On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Winston Churchill's famous speech in Zurich, the University of Zurich's Europa Institut will welcome Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on Wednesday 16 September 2026, to give a lecture entitled "From Zurich to Strasbourg: European unity in a time of war and rupture".
Towards a Council of Europe
On 19 September 1946, Winston Churchill made his historic call in Zurich for the foundation of a "United States of Europe", making the case to set up a Council of Europe to rebuild the continent after the Second World War. Less than three years later, this idea took tangible form with the establishment in 1949 of the Council of Europe, whose headquarters would be in Strasbourg.
Eight decades later, with war raging in Europe again, democratic principles being eroded and the international legal order being questioned as never before, Alain Berset will look at current events and explore the relevance of this legacy. In his lecture, he will highlight the fundamental part that democracy, human rights and the rule of law play in preserving European security, peace and unity.
This event forms part of the Churchill lectures, held every year by the Europa Institut, bringing together leading figures to discuss major European issues. The presence of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe underlines the historic and symbolic link between Zurich, where Churchill gave his keystone speech, and Strasbourg, the European capital of human rights and the headquarters of the Council of Europe.
Europa Institut - Churchill Lecture 2026
