The 73rd Europe Day was commemorated on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi by a diplomatic event hosted by the EU delegation to the UAE. Important leaders from the UAE government, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of international organisations attended it.
Historically, the Schuman Declaration of 1950 served as the foundation for the EU. The same is commemorated on Europe Day.
According to Emirates News Agency, EU ambassador to the UAE Andrea Matteo Fontana praised the two countries’ long-standing ties.
The European Union did not even exist when the late Sheikh Zayed, the UAE’s founding father, travelled to Europe in the 1950s, according to Fontana. But he was deeply moved by the notion of uniting people and nations rather than starting pointless conflicts. He also liked the idea of establishing the groundwork for global advancement and development.
The successful federation known as the United Arab Emirates was founded in 1971 as a result of this goal by the rulers of the Emirates.
“The EU and the UAE now share many values, such as unity in diversity, tolerance, and respect, the pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity, as well as a moral obligation to aid nations in need.”
Gadrew Way, a string quartet from the Czech Republic, performed a musical programme for the event’s more than 250 attendees. The quartet performed classical compositions by European composers in addition to reinterpreting the EU and UAE anthems to open the festivities.