" The way leading to European integration from the 6th to the 16th of March passes through the European crossroads of youth, paedia, education, of the ideas and hopes, through the Cultural Capital of Europe, Thessaloniki."

Thessaloniki, the Cultural Capital of Europe, welcomes the student national delegations, their escorts, their teachers and the organisers of the European Youth Parliament in a spirit of joy and European solidarity, on the tenth anniversary of the institution. Our city, the base of Greek National E.Y.P. Committee, with its experience from other international sessions and its three national conferences and with its devoted attention to a united Europe of the Citizens, is hosting an international session for a second time after eight years.

The Municipality of Thessaloniki set the Greek E.Y.P. Committee under its aegis from the first moment that the interest of Greece for participation in the European Youth Parliament was shown, it stood beside this Committee and it has supported all its efforts and initiatives. Today our National Committee is provided offices, material and equipment so that it can perform well the very important task of educating the Greek students on the practical aspects of the Europe of tomorrow, through the exchange of ideas, experiences, as well as through fair competition among themselves.

For the city authorities of the historical Capital of Macedonia the projection and promotion the dreams, hopes, knowledge and interests of young Europeans is an absolute prerequisite for the cohesion, confidence and the good prospects of the common European Home, which we now build with care for them to live in. At the threshold of the third millennium AD. Thessaloniki sends to the youth of Europe contemporary messages from the society, politics, the economy, technology and the care for people, put together through their spontaneous and altruistic, creative inspiration.

From the position of the Mayor of Thessaloniki, the city which traces the present-day avenues of culture, academia, development and the future with virility, optimism, and a sense of responsibility, but also from the position of the Chairman of the Organisation for the Cultural Capital of Europe "Thessaloniki '97" which is substantially supporting this session, I express the wish and the hope that the coming together of youth and knowledge bring us closer to the dream. The one-way avenue of European integration, which from the 6th to the 16th of March passes by the crossroads of Europe for education, ideas and hopes, passes by Thessaloniki.

"It is appropriate that we should celebrate the tenth anniversary of the creation of our organisation in the city which hosted out first international session outside France, the very week during which the Berlin wall was falling, in November 1989 "

It is a great honour for the EYP to be able to host it 24th international session in Thessaloniki as an integral part of the Cultural capital of Europe Programme. It is appropriate that we should celebrate the tenth anniversary of the creation of our organisation in the city which invited us to host out first international session outside France, in 1989. Not only was this our first session, but it coincided with one of the most important historical events in the past 50 years: the fall of the Berlin wall.

It is therefore with great joy that this time we welcome student delegations from the Czech Republic, Croatia , the Baltic States, Hungary, Poland and Romania to share with us and with the 15 other European countries this unique, inspiring educational event.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the City of Thessaloniki, the Greek Government, the Hellenic Parliament, the European Parliament, the European Commission, our Host Schools, our sponsors and the many wonderful hostfamilies for their generous support and kind hospitality.