What is Europe Day?
The Europe day is an international celebration that is observed on separate dates by two organizations, namely The European Union and the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe celebrates the date on May 5th while the European Union celebrates it on May 9th. The day is celebrated to mark an epoch of peace and tranquility that has been witnessed in Europe.
History Behind Europe Day
Europe day was established in 1964. The Council of Europe, which was founded in 1949, adopted the date and month of its formation as the day for the celebration. However, the following years saw the formation of the European Community which was later known as the European Community. Despite it adopting other symbols of the Council of Europe such as the flag of Europe, the European Community decided to go with a different date for the celebrations. May 9th was the date designated by the European Union for the celebrations. This would coincide with the date when Schuman Declaration was witnessed in 1950.
Schuman Declaration
In light of the European Community’s reasons behind the celebration, it’s only fair to address the Schuman Declaration. Schuman was a highly regarded French politician and a minister who was quite instrumental in drafting the Schuman’s Declaration of 1950. His idea was to unite all European countries as a single economic power. Under the declaration, there would be the formation of an organization known as the European Coal and Steel Community. The community would foresee the production and distribution of coal and steel for its member states, creating a super economy. The union was surprisingly instrumental especially since it forged a smooth relationship between France and Germany, one which was otherwise in shambles.
Events During The Celebration
Europe Day is celebrated in different forms, especially in various member states including candidate states such as Turkey. The day was formed to commemorate a political event in the union’s timeline. With regards to this insight, the day’s events are mostly towards fostering and preserving the peaceful years that have been witnessed in the past years. Some countries such as Warsaw organize the so-called Schuman Parade to commemorate the contributions of Schuman towards the union. The day also is celebrated through decorating government institutions with the Union’s flags and symbols, so as to remind the citizens of its importance. Speeches are also given by prominent leaders in different states.
