Tribute Day to René Cassin (1887–1976)

50th anniversary of his death — Institut de France, Paris

On Friday, 20 February 2026, the Institut de France will host a tribute day to René Cassin (1887–1976): a symbolic date to recall, fifty years after his death, the strength of a legacy that continues to shed light on our time.

An exceptional jurist, a key architect of Free France, and a patient builder of fundamental guarantees, René Cassin did not merely defend principles: he helped give them legal form, universal scope, and, above all, effectiveness. Through him, a certain vision of human rights is being honored—one in which law protects, limits arbitrariness, and transforms moral indignation into enforceable obligations.

A day supported by major institutions

Organized jointly by the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the Council of State, the European Court of Human Rights, and the René Cassin Foundation – International Institute of Human Rights, this day will take place in Paris, at the André and Liliane Bettencourt Auditorium (Institut de France, 3 rue Mazarine, 75006).

Elle sera placée sous la présidence de Bernard Stirn, Secrétaire perpétuel de l’Académie des sciences morales et politiques.

Pourquoi commémorer René Cassin aujourd’hui ?

L’ambition de ce rendez-vous n’est pas de figer Cassin dans une commémoration : elle est d’ouvrir un espace de transmission.

René Cassin appartient à ces rares figures dont l’œuvre oblige à penser le présent. De la guerre à la paix, de l’engagement à l’institution, de la fidélité à la République à l’invention d’outils internationaux de protection, son parcours dessine une trajectoire où l’exigence du droit rencontre la nécessité de l’histoire.

At a time when human rights are being tested by violence, disinformation, the temptation of permanent exception, or the weakening of the rule of law, returning to Cassin means reaffirming a simple conviction: there is no lasting peace without guarantees, no living democracy without oversight, and no genuine freedom without institutions capable of defending it.

A programme linking history to the contemporary challenges of human rights

Throughout the afternoon, the presentations will highlight several facets of René Cassin, and the coherence of a single struggle: that of making human dignity justiciable.

The sessions devoted to “René Cassin in the face of History” and “René Cassin in his time” will recall his role in Free France, his intellectual and public action, and the way his work is embedded in the upheavals of the 20th century.

The screening of archival footage (INA) will give substance to this narrative: not a mere illustration, but a living memory that conveys the depth of a commitment and the gravity of an era.

For more information, we invite you to consult the detailed programme.

Cassin’s legacy: a method, a course, a standard of rigor

The day will then lead to what constitutes the core of Cassin’s message: the rule of law as the practical condition for human rights.

By bringing together voices from major institutions and academic reflection, it will connect Cassin’s experience to decisive contemporary challenges:

• the robustness of judicial guarantees,

• the value of archives and sources for truth,

• education in human rights as a culture of peace and responsibility.

Through these themes, a thread emerges: René Cassin’s legacy cannot be reduced either to a prestigious biography or to a symbol. It is a method—rigorous, patient, and demanding—for building concrete protections and making law a bulwark against arbitrariness.

Practical informations

• Date: Friday, 20 February 2026

• Location: Institut de France — André and Liliane Bettencourt Auditorium
  3, rue Mazarine, 75006 Paris

• Organizers: Academy of Moral and Political Sciences · Council of State · European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) · René Cassin Foundation – IIDH

Registration (required)

Registration link:

https://www.eventbrite.fr/e/billets-journee-dhommage-a-rene-cassin-1887-1976-1978146170446