18 November 2016
At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Mr. François Hollande, Dan-Viggo Bergtun, President of the World Veterans Federation, took part in the French Armistice Day Ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. This event is organized every year on November 11 to commemorate the Armistice signed between the Allies and Germany, which ended World War I.
Mr. Bergtun was accompanied by Mr. Laurent Attar-Bayrou, President of SPIA. On this occasion, he had the opportunity to talk to the President of the French Republic, Mr. François Hollande and thanked him for his invitation in person.
The President of the WVF also met many leaders of the veterans’ affairs in France such as Mr. Jean-Marc Todeschini, French Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Mr. André Rakato, Director of the French National Office for War Veterans and Victims of War and Mr. Robert Créange, who represented our Member Association in France, the UFAC.
Meeting influential French officials has been very important and spending time in Paris and opening up so many contacts has been a very productive outcome.
President Bergtun promised that the WVF would increase its efforts to re-establish itself as a key player in the veteran issues in France, home of its Headquarters.