If one initially takes into account European values, the choice of characters does not become less complex as regards positive or negative traits, or the ambiguity of divergent readings. For example, does one have to put on one side Luther or Voltaire and on the other Hitler, Stalin and Napoleon?

Moreover, the often simplified use during national celebrations, within the imposed framework of the school syllabus or that of tourism based on historical roads or museum houses, to quote only some examples, makes it necessary to implement rigorous choices.

The commemorations of historical characters became very numerous, and this is the case for all European countries. They constitute a practical means of drawing the attention of the public, of implementing cultural events and tourist topics, but also of mobilising exceptional financial means. Within the framework of the site, we shall seek to exceed this type of specific actions to clarify correspondences between several figures or characters and to sensitise people to the concept of membership in a common world transcending the natural geographical, political, and cultural limits. Concerning great musicians, during the bicentenary of Mozart's death in 1991, he was retained as theme of a Route based on exchanges between cities and festivals and editions of Mozart's voyages. The occasion of the 250th anniversary in 2006 should make it possible to go further with this initiative.

With regard to school exchanges, we also wish to create links between the pages devoted to the discovery of Europe and those addressed to young Europeans and to their teachers in a Europe that continues. One can quote for example the project "Poliphilia" in the educational network on the topic of "Parks and Gardens": the figure of this initiation story is indeed used as starting point for many educational actions. Other characters of the same order will be proposed, which, thanks to data processing and to common distance work can also be used to help a common reflection on European citizenship.

On the other hand, with regard to cultural tourism, thematic routes around historical characters or writers, musicians, and painters proliferate without great preoccupation for scientific exactitude and seriousness; as well as without preoccupation for bringing to surface European correspondences, even when this would be possible. We shall thus try to find innovative approaches that introduce both preoccupation with rigour and a confrontation among various approaches, the description of European correspondences either between different places through the same character, or through trends of ideas, epistolary relationships, etc...

Just as a book would do it, around a central subject that serves as guiding thread, they allow the play of correspondences, analogies, cross themes. Figures and characters can be these "red threads", which are used as guides to highlight various faces of Europe. One can well imagine interpretation centres that would have as subject a character like Victor Hugo or the founders of European institutions, or on the contrary figures resulting from myth founders, such as those of Ulysses and Eneas, for example, or great European families represented by one or more characters from these families.