May 21, 2011, Kyiv celebrated the Day of Europe
May 21, 2011, Kyiv celebrated the Day of Europe. Celebration took place under the support of the European Program of the International Renaissance Foundation.
The European parade started the festive day. Deputy of European Parliament Pavel Zalevsky, Ambassador of Finland to Ukraine Christer Michelsson, Deputy Ambassadors of Germany, the Netherlands and other countries of the European Union participated in the event. The walking procession was accompanied by the National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine, children’s dance groups, young people with flags of European countries, groups of female drummers and a stilt theater. The European parade had its main slogan: “European standards, European values, European future and also visa-free regime with the EU for Ukraine”.
The Head of the All-Ukrainian Youth NGO “European Youth of Ukraine” Vitaliy Ilyashenko said that about 300 volunteers participated in organization and holding the parade this year.
Holding the European parade was combined with the opening of the Day of Europe and the official ceremony took place on a stage erected near Kyiv City State Administration. The ceremony started with demonstration of video messages from the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine, Ambassador Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira and the Head of Kyiv City State Administration Oleksandr Popov also gave their speeches from the stage and personally greeted Kyivites with the celebration.
After the parade, volunteers of the “European Youth of Ukraine” NGO gave out materials on establishment and activity of the European Union to people who passed by the tents of the organization and who wanted to have such information.
Contact information: All-Ukrainian Youth NGO “European Youth of Ukraine”, (044) 361 54 53, euro_youth@ukr.net
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The goal of the European Program is to promote Ukraine’s European integration by providing financial and expert support to relevant civil society initiatives.
