The first half of the celebrations consisted in a formal reception to which ambassadors, city officials, and members of the Council of Europe Secretariat and the Council of Europe Amicale were invited. Also present were representatives of Support Action Ukraine, a young Strasbourg-based NGO that strives to provide humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need. The choir of the Amicale of the Council of Europe opened the reception by singing the European anthem in English and French. The musical interlude was followed by a speech by the EU Ambassador Vesna Batistić Kos, in which she paid tribute to the founders of Europe and the shared values of the EU and the Council of Europe. She also reaffirmed the necessity to continue to support Ukraine and underlined that the European Union stands united in its unwavering support of Ukraine. The floor was passed on to the Belgian Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Jean-Cédric Janssens de Bisthoven, as part of his country’s presidency of the Council of the EU, who looked back on the accomplishments of their presidency. The Hungarian Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Harry Rusz, whose country is next in line for this rotating position, outlined the priorities of the upcoming Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU. The guests were able to experience Europe through their taste buds and enjoyed a buffet, featuring Hungarian goulash and wine as well as Belgian beer. The choir of the Amicale concluded the formal reception by singing a variety of songs celebrating European values.

The second half of the evening was dedicated to the karaoke party entitled “Voices for Europe”. Guests were invited to sing songs in different languages from a playlist, which was a testament to the rich tapestry of sounds that make up our continent. The karaoke was animated by the president of the Amicale of the Council of Europe, Mr Denis Huber, who motivated our guests to take centre stage and gave their best renditions of their favourite songs.

The evening full of songs and entertainment ended on a high note with plurilingual performances and guests teaming up to sing jointly.

EUDEL