The first of some 70 heads of state and government expected to arrive Sunday shortly after 08:15 at the Elysee Palace, hosted by Emmanuel Macron, to then participate in the commemoration of the armistice.
Emmanuel Macron welcomed, with his wife Brigitte, the red carpet leaders against dozens of photographers in the courtyard of the Elysee. The first were the Swedish, Irish, Norwegian and Algerian Prime Ministers before the expected arrival of German Angela Merkel and Canadian Justin Trudeau.
Around 9:30, the dignitaries will go to the Place de l'Etoile, at the top of the famous Parisian Avenue of the Champs-Elysées, to participate in a grand ceremony under the Arc de Triomphe, where the Unknown Soldier of La Grande rests. war.
US President Donald Trump is not expected at the Elysee but will go directly to the Arc de Triomphe. The last time Paris has hosted so many dignitaries dates back to January 11, 2015 after the Islamist attacks against Charlie Hebdo and the store Jewish Hyper Hide.
The ceremony begins at 10 am
The ceremony will begin at 10 am with a military ceremonial on the square, then continue under a shelter installed for the occasion at the foot of the Arc.
Famous American cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform the Sarabande of C-Suite No.5 for Cello in C minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, singer Angélique Kidjo will sing in tribute to colonial troops, high school students will read testimonies of 1918, and Emmanuel Macron will deliver a speech and then rekindle the flame to the sound of Ravel's "Boléro".
The French President will speak at this prestigious assembly of the past, but also and above all, he will take the opportunity to deliver his political message in favor of multilateralism in international governance, at a time when more and more countries seem inclined to turn to him the back, in the forefront of which, the United States, first power of the world.