9 May 2015 - the Council opens its doors

Source: Council of the European Union (Council) i, published on Thursday, May 7 2015.

The European Council and the Council of the European Union are holding an Open Day at the Justus Lipsius Building (rue de la Loi 175, Brussels), the headquarters of the two institutions on 9 May from 10:00 to 17:00.

Guided tours of the building

Members of staff will show visitors round the meeting rooms in which the heads of state and government and ministers meet for European summits and Council meetings. Tours will take place throughout the day in French, Dutch, German and English.

"Europe through the generations" - a face-to-face meeting

To mark the 65th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, the Council is holding a cross-generational event bringing together young Europeans and former colleagues or members of the families of the founding fathers of the EU - a unique opportunity for the younger generation to learn how those prominent figures shaped the Union and find out more about what went on behind the scenes in the early days of the building of a united Europe.

The guests and speakers will include: Maria Romana De Gasperi (daughter of Alcide De Gasperi, former Prime Minister of Italy), Antoinette Spaak (daughter of Paul-Henri Spaak, former Prime Minister of Belgium), Paul Collowald (a journalist who worked with Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet), Jean-Marie Pelt (former private secretary to Robert Schuman), Jacques-René Rabier (chief of staff to Jean Monnet), Clemens Coudenhove-Kalergi (great-nephew of Richard Niklaus Coudenhove-Kalergi, founder of the Paneuropean Movement), Gabriel Fragnière (a Swiss philosopher and teacher, and a friend of Hendrik Brugmans), Victoria Martín de la Torre (author of "Europe, a leap into the unknown").

The event will start at 2.00 pm in the Justus Lipsius Building and can be watched live on our website:

Video files in broadcast quality will be available after the event.

Informations stands and activities

There will be various stands offering information and documentation to suit every reader and hosting a number of activities:

  • - 
    information stands from the Council Secretariat's development and environmental protection units, together with the two EU missions in Mali, illustrating the subject of development.
  • - 
    stands representing the European Central Bank (ECB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Latvian Presidency and the future Luxembourg Presidency of the Council, etc.
  • - 
    demonstrations of traditional Latvian dances during the day.
  • - 
    a kids' corner and a European quiz to involve visitors actively in getting to know about Europe

The Open Day will also be on the social media sites. Visitors can use hashtag #EUOpenDoors on various social media networks to join in the conversation and share their impressions or their Instagram photos of the day.

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