A new narrative for Europe

Few could dispute the Nobel committee's assessment last week that the European Union has helped to turn a continent of war into a continent of peace.

Many, however, debated whether the committee was right to award the prize to the EU at a time of financial crisis and growing unease about its commitment to solidarity, democracy and justice both inside and outside the Union's borders.

Add to this the reality that for 96 million Europeans under the age of 30, the peace narrative ha...