Last year, more than 15,000 people gathered at Expo Georgia on May 9 to celebrate Europe Day as an official candidate for European Union membership. Europe Day commemorates the 1950 Schuman Declaration, the founding moment of what became the European Union. In Georgia, it served both as a celebration and a political reaffirmation of the country’s deepening integration with Europe.
On that day, then-French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a radical new approach to European relations. By urging nations to pool their coal and steel production, he aimed to make future wars between them ‘not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.’
This visionary idea served as the groundwork for what would become the European Union, a political and economic alliance now spanning 27 countries and 447 million citizens.
Over the past 74 years, the EU has evolved into a powerful symbol of unity, cooperation, and peace. Its mission has remained consistent in bringing nations together through shared values, mutual support, and economic and political integration.
“Since 1950, the EU has been developing, working, uniting and ensuring peace and prosperity,” the European Union’s institutions declare, a mission still actively pursued across Europe and beyond.
The European Union and Georgia will commemorate Europe Day 2025 with a major public celebration at Expo Georgia in Tbilisi on May 9, honoring over 30 years of partnership. Opening at 12:00 in Pavilion 11, the event will feature exhibitions, discussions, and cultural programming that showcase the EU’s impact on education, rural development, youth, and democracy in Georgia.
major highlights include the Team Europe Pavilion, an EU Project Space, and public talks with Georgian and European leaders. Attendees can also explore a documentary photo exhibition, enjoy culinary demos, and engage in interactive games and artisan showcases.
