Europe Day

9 May, or “Europe Day”, is the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration which is considered to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union. Speaking in Paris in 1950, just 5 years after the most brutal war Europeans ever fought against each other, Robert Schuman, the then Foreign Minister of France, proposed a new form of political arrangement for Europe, whose aim was to make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable. During the Milan Summit of EU leaders in 1985 it was decided to celebrate 9 May as “Europe Day”.

Today, the 9th May has become a European symbol (Europe Day) which, along with the flag, the anthem, the motto (United in Diversity) and the single currency (the euro), identifies the political entity of the European Union.

It is an annual opportunity to celebrate the EU’s achievements and to reflect on its aims: peace, freedom, prosperity and working together. It is the occasion for activities and festivities that bring Europe closer to its citizens and people of the Union closer to one another and this year even more as it is also the European Year of Citizens which is dedicated to the rights that come with EU citizenship. Throughout the year, the EU has been encouraging dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business at events and conferences around Europe to discuss those EU rights and build a vision of how the EU should be in 2020.

The Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina has been marking 9 May, Europe Day, in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1997 through different cultural and sport events. Also, this year, BiH citizens have been invited to join in the activities across the country to be part of celebrations taking place throughout the world and we are happy that we were together in Zenica, Banja Luka, Brcko and Sarajevo.

Europa.ba