In what has become an annual tradition, European Union Ambassadors and other senior diplomats will celebrate Europe Day, May 9, by becoming teachers for a day at high schools in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
Ambassadors and senior diplomats from the Embassies of the 27 Member States of the European Union and from the European Union Delegation to the United States will bring Europe to the classroom by talking to high school students about the European Union at 39 public and private area schools. They will also provide classroom materials for teachers and students. The teaching sessions are taking place between April 22 and June 10, with most of the Ambassadors teaching during the week leading up to Europe Day itself. In recent years the program has been expanded well 'beyond the beltway' to include school visits by EU Consuls-General in Atlanta, Boston and Miami, and arrangements are under way to include other major U.S. cities in future.
Europe Day on May 9 marks the historic moment in 1950 when French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman called on France, Germany and other Western European countries to begin the process of European integration by combining their coal and steel production under a single European institution. Following the Schuman Declaration, the European Economic Community (EEC) of six nations was established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957, and this led to what we now know as the European Union of 27 nations.
"Our tradition of visiting local high schools is a great way for me and my colleagues from the EU Member States to celebrate Europe Day," said Angelos Pangratis, Acting Head of the EU Delegation. "We enjoy the interaction with students as we explain the role of the European Union in the world and discuss our relationship with the United States. Their curiosity and the level of their questions are always impressive and we all welcome the fact that this remarkable program continues to grow within the DC metro area and beyond."
This year the EU Center of Excellence at Florida International University and the Consul General of Spain in Boston are helping to coordinate the school visits in their areas.
Participating Embassies:
Embassy of Austria, Andreas Riecken, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Austria, Wolfgang Renezeder, Director Press & Information
Embassy of Belgium, Sigurd Schelstraete, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Bulgaria, Tihmor Stoytchev, Charge d'Affaires a.i.
Embassy of Cyprus, Ambassador Andreas Kakouris
Embassy of Czech Republic, Jiri Ellinger, Head of Political Unit
Embassy of Denmark, Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen
Embassy of Estonia, Ambassador Vaino Reinart
Embassy of Finland, Ambassador Pekka Lintu
Embassy of Finland, Anne Lammila, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of France, Ambassador Pierre Vimont
Embassy of France, Francois Rivasseau, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Germany, Ambassador Klaus Scharioth
Embassy of Germany, Christian Sedat, Political Department
Embassy of Greece, Ambassador Vassilis D. Kaskarelis
Embassy of Hungary, Ambassador Bela Szombati
Embassy of Ireland, Ambassador Michael Collins
Embassy of Italy, Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata
Embassy of Italy, Cristiano Maggipinto, Chief of Consular Office
Embassy of Latvia, Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics
Embassy of Lithuania, Ambassador Audrius Bruzga
Embassy of Luxembourg, Ambassador Jean-Paul Senninger
Embassy of Malta, Ambassador Mark Miceli-Farrugia
Embassy of the Netherlands, Ambassador Renee Jones-Bos
Embassy of Poland, Ambassador Robert Kupiecki
Embassy of Portugal, Ambassador Joao De Vallera
Embassy of Romania, Cristian Gaginsky, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Slovakia, Andrej Droba, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Slovenia, Andrej Medica, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Spain, Camilo Villarino, Political Counselor
Embassy of Sweden, Ambassador Jonas Hafstrom
Embassy of Sweden, Karin Olofsdotter, Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Sweden, Gabriella Augustsson, Public Affairs Counselor
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Dominick Chilcott, Deputy Head of Mission
Delegation of the European Union, Angelos Pangratis, Charge d'Affaires a.i.
Delegation of the European Union, Anthony Smallwood, Spokesman & Head or Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Union, Mattias Sundholm, Deputy Head of Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Union, Kasper Zeuthen, Senior Media Officer
Participating Schools:
Archbishop Carroll High School; Bell MultiCultural High School; Benjamin Banneker High School; Booker T. Washington Charter School for Technical Arts; C.H. Flowers High School; Cardozo High School; Centreville High School; Duke Ellington School of the Arts; DuVal High School; Herndon High School; Howard D. Woodson Senior High School; Ideal Academy Public Charter School; James Madison High School; Langley High School; Leesburg Heritage High School; Luke Moore Academy, DC; Marshall High School; McKinley Technology High School; McLean High School; Montgomery Blair High School; Mountain View High School; National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School; North Western High School; Northwood High School; Paint Branch High School; Robinson Secondary School; Rockville High School; School Without Walls; Suitland High School; T.C. Williams High School; Thomas Jefferson High School; Thomas S. Wootton High School; Wakefield High School; Walt Whitman High School; Washington Latin Public Charter School; West Potomac High School; Wheaton High School; Woodrow Wilson High School; Yorktown High School.
For further information, please visit: http://www.eurunion.org
CONTACT: Anthony Smallwood, +1-202-862-9523, or Kasper Zeuthen, +1-202-862-9530, both of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States
/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- April 20/
SOURCE Delegation of the European Union to the United States
