Celebrate a united Europe on Europe Day!
STREET CELEBRATIONS ALL AROUND EUROPE
The EU needs (massive) street festivities in all 28* EU capitals on Europe Day (9th May)
> To celebrate a united Europe, for giving us peace, freedom and prosperity
> To bring the citizens of different EU countries together and to celebrate 'united in diversity'
> To enjoy each other’s culture: traditions, language, food, music etc.
> To help win the hearts and minds of the EU citizens (emotional engagement)
> To build a collective European identity
> To tackle euro-scepticism and increasing nationalism and cynicism
> To address the urgency of the new 'Green Deal' agenda of the European Commission
> To give a leading role to the youth that day to voice their (climate) concerns
> To give the people of the UK the opportunity to organize 'protest celebrations' against Brexit
> To give the people of Hungary the opportunity to organize 'protest celebrations' against euroscepticism
> By making Europe Day a free EU public holiday to enable citizens to join in these festivities
* Let’s invite the Brits (or the Scots) too
ORGANIZING ANNUAL STREET FESTIVITIES
ON EUROPE DAY IN ALL EU CAPITALS
The annual TechnoParade in Paris
Let's organize annual street festivities on Europe Day in all capitals!
> Massive festivities in the streets of all 28 EU capitals every year
> On “Europe Day” (9th May) which also happens to be the day of the end of WWII
> For all EU citizens of all age groups and of all levels of education and backgrounds, and free of charge
> Under the leadership of the youth (through the EU Youth Programs*)
> With a carefully curated artistic program around European values and achievements, and local cultures and heritages, and special themes, such as Climate Change, migration, etc.
> And building bridges with music that unites people around Europe
> By organizing street festivities in trams or on decorated floats (flatbed – hydrogen powered - trailers) driving through the streets, exhibiting the cultures of all EU nations and catchy Green Deal messages
> Plus music & dance events, food festivals, theater shows, art exhibitions, etc. in all EU capitals
> Good examples of massive local street festivities are the annual St Patrick Parade in Dublin, the annual Techno Parade in Paris (attracting 400.000 young French), the (past) Love Parade in Berlin, and the annual Pride Parades in many EU capitals
* Erasmus, the Erasmus+, the “Youth in Action” and the “European Solidarity Corps” programs
The annual Street Parade in Zürich
Let's celebrate a united and 'greening' Europe every year on Europe Day!
Ideas to fill the annual street festivals:
> Every participating EU country to decorate a few floats, for instance The Netherlands will decorate one float with a water (or tulip bulbs) sculpture and decorate another float with a Green Deal message
> Every participating EU country builds copies of their floats for each of the other street festivals
> More floats, marching bands and house-high puppet-characters to be added from interested youth organizations, sponsors, the EU, municipalities, (climate) NGO’s, radio stations etc.
> Floats will proceed at foot-pace through the streets of the participating capitals
> To ensure that the youth will come, invite top DJs and local music stars (also in coordination with the Eurovision Song Festivals/Contests) to join on separate floats
> Over time, organize other music events, food festivals, theater shows, art exhibitions, forum discussions etc. in each of the participating EU capitals
> When the city of Paris and Berlin (and possibly Brussels) will start on Europe Day, and be successful, it is likely that the other EU capitals will follow in subsequent years. (It’s a process)