Alasdair Allan (S6M-12992)
That the Parliament is pleased to celebrate Europe Day 2024, which takes place on 9 May and marks the 74th anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration; considers that Europe Day is a chance to reflect on the aspiration for peace and unity across Europe, both within and outwith the EU; notes with alarm that this Europe Day takes place at a time of war in Europe, and reinforces Scotland’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine; applauds the efforts of organisations, including the European Movement in Scotland, New Europeans UK, Citizens’ Rights Project, and the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, to mark Europe Day 2024 with a Festival of Europe, which will be held from 11-12 May at Summerhall in Edinburgh; is firm in the belief that Scotland remains a steadfastly European nation, bound to its neighbours by a long history of cultural, social and economic ties; notes that the flag of Europe is still flown with pride outside the Scottish Parliament building; recommits to the shared EU values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights, as well as the EU motto, "United in Diversity"; notes what it sees as the positive impact that EU programmes and structural funds have had on communities in the Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency and across rural Scotland; regrets what it sees as the continued damage on Scotland’s economy and society resulting from Brexit, and that, it believes, the people of Scotland had their European citizenship taken from them against their democratic will; notes the belief that it is in Scotland’s interests to rejoin the EU and the single market, and reaffirms what it considers to be Scotland’s aspiration to play an active role in its European future.
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