European Day of Mourning

A European Day of Mourning is a day marked by mourning and memorial activities in member states of the European Union. They are declared by the union and are separate from national days of mourning, which are designated at the national level. As of January 2020, there have been 3 European Days of Mourning.

The Flag of Europe and the Japanese flag at half-staff.

Background

The European Commission introduced the concept on 12 September 2001, a day after the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11. The Commission, in agreement with the European Council and the European Parliament, agreed on a joint statement to condemn the attacks and to designate 14 September 2001 as a day of mourning in member states and EU institutions. European citizens were asked to join in three minutes of silence to express their sincere and deepest sympathy for the victims and their families.[1][2][3][4]

A second European Day of Mourning was held more than 9 years later, on 12 April 2010, for victims of the Smolensk air disaster.[5][6][7] A three European Day of Mourning was held more than 5 years later, on 13 November 2015, for victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris. All European citizens were further asked to join in one minute of silence on 16 November.[8] Citizens and politicians gathered in a number of countries to mark the moment of silence, including in France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, England, Scotland, and Turkey.[9][10] In the Netherlands, trains and buses stopped to mark the minute's silence, take-offs at Schiphol Airport were briefly suspended, and programming on radio and television was paused for one minute.[11] The moment of silence was disrupted with shouts of "Allahu akbar" at a number of schools.[12]

List
Year Days of mourning Reason Notes
2001 1 Victims of the September 11 attacks Three minutes of silence.
2010 1 Victims of the Smolensk air disaster in Russia One minute of silence
2015 1 Victims of the November 2015 Paris attacks One minute of silence.

See also

References
  1. Minutes of the 1535th meeting of the Commission held in Brussels on Wednesday 12 September 2001
  2. EU: Ministers Express Total Support, Declare Day Of Mourning
  3. JOINT DECLARATION BY THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, AND THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
  4. European day of mourning declared on Friday
  8. Joint statement of the Heads of State or Government and leaders of the European Union and its institutions on the terrorist attacks in Paris
  9. Minute's silence marks Paris attacks
  10. Luxembourg to observe minute of silence for Paris victims
  11. In heel Nederland om 12:00 uur minuut stilte
  12. Minuut stilte Parijs verstoord op Nederlandse scholen
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