THIS CONTENT HAS BEEN ARCHIVED

The European Union and the Palestinian Authority celebrate Europe Day in Ramallah

13.05.2019
Main Image
Text

The European Union and the Palestinian Authority celebrated Europe Day in Ramallah over a Ramadan Iftar. The Iftar was attended by around 200 Palestinian counterparts who joined Europeans in marking unity, diversity, and respect to human rights. 

The official celebration is the last of a sequence of events that took place to mark Europe Day across Palestine. The event was attended by the EU Representative Ralph Tarraf, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, Palestinian Authority ministers, representatives from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), and representatives from civil society organisations.

"Europe Day is the day on which we celebrate European unity. The European Union is guided by the values of dignity, freedoms, equality, solidarity, citizen's rights, and justice. Honoring these values means that we have a duty to stand by the Palestinian people in their quest for security, peace, justice and self-determination," said the EU Representative Ralph Tarraf. "Our history carries a strong message: a peaceful solution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict is possible. We have been working towards a two State solution and will continue to do so," he added.

Europe Day celebrates the founding of the European Union. On 9 May, the European Union marks the symbolic date when in 1950 French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman put forward his ideas of a united Europe to bring lasting peace and prosperity to the continent. From the original six to twenty-eight European countries today, the European Union is spreading democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights to more than 500 million European citizens. What started off as a coal and steel community and then turned into a broader economic club has since developed further into an outward-looking Union with a growing role and reach, acting as a force for good in Europe and globally.

For more information:

The Office of the European Union Representative 

Shadi Othman (02 5415 867, 0599 673 958); Inas Abu Shirbi (02 541 5 859, 0599 673 957)

http://eeas.europa.eu/palestine

 

Editorial sections
Palestine (*) - Occupied Palestinian Territory, West Bank and Gaza Strip