What you might need to know
This video includes AI-generated content produced under human supervision. Script by Dr Emmanuelle Schön-Quinlivan.
In this video, you will learn more about the different symbols that the European Union has developed. They are similar to those we use in Ireland like a flag, an anthem and a national day. This video also introduces you to the Euro – it is not used in all the 27 countries of the EU and the coins look different from country to country.
The European Union has four symbols
– Firstly. a flag that it adopted only in 1985. The flag is blue with a circle of 12 yellow stars. 12 like the 12 hours in the day. It’s a number which represents unity, solidarity and harmony. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of EU countries. You can get your class to play the ‘Fix the Flag’ game in Kidzone at the end of this lesson.
– Secondly, an anthem: Ode to Joy with music composed by Beethoven. It was also adopted in 1985.
– Thirdly, a motto: Unity in Diversity – it highlights how Europeans have come together to work for peace and prosperity. At the same time, we all have different cultures, traditions and languages and we all learn from each other. The motto was adopted in 2000.
– Finally, a special day: Europe Day. It is celebrated on 9 May every year. It commemorates the Schuman Declaration made by the French Foreign Affairs Minister on 9 May 1950 which set up the idea of a European Union. Just 5 years after the end of Worl War Two, Schuman outlined a cooperation between European countries that would make war unthinkable.
However the Euro is not a symbol. It is a currency used by only 21 countries in the club. For example, Sweden and Denmark don’t use it.
Ireland uses the Euro since 1/01/2002. The Euro banknotes are all identical across the countries using the Euro. The Euro coins have a value face which is identical for all Euro coins. However the tail face varies according to the country that minted the coin.
All Irish Euro coins have the harp, the Belgian coins have the side view of a Belgian king, Albert II and some countries have different designs depending on whether it is a 20 cent coin or a Euro coin.
A great activity to do is to bring coins like cents and Euros as well as US quarters and cents or British pennies and pounds. Children can manipulate the coins and compare them. It gets quite loud but examining the details on coins get them to see the similarities in all the Euro coins and how they differ from the American and British coins.
Get ready to be asked about every single design on the tail side and what country the coin is from!