The President of the European Federation of Local Solidarity and creator of the European Neighbours Day, Atanase Perifan will present the Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr. Paddy Bourke, with a Diploma, officially thanking the City of Dublin for its continued support to the initiative. The ceremony will take place at the Mansion House on Wednesday 14th May at 12.30 p.m.

From Budapest to Brussels, from London to Lisbon, millions of people will be participating in events across Europe to celebrate European Neighbours Day on the 27th of May.  And in Dublin it will be no different with activities taking place all over the City.  Through the Community Development Section, residents will be encouraged to host street parties, environmental projects, family days etc. to help celebrate goodwill, reduce the barriers of isolation and develop a better sense of community in our neighbourhoods.

“European Neighbours Day gives us a way of celebrating our existing friendships and building on new contacts in our communities” said Lord Mayor Cllr. Paddy Bourke.  “Being the Year of Intercultural Dialogue, I urge all Dubliners to make a special effort this year to celebrate with your neighbours on 27th May.  The Day is a reminder to each and everyone of us to reach out to those who feel isolated by simply having a chat with your neighbour or by taking part in the activities organised.”

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Notes To The Editor

• To also mark European Year Of Intercultural Dialogue, European Neighbours Day (May, 27th at 7pm) will also launch the ‘Let’s Walk & Talk – New Shores, Ancient Footprints’ initiative, the purpose of which is to educate Irish people and new communities about other cultures that exist in the city. The theme for the evening will be ‘The Jewish Community in Dublin’.  Taking place will be an historical walking tour led by historian, Pat Liddy that will visit places of significant connections to the Jewish Community followed by a reception (8.45pm) at Tailors Hall.  The reception will include a screening of the short film ‘Blind Eye’, starring Ardal O’Hanlon, which tells the story of a Jewish woman living in Dublin in 1939 facing deportation to her native Germany.  The evening will conclude with a panel discussion about how the Jewish Community has contributed to life in Dublin.   The panel will include T.D. Alan Shatter, film-maker Mary Rose Doorley, Joe Briscoe and others tbc.

• The finale to the music & dance programme for over 50s, ‘Too Young to be Old’ at the National Concert Hall on Friday 23rd at 4.30pm and Saturday 24th May at 1pm.  Run as part of the Bealtaine Festival in association with the National Concert Hall, H.S.E. and one of Ireland’s premier contemporary dance companies, CoisCéim Dance Theatre, Dublin City Council ran over 20 taster dance and music workshops in sheltered housing schemes and local community centres from March to May in preparation for the big event.

• The launch of ‘A Time to Dance’ photographic exhibition at Ballyfermot Civic Centre on Monday, 26th May from 6-10pm.  The exhibition will feature photos of residents from our Sheltered Housing schemes who appeared in the Ann Henrick/Maeve Binchy book, ‘A Time to Dance’.  To celebrate this, an evening of song and dance will take place.

• A host of other events from street parties to environmental projects to coffee mornings will be taking place throughout the city.