This evening the Committee organised a special commemorative event in memory of its former President, Mario Sepi, who died all too soon on 10 October at the age of 69. Led by the current EESC President, Staffan Nilsson, tributes (among others, from the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano and former European Commission President, Jacques Delors) were interspersed with, inter alia, the personal memories of the President of the Employees’ Group, Georges Dassis, one of Mario’s two Vice-Presidents, Irini Pari, and the former head of his private office, Andrea Pierucci, and these were followed by immensely touching tributes by his widow and his son. It was impossible not to be moved.  In the picture Staffan is holding up perhaps Mario’s greatest achievement as EESC President; the Committee’s ‘Programme for Europe’, a manifesto timed to coincide with the 2009 European elections campaign.