The Grand Palais newsletter

Quadriges: What made you choose the Grand Palais as the venue for the Paris Summit?
In Paris we were looking for a central location that had prestige and was on a gigantic scale! We initially thought about staging the Summit in Marseilles, more specifically in the palais du Pharo. However, when the European countries joined the project we found ourselves with forty countries represented. For logistics reasons, the palais du Pharo, which is a superb venue, was just not big enough to welcome all the delegations. Paris became the obvious choice and nowhere could rival the Grand Palais. 
 
Quadriges: How does one go about preparing an event with more than 40 heads of state and government?
It all began with a political will on the part of the President of the Republic who, as soon as he was elected on May 6 2007, called for the creation of the Mediterranean Union. I took up my position as ambassador on the 1st of October. A diplomatic, inter-ministerial team was set up to prepare a draft for the final negotiation and launch a number of initiatives like the depollution of the Mediterranean or the Mediterranean solar plan to explore alternative energy sources. Another major task was the protocol, a mission entrusted to Jean-Pierre Asvazadourian, head of protocol at the Élysée presidential palace. The next phase was to organise the Summit in situ, with the design and scenography for the actual venue, and the press facilities.
 
Quadriges: What are your lingering memories of the Summit? What were the highlights?
The most powerful image for me was to see all these heads of State assembled around the same table, in a same spirit of active participation, ready to take up so many challenges. On a more personal level, I remember the excitement of receiving confirmation that more and more heads of State would be attending. Bringing together heads of state from Europe and the Mediterranean seemed an unrealistic challenge a few months earlier, and the project took shape, became a reality!