Open Europe’s alternative ‘family photo’ attracts Europe-wide media attention
- 22 June 2007
Open Europe staged an alternative ‘family photo’ on the edges of the EU summit on 21 June. It featured life-size cardboard cut-outs of all 27 EU leaders standing with their fingers in their ears. More than 35 camera and broadcast crews came to film the image and interview Open Europe Vice Chairman Derek Scott. Derek was interviewed on the BBC 6 O’clock news, 10 O’clock news, Newsnight, ITN 6:30 and10:30 news, Channel 4, CNBC and Al Jazeera English. Derek was also interviewed by television stations from most other major EU countries, including: German channels ARD, WDR, Deutsche Welle and ZDF; LC1 and TF1 from France; RTE from Ireland; RTP from Portugal; and RAI from Italy.
The image was one of BBC online’s pictures of the day, and is featured in Spiegel, the Guardian, the Metro, on the front page of Belgian daily Het Laatste Niews, and in Spanish daily Hoy. The picture was also picked up by Reuters, AFP and Associated Press, and features on Conservative Home.
Open Europe’s Mats Persson appeared on Swedish Television’s 6 and 9 o’clock news programmes and Danish Radio. Lorraine Mullally was interviewed by Channel Russia and EUX-TV. Paul Stephenson was interviewed by Danish state broadcaster DR, Danish Radio and BBC Five Live. Neil O’Brien appeared on BBC News 24. Crews from the Netherlands, the US, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Georgia and Lithuania also filmed the stunt. Open Europe’s Paul Stephenson is quoted in the Irish Times arguing that “Millions of Europeans voted against the constitutional treaty, and our leaders still don't listen". He objected to the "elitist" way the summit is being conducted: "It's all behind closed doors, in secret."
Below are some of the pictures from the event:
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