{"id":18858,"date":"2023-05-09T11:25:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T09:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uni.lu\/en\/?post_type=news&p=18858"},"modified":"2024-12-03T11:57:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T10:57:55","slug":"europe-direct-university-of-luxembourg-at-the-europe-day-2023","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.uni.lu\/en\/news\/europe-direct-university-of-luxembourg-at-the-europe-day-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe Direct University of Luxembourg at the Europe Day 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

On 9 May, the European Union celebrates Europe Day to commemorate the declaration made on 9 May 1950 by Robert Schuman<\/strong> (29 June 1886 \u2013 4 September 1963) – the then French Foreign Minister, who also had Luxembourg origins – that led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (CECA). The Schuman Declaration is considered the founding act of the European Union, of which Luxembourg is a founding Member State<\/strong>, alongside France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Netherlands. The capital of the Grand Duchy – Luxembourg Ville – is one of the permanent capitals of the EU institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1986 the European Council instituted the date of May 9 as the<\/strong> “Europe Day”,<\/strong> which became, together with the European flag, the European currency<\/strong> (euro)<\/strong>, motto <\/strong>(\u201cUnited in diversity<\/strong> \u201c) and anthem (\u201cOde to Joy\u201d by Ludwig van Beethoven<\/strong>), one of the symbols of the European Union.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Luxembourg, Europe Day has been declared a legal holiday in 2019<\/strong>, making the Grand Duchy the only country to have made this choice so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, on May 9, 2023, the Festival of Europe \u2013 entitled \u201cUnited in diversity\u201d<\/strong> – took place on the Place de l’Europe (Kirchberg), organized by the Representation of the European Commission in Luxembourg<\/strong>, in collaboration with the City of Luxembourg<\/strong> and the Luxembourg Government<\/strong>, and with the participation of the Europe Direct Centres and other European programmes,<\/strong> the European institutions<\/strong>, the embassies of EU Member States in Luxembourg<\/strong>. This year, the Day of Europe<\/strong> was placed under the sign of the 30th anniversary of the European Single Market<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H.R.H. The Grand Duke<\/strong> participated at the Festival of Europe 2023 in the company of Fernand Etgen<\/strong>, President of the Chamber of Deputies, Xavier Bettel<\/strong>, Prime Minister, members of the Government, Lydie Polfer<\/strong>, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, Marc Angel<\/strong>, Vice-President of the European Parliament, as well as other deputies, Nicolas Schmit<\/strong>, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs and Anne Calteux<\/strong>, Representative of the European Commission in Luxembourg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stand was visited by H.R.H The Grand Duke, the Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the Finance Minister Yuriko Backes<\/strong>, as well as of a wide international public. ED-UNILU informed the visitors about the contribution of the University of Luxembourg to citizen education, <\/strong>especially among young people, raising awareness about the European Union\u2019s history, institutions and policies and helping develop teaching and research on European integration process in the Grand Duchy<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n