When is Europe Day?
May 9th is Europe Day.
What is Europe Day?
War has never been fun. Modern warfare is a special form of ugliness though. While armed conflict continues around the globe, Europe is at least getting a break. Europe Day honors the European Union and the current peace and prosperity that reign in Europe.
The War to End All Wars was one name used for World War I. Hopeful hearts thought, surely we won’t do that again. Then World War II reared its atrocious head. Something needed to be done. One idea was to unite Europe politically in such a way that nobody could imagine European nations making war on each other again.
That was the idea of Robert Schuman, the foreign minister of France. Schuman’s May 9, 1950 declaration suggested merging the coal and steel industries in France and West Germany, given that these are the resources critical to waging war. A year after his proposal, many European nations signed the treaty that eventually led to the formation of the European Union.
We’d love to see the end of war. There are plenty of ideas circulating, but we’re still a long way off. Europe Day celebrates the present harmony in Europe through its intertwined politics and economics.
Fun facts about Europe Day!
In honor of its original advocate, Europe Day is also called Schuman Day.
The name Europe comes from a Phoenician princess named Europa in Greek mythology.
Paris is the largest city in the EU.
Switzerland remained neutral during the First and Second World Wars, but so did Spain and Ireland.
Europe Day was first launched in 1985 by the European Communities, the alliance which preceded the European Union.
How to celebrate Europe Day:
Learn about the EU. Study its history and its current issues. Attend a debate or a concert, and celebrate freedom without warfare.
What’s the hashtag for Europe Day?
Use #EuropeDay on social media to promote peace between nations in Europe (and everywhere else too).