May 2005″ “

The main events involving the Catholic Church, the other Christian Churches and the main institutions of Europe in May 1 1st anniversary of the official entry into the European Union of ten new member countries: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta – Day of sensitisation and fund-raising in Polish dioceses for the construction of a new church of Divine Providence in Warsaw – European Agency for the management of external frontiers, with its headquarters in Warsaw, begins work – International Labour Day. 3 Feast of Our Lady “Regina Poloniae” in Poland – Act of homage of Spanish youth to John Paul II, convened by the local Bishops’ Conference and the Archdiocese of Madrid – World Day of Press Freedom. 4 Ceremony for the Award of the Templeton Prize to the American physicist Charles Townes, in London. 5 International Book Fair (5-9), in Turin – General Elections in Great Britain. 6 30th anniversary of the death of Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty (1892-1975). 7 “Night of Silence” (7-8), in the former death camp of Mauthausen (Austria), promoted by the Association “A Letter to the Stars” and supported by the Austrian Churches, and the government and trades unions of the country. 8 39th World Day of Social Communications, on the theme “The means of communication at the service of understanding between peoples”. 9 Day of Europe, on the anniversary of the Declaration of 9 March 1950 – World Conference on Mission and Evangelization (9-16), promoted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Athens on the theme “Come, Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile! Called in Christ to be reconciling and healing communities” – Signing of the accord between the European Union and Russia on four fields of cooperation: economy; education-culture-research; justice; and external security, in Moscow. 11 Film Festival (11-22), at Cannes (France). 12 Ratification of the European Constitution by the Bundestag, the Lower Chamber of the German Parliament, in Berlin; on 27 May, the vote of the Bundesrat, the Upper Chamber of the Länder. 13 Round Table “Hundred Years of Secularism in the French Style: 1905-2005”, promoted by the Saint-Louis-de-France Cultural Centre in Rome in collaboration with the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of Paris, in Rome. 15 50th anniversary of the Act of Foundation of the Austrian Republic – International Day of the Family. 16 Summit of the heads of state and of government of the Council of Europe (16-17), in Warsaw. 21 Pilgrimage of the Spanish Dioceses to the Marian Sanctuary of Pilar at Saragossa (21-22), on the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. 22 International Day of Biological Diversity. 25 30th German Evangelical Kirchentag (25-29), on the theme “When your son asks you in time to come….” (Dt 6:20), at Hanover. 26 Meeting of the general secretaries of the European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), at St. Gallen (Switzerland). 29 Referendum on the European Constitution, in France. 31 World Anti-Smoking Day.