Join the Europe Day ’23 festival

On the 9th of May, it is Europe Day. The day marks the anniversary of the historic ‘Schuman declaration‘ in 1950 that set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe.

On Europe Day, peace and unity in Europe are celebrated. Through cultural events, public debates, exhibitions, Europeans learn about the history and shared values across our continent, and can engage in conversations about its future. We strongly believe those conversations need happening at local level too. For Europe is not Brussels, nor the EU. Europe is a place where we share our lives, build experiences and imagine our futures. Conversations about what we have in common increase awareness about the benefits of cooperation and encourage people to think about what it means to be European. This, in turn, can help grow a stronger European community and with a shared commitment to our future, and that of generations to come.

At the European Cultural Foundation, we stand for a more culturally aware, more inclusive and more democratic Europe. That needs Europeans of all backgrounds to care, to make a difference. No better day to do so than May 9, Europe Day!

Europe Day events
Together with you, we can make Europe Day a day for all of us. To turn it into a day to meet other Europeans at one of the many events, to experience, share and imagine Europe together.

Therefore we invited you to organise Europe Day events in and with your local community! It may be big, it may be a small party with friends, it may be online or offline or both, as long as it takes place on May 9. Over the last years we have invited our partners and friends to share their event on the website www.europeday.eu. This year we grow this online platform into a Europe Day festival, with an events agenda prior to Europe Day, and an online (streaming) programme on May 9 itself. We want to bring thousands of Europeans together to experience and share these events.

Theme 2023: Europe is yours!
We believe the challenges we face ask for all Europeans’ to be involved. Only together can we find ways to, indeed, live together. Culture can help us achieve this. Culture has provided hope, strength and resilience. Culture can create new energy for Europe, because culture allows to bond with people of different backgrounds, to care and to make a difference for Europe. Especially in your local surroundings.

We therefore dedicate this Europe Day to you! To your energy to make change for the better, to you who like building futures, not to await them. To you who exchange, and make our continent more democratic, inclusive and culturally aware. To you, Europeans, this day is yours.