Over 75 students from local schools were joined by young people from the Together.eu community to mark Europe Day in London.

The young people were joined by representatives from the European Parliament, the EU Delegation in the UK, diplomats from all over Europe and beyond to celebrate the European Year of the Youth with a special emphasis on showing solidarity with people in Ukraine.

Europe Day has been marked every year since 1964 to promote peace and unity in Europe. In 2022, the focus on youth was celebrated in the UK with a host of local schools being invited to Europe House to meet with dignitaries and take part in the festivities.

Further events took place across Europe, and in the UK a concert at St. John’s Smith Square included a performances by musicians from the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Alongside standout pieces such as ‘Ode to Joy’, the musicians also played the Ukrainian national anthem as a centrepiece to the performance, highlighting solidarity with the young people of Ukraine as a cornerstone of the European Year of Youth and Europe Day celebrations.

One of the young people taking part, secondary school student Clemmie Aargaard from London, commented: “When we think of ourselves as Europeans, or as citizens of a wider world, we are motivated to live alongside each other. Celebrating our differences as well as the many ties that bind us.”

The European Parliament Liaison Office is encouraging all young people throughout the UK who would like to take action on issues they care about such as global public health, the planet, security or human rights. Young people can visit the Together.eu website and connect with others who share their enthusiasm for joint action for a better future.