ZAGREB, 9 May 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Monday extended his best wishes to everyone for Europe Day, saying that we live in a time of great challenges that demand bold decisions and unity.

"I wish everyone a happy #EuropeDay! Through #CoFEU we've heard what European citizens are most concerned about," the Croatian prime minister said in the message, referring to the Conference on the Future of Europe, which started a year ago and ended today, on Europe Day.

"This is a time of great challenges that demand bold decisions and unity," Plenković wrote on Twitter.

The prime minister was probably referring to the world's challenges after it had just begun recovering from a two-year COVID-19 pandemic and Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, after which Europe and the world faced a number of challenges due to the rise in food and energy prices.

"We have the responsibility to continue building a Europe of peace, rule of law, social justice and economic development," the prime minister wrote.

On Sunday, 8 May, which is celebrated as Victory in Europe Day, the day of victory in the Second World War, Plenković paid an unannounced visit to Ukraine in order to show solidarity with the country's leadership and people, as well as to express support for its European path.

For more, check out our politics section.

06 May 2022 - Europe Day 2022 celebrates unity in Europe and the official date, the 9th of May, marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman declaration.

The 9th of May is Europe Day, and it commemorates the first move towards the creation of what has today become the European Union. This celebration recalls the importance of the role played by Robert Schuman in the start of the Coal and Steel Community and the integration process that this has triggered. 

In his historic speech, made on 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman proposed the establishment of a new form of cooperation between the countries of a European continent ravaged by the disastrous effects of two world wars.

In these challenging times, it is crucial to reappraise Schuman's life in order to take inspiration from the vision, values, and experiences of a man who sought to bring together all people of Europe under two fundamental principles: peace and solidarity. 

Image: @European Commission/ Twitter account

This celebration also provides an opportunity to reflect on the current and real situation, which changes daily. It is a day when people can acknowledge the achievements in their everyday lives, in a European Union based on rule of law principles, popular sovereignty, and values that are now accepted and shared by the vast majority of European people. The meaning of the celebration lies in its commemoration of the path that allowed to consolidate these principles and values without taking for granted every achievement.

In honour of the pioneering work of Robert Schuman toward a united Europe, the area housing the headquarters of several European Union institutions in Brussels is named after him.

The Fabric of Europe is a work of art born from real data-weaving representing the construction of the European Union and the governance of the Council of the European Union. You can find more here. (Image: Total Croatia News)

This year, the Open Day will take place on the 7th of May. For those in Brussels, tomorrow you can visit the buildings of the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and the European Parliament from 10:00 to 18:00. On-site, you will find general information about the EU with areas dedicated to the environment, digital transformation, and youth, with many games and activities for the whole family. 

There will also be several live events online on social media for those who cannot be present. 

Learn more about Europe Day and events here and also from this Factsheet.

Online and in-person events at the Council UE, European Commission, and the European Parliament

Explore also all the activities organised in Croatia by the Representative Office of the European Commission.

We would like to remember also that the year 2022 marks the European Year of Youth and the importance of young Europeans in achieving a better future, seeking to be greener, digital-friendly, and healthier. And if you are looking for more information about activities taking place in Croatia, contact the National Coordinator from the EU Member States by accessing this link.  

Enjoy all the activities during this European weekend all over Europe. 

May 8, 2021 - Croatian President Zoran Milanović, together with other presidents of the European Union's member-states, forwarded a joint message on the occasion of Europe Day on Saturday.

Extending their best wishes to the Europeans, the 21 presidents from the European Union called on EU citizens to use the Conference on the Future of Europe as the "unique opportunity to shape our common future," reads a press release issued by the Office of Croatian President.

"This Europe Day is special. For the second year in a row, we celebrate it in the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sympathize with all those who have suffered because of it," those leaders say.

They underscore the importance of the Conference on the Future of Europe which starts on this year's Europe Day.

"The circumstances surrounding this discussion on the future of Europe are very different from those of previous years. It may seem that there is not sufficient time for an in-depth discussion on the future of Europe in the current situation. On the contrary, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of what is truly important in our lives: our health, our relationship with nature, our relationships with our fellow human beings, mutual solidarity, and working together. It has opened up questions about the way we live our lives. It has shown the strengths of European integration, as well as its weaknesses. We need to talk about all of this," say those leaders.

Challenges are manifold

"The challenges we face as Europeans are manifold: from tackling the climate crisis and the creation of green economies, while concurrently balancing the increasing competition among the global actors, to striving for the digital transformation of our societies. We will need to develop new methods and new solutions. As democracies, our strength lies in engaging the many voices of our societies to identify the best way forward. The more people participate in a broad and open-minded discussion, the better for our Union.

The European project is a project of peace and reconciliation.

"The European project is unprecedented in history. It has been 70 years since the signing of the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community and 64 since the birth of the European Community in Rome. At that time, European leaders found ways to unify war-torn Europe. Thirty years ago, Europe’s East and West began to connect more closely. Very different countries joined together to form the European Union. Each country has its own historical experiences and burdens of the past, which it deals with on its own and in its relations with other countries," reads their message.

"The European project is a project of peace and reconciliation. It has been so since its conception and remains so today. We advocate for a common strategic vision for Europe, a Europe that is whole, free, united, and at peace.

Fundamental principles of European integration extremely relevant

"All the fundamental principles of European integration remain extremely relevant today: freedom, equality, respect for human rights, the rule of law and freedom of expression, solidarity, democracy and loyalty among the Member States. How can we jointly ensure that these fundamental principles of European integration remain relevant for the future?

"Although the European Union may sometimes seem ill-equipped to face the many challenges that have arisen over the last decade – from the economic and financial crisis to the challenges in working towards a just and equitable EU migration system and the ongoing pandemic – we are aware that it would be much harder for each of us if we were alone.

"How can we best strengthen European cooperation and solidarity and make sure that we emerge from the health crisis in a way that makes us more resilient to future challenges?

"We need a strong and effective European Union, a European Union that will be a global leader in the transition to sustainable, climate neutral, and digitally supported development. We need a European Union we can all identify with, certain in the knowledge that we have done our utmost for the benefit of future generations. Together, we can achieve this.

We need to think about our common future, and therefore, the signatories of this joint message invite European "to join the discussion and help find a way forward together."

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