European Employment Circus comes to town

On the 1st and 2nd April 2009 a very different kind of circus will be in town. The European Employment Circus will be promoting jobs, skills and opportunities from a local to a European level. The circus will be calling at Glyndŵr University in Wrexham, and the event forms part of an EU-wide campaign to inform people from all backgrounds about what a Social Europe can do for you, especially during the current period of economic downturn and rising unemployment.

Social Europe impacts on subjects that are very close to people's daily lives: jobs, employment, skills and equal opportunities. The circus tent will provide a lively and colourful background to a number of workshops and presentations aimed at students, businesses and those seeking new opportunities – either at home or further afield in the wider European Union.

Information will also be available at the event from a range of partners who all play a part in delivering social policies and benefits in Wales and the UK.

"Workers and job-seekers around Europe are among those benefiting every day from the EU's employment, social and equal opportunities policies, from those who find a new job through the EURES portal to the 9 million people trained by the European Social Fund each year," said European Commissioner for employment and social affairs, Vladimír Špidla. "This event aims to present these activities in a fun and accessible way so people can find out what social Europe can do for them."

The event will be officially launched at lunchtime on Wednesday 1 April and there will be a panel discussion on Thursday 2 April from 7.00-9.00pm, following the theme of the event, on the topic "The Economic Tightrope". The debate will be open to members of the public, following presentations by guest speakers. 

The European Employment Circus campaign is an initiative of the European Commission's Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Directorate-General, following the launch of the Renewed Social Agenda in July 2008, and has been organised in Wales by Europe Direct Llangollen and Glyndŵr University. The campaign has previously visited Cyprus, Malta, the Czech Republic, France and Slovakia. After its stop in Wrexham, which will be the only visit of the Circus to the UK, the campaign will continue on to Thessaloniki, Lisbon and Paris in May.