On the 9th of May 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. Today the 9th of May, the “Europe Day”, has become a European symbol and the occasion for activities and festivities that bring Europe closer to its citizens and European peoples closer to one another.
The Local Democracy Agencies marked 9th of May by organising different public events in their local communities to help increase the level of information on different aspects of EU integration.
This year particular focus was on youth and EU active citizenship, while also during the week a wide range of cultural programmes promoting the co-operation links with EU counterparts was organised in the cities all across the Western Balkans. In Croatia – LDA Verteneglio, Sisak and Osijek organised cultural events gathering young people and volunteers, quiz for the secondary school students, public debates gathering citizens from all sections of local community.
Marking the Day of Europe has become a part of regular annual activities of the LDA-s in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, taking place in Zavidovici, Mostar, Prijedor, Subotica and Nis.
During the week LDA Mostar organised a series of local events gathering citizens of diverse ethnic background to promote good local neighbors’ days, in Subotica a public round table on interculturalism and good governance took place and the public NGO fair organised with the support of EU Delegation in Serbia took place in the main city square.