Celebrating Europe Day 9 May-Illuminating buildings, music, free chocolates

Europe Day, when we celebrate peace and unity in Europe, is marked across Europe every year on 9 May and to mark the occasion the European Parliament’s Liaison Office in Ireland (EPLO Ireland) has partnered with several stakeholders to make this year’s Europe Day one to remember.

Along with the European Commission Representation and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, in cooperation with the Royal Irish Academy of Music, we have arranged a live broadcast of a special concert celebrating Europe Day, in which students from the Academy will be joined by students from Belgium, current holder of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. It will be broadcast on RTÉ Lyric fm’s Lyric Live with Paul Herriott from 7pm to 9pm.
 
Our festivities will also include partnerships with the Houses of the Oireachtas to light up Leinster House on the 7, 8 and 9 May.  The Royal Irish Academy of Music on Westland Row will also be lit up on 9 May and the Samuel Beckett Bridge will be lit up on the 8 and 9 May.

We are especially excited this year to announce that along with The Art of Coffee we will be providing a free chocolate with every hot drink bought at each of their 14 outlets around Dublin on Europe Day. The chocolate will be accompanied by a small card reminding customers that it is Europe Day and to vote on 7 June.

We are also distributing coasters to cafés and bars across Ireland which will be put out on 9 May and which will feature our #UseYourVote message.
 
Speaking about the festivities, Fionnuala Croker, head of EPLO Ireland said, “This year Europe Day is particularly important for us not only because of the elections but because the global context. Highlighting Europe’s achievements and urging people not to take their vote for granted through cultural events and the illumination of buildings is part of our wider ‘Use Your Vote’ vote campaign. We are particularly delighted that we can offer Dubliners a free chocolate with every hot drink they purchase through our partners at The Art of Coffee, a personal favourite for many of us here at the EPLO.”

This being an election year, we will use every opportunity to emphasise our #UseYourVote campaign, reminding citizens of the importance of voting to strengthen democracy.