50 th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions: Official programme for 12 August 1999

 10 a.m. Alabama Room, Geneva Town Hall  

- Signing of the Solemn Appeal by leading international figures

 11.15 a.m. Place des Volontaires  

- Inauguration of the " Banners " exhibition, designed by Françoise Bridel, by ICRC President Cornelio Sommaruga

- Start of the performance by violinist Vanessa-Mae

 11.45     a.m.  

- Opening of the room in the Forces Motrices building to the public

 12 noon Forces Motrices building - Official ceremony  

- Welcoming addresses (in chronological order): Mr Pierre Müller, Mayor of the City of Geneva; Ms Martine Brunschwig Graf, President of the Council of State of the Republic and Canton of Geneva; Ms Ruth Dreifuss, President of the Swiss Confederation

- Musical interlude by Vanessa-Mae

- Public reading of the Solemn Appeal by Mr Cornelio Sommaruga

- Addresses by the signatories of the Solemn Appeal and by Ms Trix Heberlein, President of the Swiss Federal Assembly

 1.40-2 p.m.  

- Press conference at the Forces Motrices building

 3-4 p.m.  

- Special session of the Jean Pictet Competition. Pleading and role-playing in international humanitarian law

 8.30 p.m. Forces Motrices building  

- Charity concert by Vanessa-Mae and the strings of the Geneva Chamber Orchestra in aid of the victims of the Sudanese conflict

In the afternoon of 12 August, as the various events take place and as material becomes available, the ICRC will publish on the Internet the official text of the Solemn Appeal, the addresses given by the speakers and a selection of high-resolution pictures illustrating the day's proceedings for print media. A verbatim transcript of the press conference will also be available as from Friday the 13th. The photos may be freely used, but credits must be included. All this material can be found at the following address: http://www.onwar.org/12aug