GLOBAL LEADERS ATTENDED THE PARIS PEACE FORUM AND COMMEMORATION OF ARMISTICE

USPA NEWS - In the afternoon of Sunday, November 11, 2018, more than 70 heads of state met at the Halle de la Villette (Historic Place Parisien de l'Est, along the banks of Canal Saint Martin) to participate in the Forum de the peace. This is the first edition of this peace forum that was decided by President Macron and coincide with the commemoration of the armistice of November 11, this year, marked by the centenary. The French Head of State has therefore taken the initiative to invite dozens of heads of state (Presidents, King of Morocco, Prince of Monaco and Prime Ministers and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Secretary General of the UN and the Managing Director of IMF and Managing Director of OECD). This meeting around peace wanted the French side was the second highlight of this day of commemorations of the Great War, after the ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. This first edition is brought to renew each year at the same date.

In the afternoon of Sunday, November 11, 2018, more than 70 heads of state met at the Halle de la Villette (Historic Place Parisien de l'Est, along the banks of Canal Saint Martin) to participate in the Forum de the peace. This is the first edition of this peace forum that was decided by President Macron and coincide with the commemoration of the armistice of November 11, this year, marked by the centenary. The French Head of State has therefore taken the initiative to invite dozens of heads of state (Presidents, King of Morocco, Prince of Monaco and Prime Ministers and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Secretary General of the UN and the Managing Director of IMF and Managing Director of OECD). This meeting around peace wanted the French side was the second highlight of this day of commemorations of the Great War, after the ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. This first edition is brought to renew each year at the same date.--------------------------------------------- Another Forum of Peace, wanted by Hervé Morin (former Minister of Defense and currently President of the Normandy Region), is held in Normandy coinciding with the commemoration of the Liberation of France, June 7-8, 75 disembarkation by the Allies during the Second World War of 1939-45, in Normandy Ouistream, near Caen).--------------------------------------- The World Forum is the culmination of the great project "Normandy for Peace" which accompanies throughout the year dozens of initiatives highlighting the universal values “‹“‹of peace and freedom in Normandy and internationally.------------------- At the grand hall of La Villette, alongside representatives of civil society, the 70 heads of state debated global governance and displayed their commitment to multilateralism, the ideological base of international relations since the end of the Second World War. It was noted that Donald Trump was the head of state who stepped down from this event, although present in the morning at the commemoration at the Arc de Triomphe. The American President, also addressed his speech at the American cemetery of Suresne, (at 15:32) at the same time or Angela Merkel (15:30) spoke at La Villette as an introduction to the Peace Forum. The speech of Donald Trump lasted 10 minutes, to honor the death of this cemetery is the symbol of the commitment of the United States in this conflict. It hosts the graves of 1,541 American soldiers who fell during the First World War and who passed through the American Hospital of Paris, Neuilly-sur-Seine (Paris region). Mr. Trump then left Suresne and headed for Orly airport (Paris region) where he must fly on board Air Force One for Washington. The French president and his German counterpart, Angela Merkel, have argued for strong multilateralism, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned against a "gear" similar to the 1930s. their speeches.

« WE ARE WEAKENED BY THE RETURN OF SAD PASSIONS », PRESIDENT MACRON STATED Emmanuel Macron: "We are weakened by the return of sad passions" In a keynote address to inaugurate the Peace Forum, which "is meant to be repeated every year," the French president appealed to history to warn the world against the return of nationalism that led to the two world wars. in the 20th century. If we are here today, it is because all those who fell a hundred years ago, as Clemenceau said, have rights over us. " Emmanuel Macron, French President said during his statement addressed at the Paris Peace Forum. He continues  " We are weakened by the return of sad passions, nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, extremism, which challenge this horizon that our people are waiting," then Emanuel Macron acknowledged  "History will no doubt hold an image, that of 84 heads of state and government (and leaders of international organizations) gathered, whereas yesterday they represented belligerent nations, gathered under the Arc de Triomphe in peace ", added the French president in this brief welcome address. But what remains uncertain for the future is the way in which this image will be interpreted: will it be the brilliant symbol of a lasting peace between nations, or, on the contrary, the photograph of a last moment of peace? unity, before the world sinks into a new mess? "he asked. "And that depends only on us".

ANGELA MERKEL THE CHANCELLOR EVOQUE THE "FUNERAL CONSEQUENCES OF ISOLATIONISM------------ German Chancellor Anglea Merkel opened the first edition of the forum defending "joint action" and international cooperation. "Angela Merkel then recalled during her speech that:" The First World War showed us the fatal consequences of isolationism " She also expressed her "anxiety to be confronted again with a blinkered nationalism, that one begins to act as if one could simply ignore our reciprocal commitments". We can see that international cooperation, a peaceful balance between the interests of one another and that even the European peace project is once again in question.------------------------------------- Angela Merkel, German Chancellor at the Peace Forum warned about "Challenges, threats for us today, generally we can not pick them up and solve them on a national level so we have to vote for this joint action ", highlighted. "The First World War showed us the disastrous consequences of isolationism If, 100 years ago, isolation was not a solution, how do you expect isolation to be a solution today? a totally networked world? "wondered Angela Merkel

UN SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUITERRES WARNED ALSO ABOUT NATIONALISM AND POPULISM UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke just after the German Chancellor. Antonio Guterres stressed on : "Many elements today seem to me to borrow in the 30s" He also worried about the « rise of nationalism and populism and warned against a geopolitical "gear" similar to the one that led to the First World War and the disastrous consequences of nationalism in the 1930s. Many elements today seem to me to borrow and at the beginning of the 20th century, and in the 30s, leaving fears an invisible gear, "he said.