Latvia celebrates ‘Europe Day’

Several events are scheduled to take place in Latvia today, May 9, to mark Europe Day, reports LETA.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry and the European Commission Representation in Latvia will organize debates in Latvia's cities about the benefits that European Union membership has brought Latvia.

Latvian State Television will air several broadcasts today about the EU and EU institutions, and a "Europe Tram" will be running in Riga this afternoon where discussions will be held with members of the young generation so they could present their vision of Latvia in Europe, and of the future of Europe.

Gulbene, in the eastern Latgale province, will host a concert featuring several popular Latvian musicians.

The "Esplanade 2014" summer culture house at the Esplanade in Riga will offer the public a live broadcast of a choir concert from Vienna in the evening.

On May 9, 1950, then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the creation of an organized Europe, a supranational community. The proposal led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. It was also the forerunner of several other European Communities and also what is now the EU.

The event is commemorated annually on May 9 as Europe Day.