Press release: I ♥ EU dance event, show and concert on the Esplanade of the European Parliament and

3 July 2010: A packed bill for the I ♥ EU dance event, show and concert on the Esplanade of the European Parliament and in the Place du Luxembourg

There’s a packed bill for the I ♥ EU event, which has now been topped by international rock star Brian Molko (Placebo), one of many artists who will take part in the spectacle marking the launch of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Brussels on Saturday, 3 July.

On 1 July, Belgium will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the twelfth time. The public festivities will take place in the evening of Saturday, 3 July.

Three events will provide an unforgettable evening’s entertainment

Starting at 8 p.m., in 12 towns and cities across Belgium, professional dancers will teach dance steps to members of the public gathered together in various public spaces. After these rehearsals, everyone will dance simultaneously in the 12 selected venues, namely Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Charleroi, Eupen, Ghent, Hasselt, Liège, Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Namur and Tournai. Members of the public will dance to the song Ici Bruxelles-Brussel hier by Jaune Toujours, using a sequence of steps choreographed by Maria Clara Villa-Lobos. The Ici Bruxelles-Brussel hier dance will pay tribute to Brussels and Europe, of which Brussels is the capital.

The party held to launch the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will start at 10 p.m. with an amazing spectacle staged in front of the European Parliament in Brussels. The proceedings will kick off with a live concert featuring major Belgian and international artists, accompanied by a symphony orchestra playing in the entrance to the Altiero Spinelli Building. Between the various acts there will be some breathtaking pyrotechnics, audiovisual effects and light shows. Aerial acrobats and dancers will add a further touch of magic to this treat of a show, which is expected to attract a live audience in excess of 40,000.

The concert will end with a superlative fireworks display and be followed by a late-night after party hosted by a top DJ. The event will be broadcast live on Belgian television and will also be available on eurovision.
The bill for I ♥ EU is full and will also feature Brussels-born Placebo vocalist and guitarist Brian Molko

I ♥ EU will be a massively colourful spectacle featuring a superb range of Belgian and international artists and livened up further by some exceptional visual effects and pyrotechnics.  It will take place on the Place du Luxembourg and the Esplanade of the European Parliament in Brussels. This is a symbolic choice of venue, for the European Parliament stands for debate and democracy in Europe. Members of the public are invited to throng to the venue in great numbers to experience an unforgettable evening.
The packed bill for the event features a wide range of internationally acclaimed artists of various genres.
The top Belgian orchestra Prova Symphonica will be conducted by Michel Bisceglia, and the Belgian stars included in the line-up are Joost Zweegers (Novastar), Daan, José Van Dam, Maurane, Saule, Jaune Toujours, Sandra Kim, Udo, Marie Daulne, Joshua, Jasper Steverlinck (Arid), Toots Thielemans and Stromae.
Spain will be represented by José Toral Rodrigues, Cajon and Imna, who will give the audience a mind-blowing display of whirlwind flamenco.
The band Presidance will add a Hungarian flavour to the proceedings.
Last, but definitely not least, the world-famous rock star Brian Molko has agreed to return to Brussels, the city of his birth, to top the bill and perform some surprising songs that will create a real emotional highpoint for the audience.

Practical info

Entrance to the I ♥ EU show is free of charge. The proceedings will begin at 10 p.m. in the Place du Luxembourg and on the Esplanade of the European Parliament in Brussels. 

No parking will be available in the immediate vicinity. 

The metro station Trône/Troon is ideally placed for those wishing to travel by public transport, and Brussels’ public transport company, STIB, will step up the frequency of its metro trains as soon as the show is over. 

The Belgian railways, SNCB, will be running special services to Liège, Namur, Charleroi, Antwerp and Ghent/Ostend. These extra trains will all leave from Brussels’ South Station (Gare du Midi) at between 20 and 35 minutes past midnight.

I ♥ EU is being produced by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and organised by the FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister, together with the European Parliament and Belgium’s Communities and Regions.

I ♥ EU is also being sponsored by STIB, SNCB, the Belgian National Lottery, Belgacom and Dexia.

Requests for interviews

Interviews with artists taking part in the show can be arranged. Any journalists interested in taking up this offer must submit their requests by e-mail to sarah.delafortrie@premier.fed.be before 12 a.m. on Thursday, 1 July at the very latest, so that they can be passed on to the respective artists.

The Audiovisual Service of the European Parliament remains at your disposal should you wish to cover the event, and the press room will be opened up specially for the occasion.

Press contacts:

Chancellery of the Prime Minister and the I ♥ EU spectacle
English- and Dutch-speaking press: Sarah Delafortrie +32 486 35 77 88 - sarah.delafortrie@premier.fed.be
French-speaking press: Laurent Berghe +32 475 95 27 06 -Laurent.berghe@premier.fed.be
Coordination: Olivier Alsteens, Director-General External Communication +32 475 285 754, olivier.alsteens@premier.fed.be

Services of the European Parliament
European Parliament Information Office for Belgium:
Delphine Colard: +32 2 284 33 83 - +32 498 98 44 85: delphine.colard@europarl.europa.eu 

MEDIA ACCREDITATIONS
Media accreditations will be issued before 3 July in the usual manner.
Contact: Kirsten Van Kampen: +32 2 284 48 17 (BRU): + 32 498 98 35 44
kirsten.vankampen@europarl.europa.eu - avaccreditations@europarl.europa.eu 

HOTLINE NEWSDESK - COORDINATION
The hotline newsdesk will provide all the information you require relative to audiovisual coordination.
Hotline Newsdesk contact: Karima Ben Salah: +32 2 284 17 10 (BRU): + 32 498 98 35 77 - karima.bensalah@europarl.europa.eu - hotlinenewsdesk@europarl.europa.eu

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR TV OR RADIO. 

The European Parliament’s Audiovisual Unit will place stand-up positions with a view of the main courtyard and festivities at the disposal of journalists. The usual procedure will apply. All time slots must be booked via TVbooking.
For information about TV facilities or to make a booking:
Contact: Eugénie Den Hertog: +32 2 284 20 10 (BXL): + 32 498 98 35 20
tvbookings@europarl.europa.eu
For information about radio facilities or to make a booking (studios, editing, ISDN connections): +32 2 284 44 01 (BXL): + 32 498 98 35 74 radiobookings@europarl.europa.eu