Unveiling ceremony for plaque commemorating the signing of the Leiden Statement

In January 1954, twelve astronomers from six different European nations congregated in the Senate Room of Leiden University in the Netherlands. The astronomers formulated and duly signed their names to a document intended to garner governmental support for their ambitious plan. The subsequently named Leiden Statement laid the groundwork for the ESO Convention of 1962.

To mark this milestone in the history of ESO, a commemorative plaque was unveiled outside the Leiden University Senate Room during the ESO Committee of Council meeting there on 3–4 March 2015. From left to right are seen: ESO Director General Tim de Zeeuw and State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, Sander Dekker.