A good Open Day

On 7 May, a sunny Saturday, thousands of visitors attended the Open Day of the European Council and the Council. People came from both Belgium and beyond to learn more about the two institutions and to explore innovation in the EU.

Herman Van Rompuy and Ágnes Vargha, Ambassador,
Deputy Permanent Representative of Hungary to the EU
© European Union 2011

Bode Censal, a student from Cyprus studying in the UK, was on a four-day visit to Brussels. For her, the highlight was the interpreting booths which she saw in the meeting rooms during a guided tour. She would like to work as a trainee at an EU institution.

A young Belgian father of two girls came here to find out more about how the EU works. "My children are already Europeans. They are growing up with the euro, for example, and with these institutions. I still think of prices in terms of old Belgian francs. But it's going to be different for my daughters - they're growing up in a Europe which is very different to that of my childhood." He thinks he now has a better grasp of the EU decision-making process.

Natália Filipa de Oliveira Marques Leal, who has recently completed her PhD studies in Brussels, was visiting the Council after a four-year break. She worked here under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council. "The Presidency decorations are different, but the meeting rooms look the same".

The visitors learned about the European Council and the Council of the EU, as well as about other EU institutions. There were stands explaining the work of the European External Action Service, the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank and many EU agencies that play an important role in the implementation of EU policies, for instance the EU Satellite Centre.

The main theme was innovation in the EU. There was a large-scale model (with an 8-meter wingspan) of Solar Impulse, the first aeroplane able to fly day and night powered by solar energy.

Visitors were also able to see what spacecraft launching systems and satellites look like close-up and hear professional explanations in that connection. The European Space Agency displayed models of Ariane 5 (the spacecraft launching system) and the Proba2 satellite. The Royal Observatory of Belgium demonstrated Altius (atmospheric instruments on board a microsatellite for measuring different atmospheric constituents).

The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU gave an extensive presentation of their country: there was an exhibition about the clean car invented by the students of Óbuda Technical University in Budapest, together with photographs, a hologram of St Steven's crown and a children's corner, all describing Hungary and its past and present inventions. Guests also had an opportunity to sample various Hungarian culinary specialties.

For Dora Schall and Gabor Fülöp, two of the dancers who performed Hungarian folk dances, this was their first time at the Council and they enjoyed the contact with the public. The accompanying musicians, Edina Csüllög and Julia Bucz, who play a traditional instrument called a cither, enjoyed their visit and said that their most active fans and admirers were children.

At Poland's stand visitors learned about the country which will preside over the Council of the EU in the second half of this year, and sampled fresh Polish apple juice.

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, visited the stands and spoke with exhibition hosts and visitors. He admired the performances of the dancers and the freestyle football players and then answered some questions on his Facebook page at the Council's social media stand.

Although the Open Day is over, the European Council and the Council of the EU remain open to citizens: the general public can always find out more about the two institutions via the Council's websites, publications, visits and social media.