It is late afternoon and the rain falls softly. We are cold ,wet and hungry, and, remarkably, we are silent. We are a group of fifty articulate teenagers and for once in our lives we have no words to describe what we are feeling.

The ranks of white crosses stretch in ordered rows as far as we can see: the fallen of just one battle. Worse, for every European directly involved in the fighting, there were at least ten non combatant civilians, forced to suffer the consequences of the bloodiest conflict in history. The 17 year old girls of 1939 lost their homes, their families or their lives. The 17 year old girls of 1949 lived in the chaos of a ravaged Europe, or indeed the grinding poverty of rural Ireland. But the 17 year old girls of 2009 have it better than could have ever been imagined in those dark days.

In 1957, the Treaty of Rome was anchored in the vision of ending conflict and division in Europe. Now our continent is transformed, and the idea of devastation on such a scale was incomprehensible to me as I stood open mouthed on the battlefields of France, in the annex of Anne Frank, outside the synagogue of the Jewish ghetto in Rome.

The EU has given me this : innocence of the horrors of a war tom continent. To sweep across such an achievement in three or four sentences belies the vast and complex project that is the EU. The vision of Robert Schumann and Jean Monnet was incredible: to maintain peace and stability and to encourage prosperity in our diverse continent. For me, the "EU thingy" is now about promoting interculturalism, diversity, and gender equality within its own frontiers. On the global stage, the EU commitment to protecting our planet from climate change is of paramount importance to me.

Interculturalism was a cause of concern for many when Ireland joined the EEC in 1973. While losing our identity and sovereignty has remained a concern for some, for me, this is totally unfounded. Far from homogenising our culture, the EU has afforded it a protection and respect.. My interest in traditional Irish music is echoed across Europe. In a seisiun in west Kerry, I had the privilege of playing with a German piper who was inspired by the music of Liam Og 0 Floinn. Traditional Irish music is now known and appreciated by a wide European audience.

Nowhere is this respect for different cultures more evident than in the recognition ofIrish as an official language of the union, raising its status immeasurably. Fantastic career opportunities are now open to me and other Irish speakers in the EU. But for European aided economic growth and the end to emigration, I would never have felt the soft sibilance of our language slip easily off my tongue, or revelled in the exhilaration of a Gaeltacht ceili. Amazing, that a huge, multifaceted organisation, can help one individual to nurture a vital component of her personality.

The free movement of people across borders has also been hugely beneficial- the new diversity and contribution of Eastern European students have undoubtedly made me more open minded and tolerant. I've learnt some Lithuanian, and the handsome 6 foot Polish boys are an added bonus!

When I enter the world of work, I know that, thanks to the EU, discrimination on the basis of my gender is less likely, and that I will receive the same pay as my male counterparts. It is a long way to come from the days of the "marriage bar". With statutory minimum paid maternity leave of fourteen weeks and dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy illegal under the Equality Directive, attitudes are changing towards the role of women in society. Within the European Parliament, the Women's Rights Committee debate and legislate on issues affecting women and gender discrimination. As an ambitious young woman I applaud the work the EU has done in this field. They have certainly "walked the walk" by appointing Margot Wallstrom as the Vice-President of the European Commission. Entering politics in her twenties and juggling a family with a high profile (and high responsibility) political career, she is a role model for young women across Europe. However with female representation in the European Parliament disproportionately low (31 %), the EU should perhaps look at the reasons behind this and ways to engage more young women in politics.

Though the violence and destruction of the 20th century are behind us, an even greater challenge faces us in the 21st climate change. The EU gives me a voice, as a citizen of a major bloc in world poIltiZs. Already the union has shown great determination- under the terms of the Climate Change and Energy package, we are committed to cutting emissions by a staggering 20% by 2020. Additionally, 20% of energy consumption must be provided through renewable sources. Not only is such decisive action safeguarding my future (in terms of air quality, water availability and waste disposal), and that of the planet, but it is also providing opportunities in the field of "green energy" that will foster innovation and carve out a more sustainable economic future.

This "EU thingy" has done a lot for me- I am safe from the threat of war. My love for Irish music and language is protected and shared by my fellow Europeans. As a young woman my rights to fair and equal treatment are enshrined in EU law. I know that my views and interests- indeed, my survivai- are being strongly represented in the fight against climate change.

In 2008, it was as a European citizen who just happened to be Irish that I stood among the rows of white crosses on a battlefield in northern France. We, French, German, English and Irish students of College Martin Luther King, a Parisian secondary school, stood together in the rain as brothers and sisters. We knew that but for European unity, we would perish divided as fools.