On 5 May 2026 the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, visited René Cassin secondary school in Strasbourg, where he had the opportunity to speak with students about the Convention system and the work of the Court, as well as about major societal issues. The visit marked the first in a series of Q&A sessions with secondary-school students, entitled “Ask a Judge”, which the President would like to roll out across Europe.

During the two-hour session, organised as part of a tribute to René Cassin on the 50th anniversary of his passing, the President encouraged students to draw inspiration from the teachings of Cassin, a “teacher of hope”, to have confidence in themselves, to remain committed to humanist values, and – above all – to never give up.

He also invited them to visit the Court and its recently inaugurated exhibition on René Cassin.

During the Q&A session, the President answered numerous questions from students regarding the functioning of the Court, the impact of the Convention and the effects of the Court’s case-law – particularly in the areas of climate change, the right to respect for private life, and children’s rights – as well as the execution of the Court’s judgments and the Court’s visibility.

• Video