I arrived in Geneva on Sunday 4 May, and spent the next few days talking with Arita, with Henderson and others visiting his new house, out in the country, looking at the conference room at the Palais des Nations where the Assembly would meet, and revising my speech. Since there had never been a ceremony like this at a World Health Assembly meeting, a number of those involved in the action had a rehearsal at 2 pm. Then, at 4 pm, we gathered for the real thing. There were hosts of photographers, television crews and the like. I sat on the rostrum with the Director-General and Deputy Director-General, the President of the Assembly and the President of the Executive Board. The President of the Assembly spoke first, to introduce me, I then spoke as Chairman of the Global Commission (Figure 10.3) and then the President of the Executive Board presented Resolution One, accepting the global eradication of smallpox. The President of the Assembly then asked: 'Are there any objections?' After waiting for 30 seconds, during which there was no response, he banged his hammer and signed the new Assembly parchment, followed by the Director-General. Representatives of the six regions of WHO then spoke and finally the Director-General gave another short speech. Arrangements were made outside the conference room for all delegates to sign the parchment for eventual binding, and the Global Commission parchment and Resolution were placed on display in a glass case. The Director-General then hosted a reception after which I went back to my hotel and had a good sleep.