Romania at the "Europe Days" in Neudrossenfeld, Germany

From 7 to 10 May 2009, the small town Neudrossenfeld in the state of Bavaria, Germany, hosted, during the Festival „Europe Days”, the fourth edition of the Politico-Economic Colloquium organised biannualy by the Society for Promoting the European Communication, this time focused on Romania as a new member state of the European Union (see here the program ).

The project, initiated in 2007, when a representative of Paneuropa Foundation participated at the edition focused on Lithuania, took place under the high patronage of Karel Schwarzenberg, the minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic, the country that accomplishes the rotative presidency of the European Council. On behalf of the German side, the main organiser was the Society for Promoting the European Communication (Fördergesellschaft für Europäische Kommunikation - FEK e.V.), headed by its dynamic president, Peter Verbata and working together with numerous German partners, official or private, among them the Mayorship of Neudrossenfeld, region of Kulmbach, Upper Franconia Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce of the Upper Franconia in Bayreuth, the Office of the European Parliament in München. On behalf of the Romanian side, main organiser was the General Consulate in München, under the very attentive and energetic leadership of its general consul, Brandusa Predescu.

The Colloquium was integrated into the manifestations "Europe Days in Neudrossenfeld", one of the most important events dedicated to Europe Day in Bavaria, reuniting, as the tradition established, "the European elite ... heads of state, ambassadors, general consuls, high ranking ecclesistics, European parliamentarians" ..."to discuss topical European subjects" (sea Kanal8). It was preceded, from 7 to 8 May, by an economic seminar, in Bayreuth, where Romanian representatives presented to the German businessmen opportunities of doing business in Romania.

The first part of the Colloquium took place on 8 May in Neudrossenfeld Castle and continued during a working breakfast the following day, 9 May, at Reiterhof Hotel, Wirsberg, under the slogan „Europe in dialogue: Focus on Romania, a new EU member” and was intended to give the possibility to the invited country to present itself from a political, economic and cultural field, so contributing to its better knowledge in the region, amonf the political and economic decision makers but also among the ordinary people from the Upper Frankonia. In this framework, important Romanian and German officials talked about Romania's role within the European Union, the future of Europe, the euro-atlantic cooperation, as well as about the Romanian-German cooperation on a whole and the Romanian-Bavarian cooperation especially.

On the same occasion, Mindangas Butkus, Lithuania's ambassador to Germany, as a representative of the country that during the last edition, in 2007, was special guset of the manifestation, handed over to the designated Romanian Ambassador to Germany, Lazar Comanescu, as a token of good memories of the events passed now in Neudrossenfeld.

A special mention must be expressed to the address of Lithuania, that deserves all our praise and gratitude both for the personalities who honored Romania by their presence as well as by its own outstanding events organised during the manifestations.

The second part of the event took place on 9 May 2009, also at Neudrossenfled Castle, during a ceremony of awarding the European Medal "Charles IV" to:

	the former minister of foreign affairs of Romania, Lazar Comanescu, for his special merits pentru in the process of European construction, in general and in the process of Romania's integration into the European Union, in particular. Laudatio was presented by Ingo Friedrich, member of European Parliament Presidium, laureate of the European Medal "Charles IV" in 2007
	the former prime-minister of Bavaria, Günther Beckstein, with a laudatio presented by the former president of Lithuania and present member of the European Parliament, Vitautas Landsbergis, laureate of the European Medal "Charles IV" in 2007.

The Ceremony started in the central place of Neudrossenfeld, where the participants were greeted by Mayor Dieter Schaar and numerous citizens of Neudrossenfeld and from the neighborhood, and attended the unveiling of the laureates' statues, next to those of the preceding laureats Otto von Habsburg, Jacques Santer, Hans Dietrich Genscher, Gyula Horn, Vitautas Landsbergis, Ingo Friedrich.

The evening was concluded by a concert executed by the Romanian Radio Children's Chorus, under the artistic direction of Voicu Popescu, who presented Romanian choral songs under the title „Romanian Roots”. The concert took place under the patronage of the Festival Europamusicale - Musica Mediterranea.

The „Europe Days” ended on 10 May by a popular feast, when, at the organiser's request, the Romanian Radio Children's Chorus presented a second artistic performance. Let us mention also the special stall of touristical promotion, realised with the assistance of the Romanian Tourist Office in München and the exhibition „Romania – european cultural landscape”, made by the Museum of Danubian Swabians from Ulm to illustrate the diversity of Romania and of its historical provinces.