Celebrations connected with Poland's accession to the European Union took place at many venues and lasted for several days.

The official ceremony was held on Warsaw's Piłsudskiego Square April 30 with a solemn raising of the EU flag at midnight as the climax. The evening ceremony, in addition to thousands of Varsovians, was attended by high-ranking representatives of the authorities.

President Aleksander Kwaśniewski thanked all those who contributed to Poland's entry into the EU mentioning, among others, Pope John Paul II, former President Lech Wałęsa, all prime ministers of the Third Republic of Poland, ministers of foreign affairs and negotiators. "Let us congratulate ourselves on the democracy, for which we unambiguously opted, and the common assent to the rule of law as the foundation of the existence of our state," said Kwaśniewski.

Sejm Speaker Józef Oleksy said that EU enlargement was the moment when the post-Yalta division of the continent could finally be put to rest. "What seemed impossible, becomes a fact today," Oleksy added. He stressed that EU enlargement means a period of European boom whose dimensions are impossible to predict.

During Oleksy's speech, opponents of the EU unfurled on Piłsudskiego Square a banner reading UE-Nie (EU-No). Oleksy addressed them, saying that it is worth rejoicing at accession to the EU and at that we will be able to contribute Polish achievements to the common European heritage.

Former Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Primate of Poland Cardinal Józef Glemp also spoke during the ceremony. Following the hoisting of the flag and performance of the anthem of the EU, Beethoven's Ode to Joy, fireworks lit up the square. Varsovians also celebrated accession on Zamkowy Square.

A few thousand people participated in the concert Witaj Europo-Welcome Europe, which took place at the same time in Warsaw and Berlin's Konzerthaus and was broadcast directly from both stages on large TV screens. Ninety-second video clips were also shown presenting the 10 new EU member countries. Right before midnight, the artists performing in Warsaw sang out The Beatles' hit "All You Need Is Love", and at midnight Warsaw and Berlin connected with Malta, where a monumental light show began to music by Roger Waters.

Accession celebrations were also organized in many localities near the border. Friday midnight sharp, highlanders from Poland and Slovakia cut down a symbolic barrier at the border checkpoint on Łysa Polana in the Tatra Mountains with saws. From both banks of the border river Białka, over 500 highlanders and tourists attended the event, organized by borderland local governments. Some participants tried to get across the border before midnight to obtain the passport control stamp with the date of April 30 for a keepsake. Fragments of the barrier were also collected.

"Our great Polish dream has come true," said Prime Minister Leszek Miller May 1 at the accession ceremony in Żytawa, at the junction of the three borders: of Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Participants of the meeting on Żytawa meadows included German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen and Saxony Minister President Georg Milbradt. The three government heads performed the ceremony of hoisting the flag of the EU.

"We meet at the junction of three countries. This may be the center of Europe in a nutshell," said Miller. He added that Poles, Czechs and Germans were in one, common Europe, regardless of what side of the border they lived. Miller recollected that the unification of Europe was made possible thanks to the Round Table, fall of the Berlin Wall and the Czech Velvet Revolution.

Milbradt was warmly applauded following his speech delivered in three languages. Milbradt surprised Schröder with his command of Polish, who asked where the leader of Saxony learned Polish. As it turned out, Milbradt devoted his holidays last year to learning Polish in Cracow. The open-air festival in Żytawa attracted thousands of Poles, Germans and Czechs.

Residents of Zgorzelec and Görlitz, situated on two sides of the Polish-German border, celebrated with a common breakfast May 1. On a bridge linking the two cities, tables were arranged for over 300 guests. Dishes included Polish delicacies: żurek, bigos and pierogi. Zgorzelec Mayor Ireneusz Anyszkiewicz said that, for Zgorzelec and Görlitz residents, "the borders are long gone." "We cooperate with one another in each and every field. We have common projects and ideas. We have already been together in Europe for years," he said.

On Pola Wilanowskie meadow in Warsaw May 2 a religious ceremony officiated by Glemp took place in reference to Poland's accession to the EU and the May 3 Constitution holiday. During the celebrations, participants, including Kwaśniewski and Glemp, consigned the future of Poland to Divine Providence. Speaking, as he stressed, "on the second day of our presence in the European Union," Glemp asked for God's blessing for all the countries of Europe.

The EU flag raising ceremony took place May 3 before the Presidential Palace. At the ceremony, with the participation of representatives from the diplomatic corps accredited in Poland, Kwaśniewski said that each country acceding to the EU had a great opportunity. "I believe that work to unify Europe will continue," he said.