THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT COMMEMORATES THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

On Wednesday, May 7, the European Parliament held a solemn ceremony in Strasbourg to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. The event, which took place in the plenary chamber, featured the participation of three veterans of the conflict and included speeches by the President of the Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa.

“Eighty years after the guns fell silent in Europe, we pay tribute to the courage of those who fought and to the sacrifice of those who fell,” declared Metsola. The President emphasized that the end of the war also marked the birth of the European project, and that the best tribute to the victims is the collective determination to ensure it never happens again: “Never again.”

Costa, for his part, thanked the veterans for their “sacrifice and commitment to peace,” but warned that “today we cannot celebrate peace in peace,” referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He urged member states to remain united in the face of current threats as a way to preserve the freedom for which millions of Europeans fought. “Peace is a legacy, but also a responsibility,” he stated.

Three war veterans also spoke. Robert Chot, a 102-year-old Belgian and participant in the Battle of the Ardennes, reminded the audience that peace is never guaranteed: “There are always clouds above us. Let us do what is necessary to ensure peace endures in Europe.” Janusz Komorowski, 96, a fighter in the liberation of Poland, highlighted the sacrifice of his generation and thanked the Parliament for being today “a beacon of peace, freedom, and democracy.” Janusz Maksymowicz, 95, a survivor of the Warsaw Uprising, warned of the dangers of ideologies that divide peoples and advocated unity as strength: “Community is strength.”

The ceremony concluded with a soprano performance of the European anthem, accompanied by a string quartet. Earlier, Metsola and Costa took part in an official flag-raising ceremony and laid a wreath in front of the Parliament’s headquarters.