Concerts, video mapping and festivities to celebrate Europe Day in Bulgaria

EC Representation in Sofia focuses on 20th anniversary of EU's biggest enlargement

published on 5/9/24 7:05 AM

Photo: BGNES

Europe Day has been celebrated on 9 May since 1986, following a decision taken at the European Community Summit in Milan on 28 and 29 June 1985.

In order to deal with the many internal conflicts in Europe, which reached their peak during the First and Second World Wars, the European countries laid the foundations for the European Union.

It was 74 years ago, on 9 May, just five years after the end of the Second World War, that French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented the historic declaration proposing the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). This landmark initiative aimed to consolidate the coal and steel production of the participating nations, including France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The ECSC laid the foundations for what we now know as the European Union.

For 38 years, Europe Day has been celebrated with a series of events in all EU member states. Since 2007, when Bulgaria became the 25th country to join the bloc, 9 May has been celebrated with events in many towns and villages across the country.

This year, the façade of the former Royal Palace in Knyaz Alexander I Square will be transformed into a projection screen for an impressive video mapping. The theme is in line with the upcoming European Parliament elections - 'Your Voice'.

The story of the show, which starts at 21:00, will take viewers on a journey through the complex electoral landscape, where every threshold crossed is a step into the unknown, but also a unique opportunity. Admission to the show is free and it is part of this year's LUNAR Festival of Lights.

Europe Day will also be celebrated in Plovdiv, the country's second largest city and the oldest living city in Europe. The concert by the Plovdiv Singer's Society "Angel Boukoreshtliev" starts at 18:30. The event is part of the cultural calendar of the Plovdiv Municipality.

In Varna, a traditional military ceremony will be held in front of the monument to the Eighth Infantry Sea Regiment. The ceremony will begin at 10:00, followed one hour later by a solemn ritual of raising the EU flag in front of the Municipality building. The celebrations are jointly organised by the Municipality, the Bulgarian Navy and the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Veliko Preslav.

The European Commission Representation in Bulgaria invites the citizens and guests of Sofia to a concert to celebrate Europe Day and the 20th anniversary of the biggest enlargement of the European Union. The celebration will start at 16:30 with a presentation of the culture and traditions of the countries that joined the European Union 20 years ago. Guests will be able to sample local food and drink from Cyprus, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic and take part in games with prizes.

Photos: BGNES, europarl.europa.eu

Translated and posted by Elizabeth Radkova

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