Termcoord European Election Countdown: Europe Day

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On the 9th of May 69 years ago, the French foreign minister Robert Schuman presented his vision of how countries could cooperate in Europe. This cooperation was designed to prevent another war between the countries of Europe. He envisioned the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, which manages the coal and steel production of its members. Less than one year later, a treaty was signed to create such an institution. The Schuman Declaration laid the foundation of what is now the European Union.

The Europe Day is one of the four EU symbols, alongside the European flag, the European anthem, and the EU motto. It celebrates the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration and the lasting peace in Europe. In Luxembourg the Europe Day on the 9th of May recently became an official public holiday.

To celebrate Europe Day the EU institutions open their doors to the public in May. This year, the Open Day in Brussels was on the 4th, in Luxembourg it is on the 9th, and in Strasbourg on the 19th of May. Local EU offices all over Europe organize various activities and events for the public. If you want to find out more, click here.

 

Sources:

Commission E. 9 May – Europe Day. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLcSm4o1aNE. Published May 8, 2015. Accessed May 8, 2019.

EU symbols. European Union. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols_en. Published June 20, 2018. Accessed May 8, 2019.

Europe Day. European Union. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/archived-europe-day_en. Published April 3, 2019. Accessed May 8, 2019.

Europe Day 2019. European Union. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day_en. Published April 10, 2019. Accessed May 8, 2019.

The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950. European Union. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day/schuman-declaration_en. Published October 24, 2017. Accessed May 8, 2019.


Written by Annemarie Menger – Communication Trainee at the Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament (Luxembourg) and a student of the Master’s Program in Learning and Communication in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts at the University of Luxembourg. She holds a teacher’s degree in the form of the First German State Examination for Elementary Education, a BA in Cultural Basic Skills and an additional degree in Global Systems and Intercultural Competence from the University of Würzburg.