Over a hundred young people from north and south of the Irish border celebrated Europe day by travelling together on a vintage train from Belfast to Dublin. On the journey, jointly organised by the EU's offices in Belfast and Dublin, the children were entertained with face‑painting and magicians. On arrival in Dublin, they were greeted by an "EU 50" birthday cake. At the same time, a special open- top double-decker bus was ferrying a contingent of EU officials around the city centre, distributing information.
Meanwhile, in Slovenia, a boat painted in the colours of the EU's anniversary logo cruised through the centre of Ljubljana on the Ljubljanica river. Along with other towns across the country, the Slovenian capital was turned into a European village, with national dishes, traditional dances and tiling workshops from across the continent: a true display of cultural diversity and a great chance for visitors to learn about their fellow members of the EU.
Ljubljana also hosted a student fair, this year focusing on student mobility. Emphasising the point in daredevil fashion, a group of skydivers, their blue parachutes emblazoned with the famous European stars, jumped from a great height above the site of the fair, performing a series of thrilling freefall manoeuvres on the way down.
In Belgium, the day was marked by putting a very special boat back into the water. The "Treaty of Rome", which 30 years ago took part in the round‑the‑world race on the EU’s 20th anniversary, was restored this year to kick‑start a new sailing tour around Europe.
“Talent, technologies and tolerance” was the theme of the European village
set up in Paris to mark Europe day. Among its numerous stands and exhibitions, the highlights for visitors were the various attractions provided by the European Space Agency .
