On 10 April 2026 the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, delivered a speech at the opening of the René Cassin, a fighter for peace exhibition at the Strasbourg National University Library.

President Guyomar, who wrote the foreword to the exhibition catalogue, emphasised that the event was a way to spread “far and wide the incredible story of a man who spent his entire life fighting to defend human rights and to promote justice and peace”.

Looking back over Cassin’s work, President Guyomar praised how he “put his ideas into practice, making the law a true language of action that could transform utopian ideals into reality”.

President Guyomar also called attention to Cassin’s teachings, pointing out that humanism and universalism were inextricably linked and that there was no better way to secure peace than through law and justice. He added: “Through the lessons he taught us, the way his thinking aligned so perfectly with his commitment, his optimistic resolve, his unwavering perseverance and the high bar set by his actions, he inspires us and reminds us of our duties.”

Lastly, President Guyomar mentioned that in March, in order to embed this legacy in the very walls of the Human Rights Building, the Court had paid tribute to Cassin by naming a seminar room the “René Cassin Room” and equipping it with a permanent exhibition entitled René Cassin: Universal Patriot. René Cassin was the Court’s first French judge and its second President.

• Speech by President Mattias Guyomar (in French only)