Le Printemps de l’Europe à Dijon

"Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought war and tragedy back to Europe, at a time when Europeans were enjoying the longest period of peace on the continent since the Second World War.

As Ukraine knocks on the door of the European Union, everyone can see what we owe to Europe: stability, prosperity and cooperative rather than confrontational relations with neighbouring countries and regions.

This is why "Spring Day for Europe" in Dijon is of particular importance this year, as much for the responses to the citizens as for the cooperation offered and the strong symbolic and political dimension of this festival.

In 2023, we are also celebrating the anniversaries of our oldest twinning arrangements, with York (1953) and Mainz (1958), set up in the aftermath of the Second World War to build a Europe of peace, strength and solidarity. We are also celebrating the centenary of the reception of Czech pupils at the Lycée Carnot, the oldest educational cooperation programme in Europe!

I wanted to place this new edition of "Spring Day for Europe" under the aegis of partnerships with our twin cities but also under the sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

This event will be resolutely turned towards young people, their mobility within the European Union, their education, their creations, their projects in cooperation with our partner cities in Europe. Thank you again to all the institutions, associations, partners and teachers who have made this great mobilisation possible for the future of our youth!

Because Dijon is more than ever a European metropolis that counts!

The European institutions now recognise our city as one of the European "Pilot Cities" in the energy transition, we are conducting important European projects and all this contributes strongly to the attractiveness of our territory, both in terms of investment and employment.

Let's meet on Wednesday 10 May, at Place François Rude, in the "Europe Village", in the presence of the delegation from Mainz, which will be led by its new mayor, and of all those who bring Europe to life in Dijon on a concrete and daily basis.

Long live friendship and cooperation with York and Mainz! Long live Ukraine! Long live Europe! Long live France!"

François Rebsamen