ABSTRACT
For the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), participating in Expo 58 in Brussels was the most ambitious outreach to the European public since its establishment. By developing an impressive pavilion with engaging exhibits, the European civil servants hoped to inspire the emergence of a shared European consciousness among the visitors. This chapter looks closely at the aspiration of the actors behind the pavilion to appeal to a younger generation. Various initiatives attempted to make the process of European integration appealing for children at Expo 58. First, pupils of the European school were included in the development of the exhibition in the ECSC pavilion, in deciding which “Great Europeans” should be exhibited in the pavilion. Moreover, specific materials were developed for the young visitors of the pavilion, and competitions were organized to entice children to visit. A comic that recounted the short history of European integration was furthermore distributed at the expo, created as a partner venture between the Council of Europe and the Organization for European Economic Cooperation. This chapter combines an analysis of the beginnings of a European cultural policy with practical demonstrations of its possibilities for reaching children as an important target audience.
