[6] It included an international ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe followed by the inaugural edition of the newly founded Paris Peace Forum, plans which were already mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron in a speech published in July.

[12] Separately, he opened a memorial for fallen colonial soldiers in Reims in a joint ceremony with Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

"[15] On 10 November, invited international guests to the Arc de Triomphe ceremony, including German chancellor Angela Merkel, began arriving in Paris.

[27] Beninese musician Angélique Kidjo sang a variation of the song Blewu by Bella Bellow, paying tribute to colonial troops.

[31] The end of the ceremony included a rekindling of the Tomb to the Unknown Soldier, where Macron also laid a wreath, culminating in the "Sonnerie aux morts" and a moment of silence, followed by the "Cessez-le-feu" bugle call.

[33][34] The inaugural Paris Peace Forum was opened at the Grande halle de la Villette in the afternoon, with Macron, Merkel and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres giving remarks at its plenary session.

US president Donald Trump did not attend, instead visiting the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial as the forum took place, where he made an address before returning to the United States.

"[36] During a concert in La Force, Dordogne, violinist Pierre Hamel from the Colonne Orchestra performed using a metal violin assembled by soldiers in the trenches.

[37] A series of religious memorial services were organised for the day, including an international mass at Notre-Dame de Paris, conducted by Archbishop Michel Aupetit.

[43][44][45] Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, participated in separate commemorations at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in northern France.

In October 2018, it was reported that tributes to World War I marshals at the Hôtel des Invalides would include one to Philippe Pétain, who served in the Battle of Verdun and later headed Nazi-aligned Vichy France.

[70] A planned visit by Trump to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial, scheduled for 10 November, was cancelled due to what the White House termed "bad weather".

[72] The decision was met with criticism, particularly from former Obama national security advisor Ben Rhodes; British Conservative politician Nicholas Soames, a grandson of Winston Churchill; and former secretary of state John Kerry.

[76][77] Three Femen members staged a protest at the Arc de Triomphe on the morning of 10 November welcoming "war criminals", and were arrested by French police.

[80] Femen also claimed responsibility for an incident on the day of the ceremony in which the motorcade carrying Trump passed by a topless woman who ran towards it and was then dragged out by French police.

As the Serbian army had a pivotal role in forcing both Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary out of the war, with Serbia itself having the most extensive casualties compared to its population number and a historical friendship with France, the positioning of Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić away from the frontline seating areas in place of representatives of countries which were on the opposing side in the war or didn't even exist as separate states at the time, was taken as an insult in Serbia.

[90][91] Prime Minister Theresa May visited the Thiepval Memorial in northern France and the St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Belgium on 9 November, laying wreaths at the graves of John Parr and George Edwin Ellison, respectively the first and last British soldiers killed during the war.

The service at the Cenotaph in London began at 11 am (GMT), with a two-minute silence being observed, after which the Prince of Wales then laid the first wreath on behalf of the Queen.

The annual service at the National War Memorial was attended by Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, representing the Government, and Governor General Julie Payette.

A 100-gun salute was held at the Wellington waterfront, and two minutes of silence were observed at 11 am (NZDT), followed by a cacophony of noise replicating how the public initially reacted to the news of the armistice a century prior.

[108] In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Indian troops and pledged to "further an atmosphere of harmony and brotherhood".

[122] Public memorisation was muted, mainly owing to the defeat of the German Empire and the chronology of events resulting from the aftermath of the war.

[123] Some events were privately organised, including a religious service at the Berlin Cathedral, and an exhibition showcasing works by 31 international artists representing countries involved in WWI peace negotiations.

[127][128] President Sergio Mattarella and key political figures attended a National Unity and Armed Forces Day ceremony in Trieste marking the centenary of the armistice of Villa Giusti with Austria-Hungary.

In a speech, Mattarella described the European Union as the "highest expression of a commitment to common good" to prevent future conflicts, and highlighted the history of antisemitism in the region.

Prominent politicians, including president Andrzej Duda and former prime minister Donald Tusk, attended ceremonies honouring Józef Piłsudski, the founding father of the Second Polish Republic.

[132] Many marched in the capital of Warsaw, with one led by Duda, prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and leader of the ruling Law and Justice party Jarosław Kaczyński.