The Delegation
of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU Info Centre will
mark 9 May – Europe Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina with sports and cultural
events across the country.

During
Europe Week, from 5 May to 10 May 2014, basketball tournaments will take place
in Mostar, Tuzla and Banja Luka, while in Sarajevo more than 300 school pupils
will have an opportunity to see the first BiH musical for children and adults.

EUD/EUSR
spokesperson Andy McGuffie said:

“The
aim of these events is to bring the European Union closer to people in BiH and
make them part of the international celebration of Europe Day. By involving
young people, we are also highlighting the importance of a future of peace and
prosperity for them.

“The
main message of the week is that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a clear perspective
to become a Member State of the EU, and that the EU is here to help the country
to achieve that.”

The
events will start with the “Mostar Euro Basket Cup” on 6 May. Mixed girls’ and
boys’ teams from eight Mostar high schools will compete for the Cup. The basketball tournament
in Tuzla will follow on 7 May with boys’ and girls’ teams from Tuzla elementary
schools competing. The Euro Basket Cup ends in Banja Luka on 8 May when the
best boys’ and girls’ teams from Banja Luka elementary school league will have
opportunity to show their basketball skills.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to
BiH Renzo Daviddi will open the tournaments in Mostar and Tuzla while Head of
the EU Delegation to BiH / EU Special Representative Ambassador Peter Sorensen
will open the one in Banja Luka

The EU Info Centre and the EU
Delegation are inviting everyone to attend the tournaments, support the teams
and celebrate the birthday of the European Union.

On Europe Day, Friday 9 May,
Ambassador Peter Sorensen will join more than 300 kids from ten elementary
schools and organisations from Sarajevo and East Sarajevo to see the first BiH musical
play for children and adults “DJ
Champignon – Top of the world” in Sarajevo.

Ambassador Sorensen will also join in
the EU Fair in Doboj organised by NGO EUROPLUS on 7 May while the Deputy Head
of Delegation Daviddi will address participants of the quiz “What do people
with disabilities know about the EU?” organised by NGO Altruist SVJETLO on 8
May in Sarajevo.

All media are
invited to cover the events according to the attached programme. A detailed
timetable of all events is given in the attachment below.

Notes to editors

·        
For additional
information please contact: Zora Stanic, Press and Information Officer and
Spokesperson in the EU Delegation/EUSR at 061-103-076 and Saša Kulukčija from
the EU Info Centre at 063-346-763.

·        
Europe Day (9 May)
celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the
historical ‘Schuman declaration‘. At a speech in Paris in 1950, the French foreign minister, Robert
Schuman, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe,
which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable. His vision was to
create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel
production. A treaty creating such a body was signed just under a year later.
Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the
European Union.

Operational information for media

NB: individual advisory notices for
all events will be sent separately to all media.

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