<p>Jerez today joined the ranks of cities that commemorate Europe Day every May 9, a date that commemorates the 1950 Schuman Declaration, the origin of the European integration project. An institutional event was held in the central Plaza de la Asunción. More than 800 schoolchildren from around twenty schools in the city and rural areas of the municipality, who will reach the age of majority by 2031, participated in the event. A flamenco version of the European Anthem (Beethoven’s Ode to Joy) in Romani was sung for the first time.</p>
<p>The event, chaired by the Mayor, María José García-Pelayo, along with representatives of the Governing Council of the #Jerez2031 European Capital of Culture bid (Cádiz Provincial Council, University of Cádiz, and Jerez Chamber of Commerce), also enjoyed the support of numerous cultural, youth, social, women’s, and citizen participation organizations and institutions, as well as members of the City’s Social Council and the Euro Equus Network of European Horse Cities, which is holding its General Assembly in the city these days.</p>
<p>One of the highlights of the ceremony was the performance, for the first time, of a flamenco version of the European Anthem sung in Romani by Luis de Perikín’s group and pianist Rosario Montoya, “La Reina Gitana.” The original text was translated into Romani by journalist and writer Joaquín López Bustamante, an expert in the language and culture of the Romani people. This performance is part of the commemoration of the 600th anniversary of the arrival of the Roma people to the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting the role of flamenco and Roma culture as integrating and universal elements.</p>
<p>The event, organized by the Jerez City Council together with the Technical Office of the #Jerez2031 bid, began with a piano performance of the bulerías “Mis cinco sentidos” by Rosario Montoya, followed by the raising of the European flag.</p>
<p>At the same time, the celebration included the participation of students from the María Espejo School of Performing Arts and Communication, who were in charge of conducting the ceremony, and a testimony from Erasmus student Manuel Tejero, a professional musician and graduate in Mathematics, who was an Erasmus student in Pécs (Hungary), European Capital of Culture in 2010.</p>
<p>With this event, #Jerez2031 European Capital of Culture aims to reinforce the message of inclusion, diversity, and a shared future that defines the European project and Jerez’s candidacy, with a special focus on children and youth, thus reinforcing the legacy of the candidacy. The event concluded with a moving bulerías finale by Luis de Perikín’s group, sharing with the more than 700 schoolchildren the joy and cultural celebration that connected Jerez’s cultural, flamenco, and Romani heritage with the spirit of inclusion and diversity of the European project. For this reason, during her speech, the mayor reaffirmed Jerez’s commitment to Europe: “Europe has helped us grow, develop, and strengthen ties with other nations. Our city has much to contribute to this common project thanks to its cultural richness, diversity, and history. Jerez’s bid to be the European Capital of Culture in 2031 symbolizes this European vocation. Thanks to it, we are generating cohesion, identity, and shared pride throughout the city through culture,” she noted.</p>