Over 250 guests attend diplomatic reception Event features musical performance by Czech string quartet, who played the EU and UAE anthems ABU DHABI: The EU delegation to the UAE hosted a diplomatic reception on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the 73rd Europe Day, gathering UAE government officials, key figures, and members of the diplomatic community and international organizations. Europe Day commemorates the historic 1950 Schuman Declaration, which laid the groundwork for the EU. Andrea Matteo Fontana, EU ambassador to the UAE, lauded the historic relations between the EU and UAE, Emirates News Agency reported “When the late Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE, visited Europe in the 1950s, the European Union as we know it today did not even exist,” Fontana said. “But the idea of bringing nations and people together, instead of waging senseless wars, and laying the foundations for common progress and development, resonated strongly with him. “It was this same aspiration that led the rulers of the Emirates to create the successful federation in 1971 known today as the United Arab Emirates. “The EU now shares many values with the UAE, including unity in diversity, tolerance and respect, the quest for peace, stability and prosperity, and a moral responsibility to help countries in need.” Over 250 guests attended the event, which featured a musical program presented by Gadrew Way, a string quartet from the Czech Republic. The quartet kicked off the celebration with a reinterpretation of the EU and UAE anthems, and also performed classical works by European composers.