Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee
On Europe Day, we celebrate not simply a political union or an economic project, but a democratic vision founded on peace, participation and solidarity among peoples.
At the heart of that vision lies an essential principle: democracy is not sustained by institutions alone. It survives because people believe they still have a voice.
Today, across Europe and beyond, that principle is under growing pressure.
Brussells, 8 May 2026 – Relaunching European global leadership by bringing together competitiveness, sustainability and civil society participation: this was the theme of the second stage of the Festival for Sustainable Development, held for the first time in Brussels, entitled “European Leadership for the Future: Civil Society at the Helm of the Post-2030 Agenda”.
On 9 May, Europeans will celebrate Europe Day. This year marks the 76th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today, and led to an unprecedented era of peace, democracy, prosperity, integration and cooperation across the continent.
