Let us blow out 200 candles today as we celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy’s anniversary!Composed in 1824, the excerpt from the prelude to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was officially adopted as the anthem of the European Union in 1985, becoming one of the most recognizable symbols of our unity.Did you know that our anthem is purely instrumental, without any words? It however speaks volumes through its melody, embodying the shared European ideals of freedom, peace, and solidarity.🎵 One anthem, a whole Union. Happy birthday, Ode to joy!#EuropeanUnion #OdeToJoy #EuropeDay