Even the strongest barriers can be broken

In a European Union level, after Schengen agreement, the borders between countries are broken. This agreement made easier the free mobility of people. It can be difficult for the youngsters, born and grown after Schengen, to understand what it is a barrier between countries. Well, they just have to take a look to the border between Gibraltar and Spain these days to understand it a bit better.
Anyway, there are barriers even harder to break. I’m talking about the psychological represented in a wall built by prejudices that distances the different cultures. In other words, it is a big mistake to not understand that differences make us bigger and stronger, so they shouldn’t separate us.

Obviously, we are in a very difficult economical moment. National governments are reducing investments and budgets which are producing a social collapse in many places. Our generation feels that current system is blocked and they are afraid about future. This kind of economical crisis usually produces a rise of nationalistic movements. We have an example in Greece where the neo-Nazi party ‘Xrisi Avgi’ (Golden Dawn) has increased their influence and power since the beginning of the crisis with a racist and xenophobic discourse against immigrants. It means by using a speech that is completely against the European Union principles.
The pessimism has been installed in our society but, nowadays, we have a powerful advantage: we have the possibility to go abroad. We see other cultures and meet different people. These are key points which allow our generation to understand the world and to have a huge personal growing. The fact that we can know directly realities from other countries is very important as global society and it allows us to create a common minded.
Some civic actions, leaded by normal citizens, are showing to the world how we can support people from different countries and cultures, no matter the distance. Thanks to Internet and communication technologies, social movements became international and created an union that went further than political and/or economical issues. The Spanish ‘indignados’, the Arab Spring or the American ‘Occupy’ are movements born in the citizen context in a national level that became worldwide very fast. Also, we can mention the feminist group ‘FEMMES’ that has been responsible for different actions all over the world fighting for the rights of women.
These are just examples that show how society can jump the borders to defend other countries, causes and persons. It is people helping other people with different backgrounds, cultures, religions or nationalities.
This international social behavior of people supporting other people is, in my opinion, the most important meaning of breaking the borders.