01 October 2019
Commemorative ceremony at Strasbourg Opera House
Opened by Mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, the 70th anniversary ceremony also featured interventions from former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González, PACE President Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the European Court of Human Rights, Linos-Alexandre Sicilianos and newly-appointed Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić. Musical interludes were provided by the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra and by Duncan Laurence, the winner of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
The highlight of the ceremony was an address by President Emmanuel Macron of France, who urged the assembled guests to face future challenges with optimism and courage.