation based on two parts, American troops in Europe and the European defence community. We need to do that now as fast as possible be secure. Tomorrow it could be another lunatic in the White House saying that they will retreat troops from Europe. We are not capable of defending ourselves against whatever threat is coming from the east.

“So we must create a more integrated European Union which can function more smoothly not based on unanimity. Margaret Thatcher said that no big cause has ever been realised based on consensus politics. Nothing can be realised based on veto rights and consensus. You need a real democratic system of a majority and an opposition. That is why we are always acting too little too late.

“That is why the European Movement wants to push European leaders to be bold to come forward with serious concept projects for the future.”

He ended his speech by expressing his desire to live long enough to see the return of the UK and Scotland into the European family.