PIEDMONT – Today, Thursday 9 May, is Europe Day, which celebrates peace and the unity of peoples in Europe. In Piedmont there are three Europe Direct centres, which are coordinated by the European Commission and have the aim of bringing Piedmontese citizens closer to the activities of the European Union.
Why May 9th?
The Day was established on May 9 because on this day, in 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman declared the birth of a European Coal and Steel Community, whose members would pool the production of coal and steel (CECA). The full statement is available here.
What are Europe Directs?
Europe Directs (EDs) are offices in which citizens can participate debates and meetings on the topic of Europe; the centres, coordinated by the Directorate General for Communication of the European Commission and scattered throughout Italy, also offer constant information on tenders, calls and competitions promoted by the European Union and aimed at local authorities. Every year, for example, the Europe Directs involve around 30 students in a cross-border exchange to discuss politics and economics with peers from various other countries. Last year, around ten young people from Cuneo went to Clermont-Ferrand for 5 days together with the same number of French and German students.
How many are there in Piedmont?
Piedmont has three Europe Direct centres: Vercelli, Cuneo/Piedmont south-west area and Turin. These are supported by the University Institute of European Studies of Turin (which, among other activities, explains how to use the EU’s official databases and websites) and Eurodesk (which promotes young people’s access to the opportunities offered in the sectors of international mobility such as Erasmus and the European Solidarity Corps).
