Castlebar flies the flag for Europe with EU celebration event
PARTICIPANTS of Welcome to Work in Castlebar have marked Europe Day (May 9) with a celebration promoting the benefits of the EU.
The event was hosted by Seetec at its offices in at N5 Business Park, Moneen Road, Castlebar, yesterday (Thursday) and is part of a European-wide campaign called ‘EU in my region’.
As part of its Welcome to Work programme, Seetec has been working with new communities in Castlebar to help unemployed legally resident migrants into employment in Ireland.
The programme is part supported by the Irish government and the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014 -2020.
The programme’s purpose is to increase employment opportunities for participants through a comprehensive 13-week course, including language training, social skills, and mentoring that will assist to gaining long term employment or further training.
Seetec staff and participants of the Welcome to Work programme gathered to share European culture, including traditional music, as well as a general knowledge quiz on Europe.
The EU in my region campaign seeks to raise awareness of EU-backed projects regionally and nationwide such as Welcome to Work.
Sean Adair, business manager for Seetec, Castlebar, said: “The participants are in the early stages of the programme and it is great to get their learning off on the right foot by understanding the benefits of European culture.
“The event was fun and informative but also about raising awareness of support the EU provides to the community as well as those on the programme. Additionally, it was the ideal occasion for those who aren’t from Europe understanding more about European culture.”
Europe Day is held on May 9 every year and celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the Schuman declaration. At a speech in Paris in 1950, Robert Schuman, the then French foreign minister, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would make war between Europe's nations unthinkable.