Europe Day 2017: A colourful celebration of unity in diversity
On 12 May 2017, the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe joined millions of Europeans around the world in celebrating Europe Day, a commemoration of peace in Europe, and unity in diversity.
The about 500 guests at the EU Ambassador's Residence were treated to a colourful display of European history over the past 60 years, and the EU's work in Zimbabwe, which was presented in a project's expo together with the Member States. As in previous years, the official proceedings were followed by a popular culinary expo with specialities contributed by our Member States, rounded off by some Zimbabwean Afro-jazz.
Ambassador Philippe Van Damme highlighted in his speech the need for Europe and Africa to work together to enable a better future for young people - also the key area of the upcoming EU-Africa summit in November this year.
Europe Day is traditionally celebrated on 9 May every year to commemorate the Schuman Declaration of the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950. With the nations of Europe still struggling to overcome the devastation wrought by World War II, which had ended 5 years earlier, Schuman proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community. Determined to prevent another such terrible war, European governments concluded that pooling coal and steel production would – in the words of the Declaration – make war between historic rivals France and Germany "not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible". It was thought – correctly – that merging of economic interests would help raise standards of living and be the first step towards a more united Europe: The ECSC with six members became one of the forerunners of what is today the European Union.