Europe Day on 9th May

This week Europe is not only coming together in celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest, but also celebrates Europe Day on Friday! Every year the 9th May marks the birth of the European Union, in commemoration of the Shuman Declaration in 1950. Annually since then communities all over Europe have held parties, festivals, lectures, competitions and film events to make Europe day an unforgettable and special day.

But:

• What does Europe mean to the people living there?
• How does a united Europe benefit Europeans?
• What does the European Union actually mean in today’s world?
• Do Europeans feel like a resident of Europe or are they very nationalistic?
• Is there too much bureaucracy for too little benefit?

These questions are certainly not easy to answer but people can use Europe Day to reflect on these and more. Europe Day is a perfect opportunity to contemplate the European idea or to simply celebrate the motto of the European Union “United in diversity”. The whole month of May the European Union itself opens all the doors in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg so everyone can visit and experience the European institutions up close.

Europe Day also marks the ongoing process of European integration. Over the last decade 13 countries joined the European Union and the task for them is to create a united, harmonious future together. Although the Union has command over various institutions to reach these goals, this year every European of an EU member state has the chance to influence European politics.

During 2014 the first election of the European Parliament since the Treaty of Lisbon takes place from 22nd May until 25th May. The European Parliament is the only European political institution that gets directly elected from the people of Europe – making it one of the largest democratic assemblies in the world!

We at Apple Languages love Europe, the opportunities, the cultures, the special/unique differences, the similarities and… of course, the many different languages! Eliminating borders, giving people freedom and opportunities and making travel easy between nations should always be a priority for a united European Union – and what better way is there, to start eliminating borders between nations, than learning the language of that nation?