In December 1982, the European Parliament purchased the Jean Monnet House in Houjarray. The decision to do so was motivated by a wish to fulfil Monnet’s desire to see the house dedicated to welcoming young people, and the impetus to preserve Europe’s historical heritage. The latest exhibition of the Archives Unit recalls the activity European Parliament in this home in the past forty years, and the remarkable life of the man who lived there.
Jean Monnet (1888-1979) moved to Houjarray after his return from the United States in 1945. It was in this simple setting that Monnet would live and work for more than thirty years, whilst his wife Silvia would devote herself to painting. Here, that many of the plans which would have a decisive bearing on the future of France and Europe were drawn up. By the fire, Monnet discussed Europe’s future with journalists and major editorialists of the international press. Close to Paris, but at the same time offering a refuge from the clamour of the French capital, it was at this home that he developed his vision of peace and European unity.
After Monnet’s death, the European Parliament worked to honour Monnet’s request that the house be dedicated to young people. The President of the European Parliament Emilio Colombo took steps to purchase Houjarray as part of the common historical and cultural heritage of Europeans. The Jean Monnet House opened to the public in 1987, with an information centre and later an interactive museum dedicated to the life of its former owner and the functioning of the European Community. Over the past forty years, Parliament has worked to create a space for education, connection and discussion for all of Europe.
The Jean Monnet House: A permanent exhibition honours the memory of one of the founding fathers of Europe and contribute to the preservation of Europe’s historical heritage. (c) European Union
Today, the house welcomes a wide range of visitors from across Europe and beyond, who enjoy an enriching educational experience the unique setting of the Jean Monnet House. Several thousand people arrive every year for guided tours, educational activities, conferences, workshops and research seminars, whilst a cooperation agreement with the Île-de-France Region creates partnerships with schools and young people.
The house has also become the seat of the Jean Monnet Academy, which provides various vocational training programmes for the European Parliament’s staff, as well as hosting the EPRS Jean Monnet Seminars. It also hosts the Jean Monnet Dialogues, helping national leaders achieve consensus on national issues, so far held with Ukraine, Serbia and North Macedonia. These important dialogues are conducted according to the principles that defined how Jean Monnet himself worked: pragmatism, concrete action and focus on dialogue in order to achieve results by consensus.
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Visit the online exhibition here.