The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria celebrates Europe Day in South Africa
09.05.2023
Europe Day - a celebration of peace and unity - is organized annually in South Africa by the Member States of the European Union and the EU Delegation in Pretoria. On 9 May we commemorate the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration in 1950, in which French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented his vision for a new form of political cooperation in Europe that would make war between European nations unthinkable. The Schuman Plan is considered to be the nucleus of what the European Union is today.
The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, local authorities, business and opinion leaders. Occasional speeches were delivered by Håkan Juhol, the Ambassador of Sweden, which took over the presidency of the EU Council this semester, and Sandra Kramer, the EU Ambassador to South Africa. Facing Russia's brutal attack on Ukraine, the speeches put particular emphasis on such values as peace, cooperation, community of values and unity on our continent. The Embassy of Ukraine presented the exhibition “Year of Resilience. Ukraine in pictures (February 2022 - February 2023).
The participating EU Member States presented their traditional dishes at national stands. Dumplings, a pillar of Polish cuisine, were very popular among the guests. At the Polish stand, employees of the Polish Embassy in Pretoria also had the opportunity to introduce Polish traditions, encourage visitors to visit Poland and discover the charms of our country.
Photos: Grażyna Koornhof/Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria
