Did you know that the most North Westerly border of the European Union is the one between Belleek and Ballyshannon? A cross border Partnership between the two towns aims to highlight this, with a unique celebration of European Culture on the theme ,'Europe Starts Here'.

Isobel Cleary, the Project Officer for Belleek Erne Partnership explained: "We are at the North Western edge of Europe and we think that is something to celebrate. Don't think of West Fermanagh / South Donegal as being a neglected outpost on the periphery of Europe, this is indeed where it all starts!

"We want people to take pride in their area, as the beginning of something much bigger, and to celebrate their common European Nationality, along with the many fellow Europeans we have welcomed into the area in recent years".

Local schools are being invited to research Member States of the EU and do a display on each country.

The Belleek Erne Partnership also plans to release hundreds of balloon as part of a cross-Border Balloon Race 'Balloons Across Borders'. Local children will be invited to write their messages of peace to be released on the balloons.

The Partnership is involving local groups who work with people who have moved from other counties, to put on displays highlighting arts, crafts, food, music, dance and culture from other EU countries. Project Staff also want to hear from people from other European countries who have moved to the area, or indeed from any part of the world who are now living in this part of Europe.

'The Strengthening Cross Border's Project of the Belleek Erne Partnership is part-financed by the European Union through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the Cross Border Consortium.

If you would like to know more, or to get involved with this celebration, the organisers would very much like to hear from you. Contact Isobel Cleary or Leza Monaghan at 028 68659041 (048 68659041 from R of I) or email bepartners@freenet.co.uk