The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Grand Place in Brussels were among many landmarks across the EU illuminated to mark 9 May, Europe Day, and the one-month countdown for the European Elections (6-9 June). They displayed the election campaign slogan “Use your vote. Or others will decide for you” or the European flag.
Find footage and pictures of the illumination of monuments across EU Member States, as well as a list of participating monuments here. Amongst the other landmark buildings and monuments participating were the Samuel Beckett Bridge and national parliament buildings in Dublin, Vilnius’ town hall, Fort St Angelo in Valletta, the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Cibeles square in Madrid and the National Parliament in Bucharest, to name just a few.
With these illuminations taking place in cities across the continent, the European Parliament and national and local authorities sent a message of togetherness to 440 million European citizens about the importance these European elections will have for everyone’s future.
Europe Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman declaration that set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable. Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
European House Budapest celebrated Europe Day as well with various activities throughout Europe: in Lyon on 2-3 May, in Budapest on 12 May and in Zagreb on 14 May.
We also issued a Europe Day 2024 Open Letter underlining that „if every year we can celebrate on Europe Day that the distance between EU institutions and people living hundreds of kilometres away from the “Brussels bubble” has been further reduced, we certainly make Robert Schuman’s dream come true.
This year, Europe Day receives special emphasis as the European Parliament elections are just one month away. The elections’ final outcome will shape the EU’s political direction over the next five years. Let us do all we can to mobilise citizens and raise awareness about the importance of EP elections, thus supporting the European idea.”
