Europe Day: The EU as a reliable global partner

The European Union Delegation to the United Nations was delighted to mark Europe Day, together with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Cyprus, with a celebratory event bringing together over 900 representatives of the international community: diplomatic Missions, United Nations organisations, civil society, academia, and many partners of the European Union.

At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and global instability, this year's celebration highlighted the importance of unity, partnership, and multilateral cooperation as defining principles of the EU and of the international system we continue to champion.

EUDEL Geneva

Tonight, I stand here with my fellow European ambassadors, united as Team Europe. For all of us, Europe is our home. As a project born from a shared aspiration for peace, reconciliation and social justice, we continue to choose cooperation, rules, and multilateralism. We stand firmly with the United Nations Charter and international law. - EU Ambassador Deike Potzel

Ambassador Potzel underlined that Europe Day is not only an occasion to celebrate the European project itself, but also an opportunity to reaffirm the values on which it was built: peace, solidarity, dialogue, and cooperation.

In her remarks Ambassador Potzel reflected on the role of the European Union in an increasingly unpredictable world, underlining that as a reliable partner the EU continues to stand for stability, reliability, and a rules-based international order in an increasingly unreliable world.

Europe, dear friends, is part of the solution: As a reliable, principled partner in jointly addressing today's multitude of challenges, defending international law, protecting multilateralism and making the UN truly fit for purpose. - EU Ambassador Deike Potzel

EUDEL Geneva

Against this backdrop - of ongoing global crises and mounting pressure on international cooperation - the evening underlined the EU's continued commitment to being a reliable partner in global support of peace, human dignity, and sustainable development. Thereby the work and continued engagement of EU Member States remains central to the European Union's work in Geneva and beyond.

This evening, we celebrate a Union built by people who had seen Europe at its worst, and refused to let it happen again - who chose to make the future a different place. This is our inheritance, and this is also the inheritance of Geneva. And we will keep choosing it. Norm by norm, resolution by resolution, conversation by conversation. With the power of partnerships. With all of you. - Ambassador Olympia Neocleous of Cyprus

Europe Day, celebrated annually on May 9, marks the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration of 1950, which laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today. More than seventy years later, the principles at the core of the European project remain as relevant as ever. This year's reception at the Le Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva served as a reminder that, in a fragmented and uncertain world, cooperation, dialogue, and solidarity continue to be indispensable.

The European Union Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva thanks all guests, partners, and Member States who joined the celebration and contributed to making the evening a meaningful occasion to celebrate Europe and its enduring commitment to multilateralism.