“To organize this exhibition requires courage, because it’s always an act of courage to accept to face reality. For us, politicians, serving citizens from our country and all Europe, it’s a duty to be rooted in reality, even, and first of all, reality about conception and birth”.
On 15 September, MEP Paolo Inselvini, ECR, opened at the European Parliament in Strasbourg a striking exhibition on one of the most fundamental questions of human existence: when does our life begin?
Meeting Baby Oliver
The exhibition brought together: MEPs Paolo Inselvini, Nicola Procaccini and Carlo Fidanza, alongside Toni Brandi, President of Pro Vita & Famiglia, Maria Rachele Ruiu, spokesperson for the organisation, and Ségolène du Closel, CEO of One of Us. JUST EU-MAN: How a European Citizen is Born presented the development of the human embryo and unborn child from conception to birth through scientific images and data, visual material and the story of Baby Oliver, around panels and a moving 5mn video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=basnYLTQuk8
Showing what is too often left unseen
At a time when debates about abortion are increasingly framed in political and ideological terms, JUST EU-MAN took a different approach: it simply showed human development from the scientifical point of view.
At the 22d day, three weeks after conception, heart start to beat… Visitors could observe the extraordinary transformation taking place from the earliest stages of conception, following the development of the unborn child month by month.
“Freedom without life doesn’t exist”
Speaking at the event, Ségolène du Closel reaffirmed One of Us’ commitment to defending unborn children Life and Freedom, and the Freedom for women to avoid abortion, strengthening the support available to them. “Freedom without life doesn’t exist.” She recalled Carlo Casini ‘s path in defending life, founding the Bewegung für das Leben in 1975. Men have their own place and legitimacy about birth and abortion: behind each pregnancy, there is a man… And a father.
That simplicity proved powerful — and uncomfortable for some.
Several MEPs from the political left expressed their opposition to the exhibition calling it against abortion. Their reaction itself highlighted the importance of bringing this reality into public debate. By showing the unborn child rather than discussing abortion only through political language, the exhibition confronted visitors with a difficult question: what happens to the human being whose development is being shown?
For One of Us, this is precisely the conversation Europe should not avoid. A debate on abortion cannot be complete if it considers only one side of the reality. It must also acknowledge the unborn child whose life is ended and the reality experienced by women whose bodies undergo abortion.
A message for Europe
JUST EU-MAN offered the European Parliament something both simple and challenging: an encounter with the human being at the very beginning of life.
For One of Us, recognising this reality is essential to any serious discussion about human dignity, freedom and solidarity.
The task ahead is therefore not only to defend life, but to build the conditions in which every human life can be welcomed and every woman can be free and receive the support she needs to choose life without fear or isolation.
As Ségolène du Closel reminded participants this means working together towards a culture that “humanizes humanity.”
