Europe is our guarantee for life in peace, freedom, security and prosperity. This is all the more true as Europe is currently facing enormous challenges. In order to inform about the European idea and its values in an entertaining way, the City of Bonn, together with the Regional Representation of the European Commission in Bonn and many partners, invites to Bonn’s Europe Day on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., more than 30 associations and organizations will present themselves under the motto "EU Update - Living and Learning in Europe" in front of the Old Town Hall on Bonn’s market square. All of them will present their diverse activities and initiatives to promote and strengthen European friendship.
At 12 noon, Mayor Katja Dörner and Patrick Lobis, acting head of the European Commission's regional representation in Bonn, will open the event. Admission is free. A colorful program will be offered on the central stage throughout the day, with performances by various choirs or the magician Zantac. Children are invited to discover Europe in a playful way by having their face painted with the European flag, climbing the Europe pyramid and joining many other hands-on activities.
Visitors can also get active and creative on a large graffiti wall, for instance. The district association of the Europa-Union and the painters and varnishers guild Bonn/Rhein-Sieg invite everyone to create pictures, graphics, symbols or logos on the theme of Europe. The best works will be awarded a prize.
Right next to Bonn’s market square, artist Lisa Borgiani will be showing her exhibition "What is Europe to you!" in the arcade courtyard of the main university building. To compile her journey through Europe in images and emotions, Borgiani traveled through 27 European cities, taking 1,200 pictures and listening to 3,000 people's voices. The exhibition was initiated by the Goethe-Institut, which also has a booth on the market square. Further information is also available at www.whatseurope.eu
This year, Bonn’s Europe Day will also feature a small "French Corner" with actors focusing on Franco-German friendship. Institut français, Centre Ernst Robert Curtius, Gustav-Stresemann-Institut, the German-French Society Bonn/Rhein-Sieg, the IKAB-Bildungswerk and the Beuel-Mirecourt town twinning representatives will be present. The background is the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty.
In addition, the organization Help and a new association about to be established under the name UA Welle Bonn German-Ukrainian Association are represented – both of these will introduce their work especially in the context of the Bonn-Cherson solidarity partnership.
For more information on the exhibitors and the program, visit www.bonn.de/europatag
Europe Day is part of the Europe Weeks
With this event under the European flag, participating organizations and associations want to show that it is important to join hands and stand up for peace, freedom and human rights. Europe Day is the central event of the City of Bonn during the Europe Weeks. From April 30 to May 31, 2023, many projects and events around the theme of Europe will take place throughout North Rhine-Westphalia. Also in Bonn, associations and organizations invite you to deal with and jointly discuss the topic of Europe.
Interested parties can find an overview of the events in Bonn at