The tower, which will be lit on the eve of Europe Day, which is 9 May, will be an eye-catching addition to the New York City skyline.

If you are not in New York, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @EUatUN. Information on the Empire State Building can be found here: http://www.esbnyc.com.

About Europe Day

On the 9th of May 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented his historic proposal for an integrated European coal and steel community, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. This proposal, known as the "Schuman declaration," is considered to be the founding document of what is now the European Union.

By establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) on 25 March 1957 in Rome, the European Union's founding fathers laid the foundations for something greater: an ever closer union that binds together the peoples of Europe in peace, prosperity and solidarity through the four freedoms – the free movement of people, goods services and capital.  These treaties brought peace, prosperity and security to millions of people in Europe.

In 2006 Governor Pataki, State New York, proclaimed the 9th of May as Europe Day in the Empire State.