Brexit talk to discuss national, European politics

UF will host a discussion about Brexit and nationalist politics after receiving a $100,000 grant from the European Union.

The UF College of Journalism and Communications and the Center for European Studies are sponsoring the panel event Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium in Weimer Hall. The Center for European Studies received the Getting to Know the European Union grant  in late 2015 and will use it for programs through Spring 2018, said Lisa Booth, the center’s assistant director.

“The grant is basically aimed at making the general American population more aware of what the European Union does, promotes and sponsors,” Booth said.

Thursday’s event will focus on the economic impacts of Brexit, which is when United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, said Amie Kreppel, the director of the Center for European Studies and moderator of the event.

“The reason Brexit matters to students is because it is an important international event that will shape the future of trans-Atlantic relations and their own experiences,” Kreppel said.

Three panel presenters will speak about whether Brexit and the spread of economic populist movements have an impact on people across the globe, said Sydney Denninger, a member of the Getting to Know Europe program communications team.

“It is our duty as college educated students to attend,” Denninger said. “By attending we can help direct a future we want.”