On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the city of Nice paid a special tribute to René Cassin yesterday in L’Ariane.
Yesterday morning, the René Cassin elementary school in L’Ariane was buzzing with excitement. For the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the City of Nice, represented by Jean-Marc Giaume, Deputy Mayor for Education, decided to honor one of the founding fathers of this declaration.
The Deputy for Education unveiled a bilingual French/Niçois plaque. He also gave a presentation speech for an educational booklet about René Cassin. Children’s songs accompanied by the music of the Firefighters preceded the opening and visit of the permanent exhibition on the actions and work of this adopted Niçois.
René Cassin, born in Bayonne in 1887, spent a large part of his childhood and adolescence in Nice, in the Saint-Roch district. He notably studied at the Lycée Masséna.
This man of letters and science, a lawyer at the Paris Bar, a law professor, had an exemplary career, on a national, European, and global scale. René Cassin engaged in both World Wars and in many national and international organizations in favor of veterans.
Vice-President of the Council of State from 1945 to 1961, he was the main drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. A member of the Constitutional Council from 1959 to 1971, President of the European Court of Human Rights from 1965 to 1968, René Cassin was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968. He passed away in Paris in 1976 and was interred in the Panthéon in 1987.
“It’s important that children become familiar with the history of France, Nice, and the Niçois language. Passing on this declaration of a foot soldier of human rights, as Mr. Cassin liked to say, was one of our wishes. These educational booklets will be distributed in all CM2 classes in the City of Nice.”
Words that resonate with those of little Mehdi, who, alongside JM Giaume and his CM2 class, is about to embark for Paris. “Thank you for everything, Mr. Cassin. Today we are happy to have laws that everyone respects.”
A tribute ceremony also took place yesterday afternoon at the Panthéon. On this occasion, the student read a tribute letter prepared with his class before laying a wreath on the author’s grave.
