The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, accompanied by the deputy mayor, Inma Sanz, members of the government team, and the spokespersons of the municipal groups, presided over the celebration of Europe Day, which included the raising of the European flag in Plaza de la Villa. Also in attendance were Piotr Szostak, minister counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Spain, the country currently holding the rotating Presidency of the EU since January 1st, as well as various representatives from the European Commission and Parliament.
As Spain celebrates 40 years of its accession to the European Union, the mayor emphasized that «Madrid is a city whose heart is with Europe and the principles and values it represents.» He also recalled that «75 years ago, Europe was built on bridges and not walls, on the will of understanding and collaboration.» Almeida expressed his desire to continue listening to the citizens with sensitivity «so that Europe remains a reference for rights, freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law.»
During the flag-raising ceremony, carried out by the Gala Guard of the Municipal Police of Madrid, the Municipal Police Band performed Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, the official anthem of the European Union, followed by the national anthem.
The event was also attended by students from 4th year of ESO and 1st year of Bachillerato from three schools (Maristas School in Valencia, Villajunco High School in Santander, and San Fernando High School in Madrid) who won a European Olympiad competition organized by the Office of the European Parliament and whom the mayor highlighted as «the future of Europe.»
Europe Day is celebrated on May 9th in commemoration of the anniversary of the ‘Schuman Declaration’. On this day in 1950, exactly 75 years ago, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Schuman, presented his idea of a new form of political cooperation on the continent. That declaration proposed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which led to a series of supranational institutions that culminated in what is now the European Union. /
