by Alessandra Cardone
ROME， March 25 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) leaders tried to revamp integration project by signing a Rome Declaration at a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the founding Treaty of Rome in the Italian capital on Saturday.
In the Rome Declaration， a formal blueprint for EU's future， they vowed to "set out a joint vision for the years to come."
The summit drew heads of state and government from 27 EU member states， along with top EU institutional figures. British Prime Minister Theresa May did not attend， and her government is expected to officially trigger the two-year procedure to leave the bloc next Wednesday.
"The EU is facing unprecedented challenges， both global and domestic，" leaders said in the declaration， mentioning conflicts， terrorism， migration， protectionism， and social inequalities.
"Together， we are determined to address the challenges... and to offer to our citizens both security and new opportunities."
The Rome Declaration was signed at the ancient and richly decorated Orazi e Curiazi Hall in Rome's Capitoline Hill， exactly where the original Treaty of Rome was signed 60 years ago.
The 1957 treaty established the European Economic Community (EEC)， paving the way to the current European Union.
"Today， we celebrate the perseverance and the cleverness of the (EU) founding fathers，" Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in his opening address."This crowded hall is proof of this: we were six in 1957， and now we are 27."
Gentiloni recalled many achievements of the European integration， but also acknowledged that， facing today's major issues， the EU has found itself unprepared and responded late.
This triggered "a crisis of rejection by segments of the public opinion" and rekindled "close nationalism"， according to Gentiloni， who mentioned the Brexit as an example.
"As such， this is the message we want to launch today: we have learned the lesson， and the EU has chosen to start up again， and it has a horizon to do so in the next 10 years，" Gentiloni said.
In the declaration， the EU 27 committed to make the EU stronger and more resilient. "Unity is both a necessity and our free choice，" they said.
"Taken individually， we would be side-lined by global dynamics. We will act together， at different paces and intensity where necessary， while moving in the same direction."
The reference to "different paces and intensity" of integration was a mild mention of the proposal of a multi-speed EU， which would entail different groups of countries willingly moving towards further integration at different paces within the bloc.
Since the proposal has drawn harsh criticism from Eastern European countries， it was not wholly expressed. Yet， it was embodied in the paper."As a political entity， Europe will either be united， or will not be at all，" President of the European Council Donald Tusk said at the ceremony.
"Only a united Europe can be a sovereign Europe in relation to the rest of the word，" he added.
In the common declaration， the leaders of the 27 member states and those of the EU institutions pledged to move towards "a Union where citizens feel safe and move freely... and jobs and growth are created."
They also committed to boost EU's social dimension， and to make Europe stronger at global level through both existing partnerships and common security and defence.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered the most optimistic remarks. "However daunting our challenges may feel today， they are in no way comparable to those faced by our founding fathers，" he said， referring to the fact that Europe's integration stemmed from the tragedy of World War II.
Both before and during Rome's summit， member states succeeded in smoothing out their different visions of EU's future， according to the EU Commission chief. This would allow "an incipient optimistic mood" about the way to proceed， after Britain leaves.
"Contrary to what has been assumed， there was no big dispute between several conceivable paths，" Junker said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping presides over an informal leaders' meeting of the emerging-market bloc Alvin Kamara Saints Jersey , which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa Marcus Williams Saints Jersey , in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. (XinhuaMa Zhancheng)
HAMBURG Ryan Ramczyk Saints Jersey , Germany, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged the BRICS members to unswervingly promote the building of an open world economy, multilateralism and common development.
He made the appeal at an informal leaders' meeting of the emerging-market bloc, which groups Brazil Marshon Lattimore Saints Jersey , Russia, India, China and South Africa, ahead of a Group of 20 (G20) summit in the German port city of Hamburg.
The BRICS leaders exchanged views on the current international political and economic circumstances and the G20's priorities Marcus Davenport Saints Jersey , and reached important agreements on strengthening BRICS unity and coordination, jointly improving global economic governance and promoting sustainable development.
"Currently, the global economy is showing some positive signs, and the prospects for the development of BRICS countries are growing brighter in general Michael Thomas Saints Jersey , which is very inspiring," said Xi, who presided over the meeting.
However, there have also emerged some challenges that require the BRICS countries to watch closely and handle properly P.J. Williams Black Jersey , he added, pointing out that this year's G20 summit comes at a critical moment when the global political and economic situation is undergoing profound adjustments.
Noting that the BRICS countries are all important G20 members, he called on the bloc to support Germany as the host of the summit, and to send a signal that the G20 is committed to fostering partnership Andrus Peat Black Jersey , building an open world economy, and boosting global economic growth.
"The BRICS countries should uphold the spirit of partnership .
