As you know, TIESWEB has been trying, for years now, to foster people-to-people relations between American and European civil societies. Last year, TIESWEB organized, with many partners, the first Transatlantic Citizens Week in Miami in order to go beyond the 'screen' of Internet and allow active citizens from both sides of the Atlantic to physically meet, discuss and elaborate projects.

By underlining the need to reshape EU/US relations, the first Miami gathering showed how much we were able to feel the coming tensions and opositions between European and American leaders. We indeed were among the very few identifying this drastic change affecting Transatlantic relations.

New ideas were casted in November 2002, new partnerships were created and as TIESWEB is concerned, a fully renovated website was generated from Miami debates and discussions, multiplying opportunities for citizens to express and confront their views.

Now, with the second edition of Miami Transatlantic Citizens Week, we hope to enlarge both participation and impact of this unique event, gathering citizens from both sides of the Atlantic, willing to contribute to the invention of tomorrow's Transatlantic relations.

The recent crisis illustrated how much public opinion is becoming important in the management of Transatlantic relations. It pleads even more for making a great success of the coming Miami Transatlantic Citizens Week where young and older generations will meet, as well as experts from Europe and USA; and citizens from both sides. This year, Latin Americans and Africans will also join part of the Week in order to think over the concept of Atlantic cooperation, including South Atlantic. And of course, one of the most divisive Transatlantic issue, Middle East, will be addressed with the Middle East 2020 conference where Americans and Europeans will try to identify what can EU and US civil societies do to contribute to peace in this region.

Joining the 2nd Miami Transatlantic Citizens Week is definitely betting that EU/US relations may improve in the future. It is certainly guessing that the world will be better off with Europeans and Americans cooperating together than the contrary. And it is also trying to express the embryo of a new vision for future EU/US relations where next to governments, next to companies, citizens and civil societies institutions (universities, schools, associations, foundations, municipalities, medias, ...) will play an active role.

Tomorrow's EU/US relations expect you in Miami on April 26th-30th 2004 !