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Purpose and Objectives of the Brussels Saint Patrick’s Day Parade of the Nations and Regions

The purpose of the Parade is:

A. To commemorate the life of Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. The 17th of March is a national holiday in Ireland and it is celebrated in almost every country in the world.

B.  To commemorate Ireland’s rich Celtic Christian history and its present multicultural heritage. To celebrate Ireland's influence in Europe and throughout the world and to create an awareness of the ongoing Irish social, economic, cultural, democratic, religious and scientific contribution to Europe over many centuries. It began in 563 AD which marks the beginning of the Irish missionary and scholastic period in Europe.

C. To reinforce the long historic links between Ireland and Belgium. Ireland has a strong association with what is modern-day Belgium. It began with the settlements created by Irish Monks in the 7th and 8th centuries. It continued with the establishment of the Irish College of Louvain in 1607 and Ireland’s membership of the European Economic Community in 1973.

D.  To remember the estimated 200,000 Irish soldiers, or soldiers of Irish descent, in all the Allied armies and the Irish seamen in the Merchant Navies who died during the liberation of Belgium in the First and Second World Wars. To acknowledge the Irish and Belgian contributions to peace-keeping efforts in humanitarian roles with the United Nations, the European Union and in Partnership for Peace.

E. To engage as many members of the Irish Community in Belgium as possible. To strengthen links and initiate contacts between all citizens of the Belgian and International Community. To encourage as many people as possible to participate in this celebration. To invite all those who are interested in joining in the fun to be "Irish" for the day and to "wear the green”, the symbolic colour of Ireland. To reflect the international dimension of the Parade, the members of the organising Committee's working group will be of at least five different nationalities.

F. The yearly theme of the parade will be “Green in Europe and Growing”.

G. To promote greater socio-economic and cultural relations between Ireland and Belgium.  The Parade will be held in conjunction with a sports and family day. A weekend festival will be organised as part of a month-long series of cultural events in Belgium. A weekend festival will be part of a month-long series of cultural events to be organized in Belgium which will be known as the “Irish in Europe Féile”. It will serve as a window for Irish culture and assist Irish business development in continental Europe.

H.   The Parade Committee will strive to promote the touristic side of Brussels. It is hoped that the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the Capital of the European Union will receive world-wide media coverage. In the years ahead, the Brussels Parade Committee will gradually establish links with as many as possible of the 70 million people in the Irish Diaspora worldwide. For the wellbeing of Brussels and Belgium in particular, links with Irish Diaspora groups in cities twinned with Brussels will be created to foster greater social, economic and cultural relations.

I.  The Parade Committee will designate in the Schuman Area of the EU Quarter an Area to be known as the Irish Village to be named after a town in Ireland with cultural or heritage significance and on a rotational basis. The Irish Village will host many cultural activities during the “Irish in Europe Féile”. It is envisaged that the Parade route will take place each year in this designated Irish village.

K. A Parade Grand Marshal will be nominated by the parade Committee and approved by the IEAI Administrative Council. A person of any nationality who has made an outstanding contribution to civic society in Belgium, Ireland or Europe, or to Irish Culture, or to the well-being of the Irish Diaspora in Europe would be eligible for nomination. Also eligible would be any Irish person who has played a major scientific, entrepreneurial, humanitarian or peace-keeping role in the world. Each Parade Grand Marshal will be granted Honorary Life Membership of the Irish in Europe Association (International) AISBL.

J. To hold an Interdenominational Service of Reflection to commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day, if circumstances make this possible, at a venue in proximity to the Parade route. This would be envisaged on a suitable date prior to the Parade, when the conditions established by the IEAI Administrative Council as a prerequisite for such a Service are fulfilled.

L. A Parade “Celtic Queen” will be selected to acknowledge the contribution of the Celtic nations to the Kingdom of Belgium. Single ladies of Celtic descent aged 18 years and upwards will be eligible for nomination.

M. To recognise the multilingual character of Belgium and Irish monastic educational links with the Court of Charlemagne and the emblem of the Brussels Capital Region’s links with Charlemagne’s descendants, an escort will be provided for the Parade Celtic Queen to be known as “Charlemagne, Lord Protector of the Parade”. Single gentlemen of any nationality, aged 18 years and upwards, who are fluent in at least three of the following languages - English, French, Dutch, German - are eligible for nomination.

N. If the Parade Celtic Queen is not of Irish Descent, the Parade Committee may appoint a runner-up to be named the “Rathmullan Rose”. The same criteria as for nomination of the Celtic Queen will apply, though the lady must be of Irish descent. Should she wish to, she may enter similar festival contests in Ireland, such as the Rose of Tralee contest, that require candidates of Irish descent. A deputy ”Lord Protector” as her escort, nominated on the same criteria as indicated under “M”, will also be provided.

O. In order to reflect the regional linguistic diversity of Belgium, the Parade Committee may decide to select a “Flemish Rose”, a “Walloon Rose and a “European Rose”. The Parade committee may also select an “Irish in Europe Rose” to represent the Irish Diaspora. Candidates would be nominated by IEAI Branch Clubs in Europe, in accordance with criteria to be determined by the IEAI Administrative Council.

P. The “Celtic Queen” and” Lord Protector”, their “Deputies” and the “Roses”, nominated will retain their titles for one year. They will be expected to serve as good-will ambassadors for the Parade. Should they be invited to travel to events in other countries, their expenses, within reason, would be paid by the IEAI.

Q. “Rathmullan Bō Staff”: The Parade Grand Marshal will carry, as a mark of his authority, the “Rathmullan Bō Staff”, which was cut from wood growing on the hills overlooking Rathmullan Harbour in County Donegal. This will symbolise the Flight of the Earls in 1607, the foundation of the Irish College at Louvain and the beginning of mass Irish emigration that lasted over four centuries - the result of which is a world-wide Irish Diaspora of over 70 million people today. The “Bō Staff” symbolises the historical relations between Ireland and Belgium and the struggle of all emigrants and missionaries who left Ireland, overcoming adversity and hardship in true pioneering spirit that reflects the courage and perseverance of the Irish people throughout the centuries up to the present day.