Kim Wilde – Belgium’s choice for the great EU 50th birthday bash

She is most famous for singing about kids in America. Now Kim Wilde has been cast as a symbol of European unity.

She will star at an evening of veteran rock stars being offered to Belgians as a suitable way of marking the EU's half century. If that appears a little incongruous as a way of marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, there are further unexpected delights.

Brussels, home of the European Commission and Parliament, will stage the open-air concert with a lineup of pop veterans including Nana Mouskouri — who in the 1990s was an MEP — and Wilde. Nick Boyles, Wilde's agent, said that she was not being paid for her appearance and would sing two songs — her recently rereleased 1980s hit You Came as well as Together We Belong.

"It is quite an appropriate title," Mr Boyles said. "We are not being paid and she is delighted to be participating."

In Ireland and the Netherlands, special EU prayers will be said in churches on Sunday, while in Luxembourg there will be an 8km EU walk taking in the birthplace of Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the EU.

Danes will mark the occasion with free buns. Estonians will plant trees. Czechs can run a half-marathon — and Cyprus has an open day at its local EU office. Slovenes will be treated to a parachute jump by sky-divers sporting the EU colours of blue and gold stars. In Madrid, students will build a “giant puzzle” of the 27 member countries. Malta is holding a firework display, a film festival, several concerts and even a European jobs fair.

Some countries appear to have planned their events with symbolism in mind. Luxembourg is staging a circular walk. Bulgaria, Finland and Slovakia are offering debates or conferences. But Sweden has not even tried to be subtle: it is holding a Europe seminar.

It might be enough to have Swedes queueing to see Wilde, who since her 1980s heyday has turned herself into a celebrity gardener in Britain while maintaining a musical following in Europe, particularly Germany and Belgium. Last year a single spent nine weeks in the German top 100.

France has tried harder than most, shooting a film to be shown on national television on Sunday. Nous nous sommes tant haïs ( How We Hated Each Other), a film about the reawakening of love between a Parisian barmaid and a former German officer who lost contact for five years after a wartime affair. The tear-jerking, European Commission-funded made-for-TV romance of Marie and Jörgen has become the latest vehicle for inspiring mass enthusiasm in the European Union.

Their story, a heavy-handed allegory for the unification of Europe, starts when they rediscover each other on May 9, 1950, the day that Schuman, France’s Foreign Minister, called for a Franco-German coal and steel community. Jörgen is by now a journalist covering the momentous events and Marie a sultry barmaid with a 5-year-old boy.

Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, said that he was unlikely to watch the film.

“What nonsense,” he said. “Girls will fall for foreign soldiers with or without the European Union. The whole 50th anniversary party is a desperate attempt to show how delighted everybody is with the EU’s birthday — but the only ones who are really happy are those in its pay.”

Plans for simultaneous dance festivals in every country were dropped because states said it reminded them of Soviet-style mass participation “fun”.

How to celebrate 50 years of Europe

Austria: Young rock bands
Belgium: Veteran pop stars
Britain: Football match
Bulgaria: University debates
Cyprus: EU office open day
Czech Republic: Half marathon
Denmark: Free buns
Estonia: Tree planting
Finland: Public debates
France: Romantic movie
Germany: 27 nightclubs
Greece: Multimedia artwork
Hungary: All-night concert
Irish Republic: Prayer for Europe
Italy: 27 art masterpieces
Latvia: Documentary films
Lithuania: Science symposium
Luxembourg: Circular walk
Malta: Film festival
Netherlands: Church services
Poland: Academic conference
Portugal: Local musicians
Romania: EU internet chat room
Slovakia: Student conference
Slovenia: Parachute jump
Spain: Giant puzzle
Sweden: Europe seminar