President Lennart Meri has accepted the invitation of Roman Herzog, the Federal President of Germany, to participate in the 350th anniversary celebration of the Peace of Westphalia in Osnabrück and Münster on Saturday and Sunday.

As the Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years’ War, the Presidents of the countries that participated in the war or have emerged on the territories of the countries who participated in the war at the time have been invited to the celebrations. Most presidents and monarchs of Europe, as well as the leaders of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, have promised to accept the invitation. The exhibition composed in co-operation with the Council of Europe “1648 – War and Peace in Europe”, will be opened both in Münster and in Osnabrück.

To celebrate the first extensive peace in Europe, Heads of State and other distinguished guests will visit the Town Halls of Osnabrück and Münster, where they will make and entry to the Golden Book. An ecumenical service will be held in the St. Mary’s Church at Osnabrück.

On Saturday evening, the Estonian President will participate in the Friedensforum discussion of the Westphalia Museum, where peace guarantees in future Europe and enlargement of the European Union and NATO will be discussed; the discussion will also be broadcast by TV and radio. Wolfgang Clement, President of the Nordrhein-Westfalen State, Hans Dietrich Genscher, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Janusz Reiter, the former Ambassador of Poland to Germany, will also participate in the discussion.

President Lennart Meri will return to Estonia late on Sunday evening.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 22, 1998

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