Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland took part in a colloquy on the topic "Is the defence of human rights in Europe outdated? The Council of Europe is more necessary than ever", organised in Paris on 12 September by the French National Assembly and Senate, as well as a number of high-level meetings.
The speakers included Claude Bartolone, Speaker of the French National Assembly, Harlem Désir, French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Robert Badinter, former French minister, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Pedro Agramunt, and numerous other eminent figures from the Organisation, both past and present.