Cambridge, Massachusetts, 29 May 2019: Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at Harvard University. She was the main speaker at this year's Commencement and was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree. The evening before the ceremony she attended a banquet hosted by University President Lawrence Bacow in the Memorial Hall.
Cambridge, 30 May 2019: The next morning. The excitement is growing. More than 15,000 graduands, students, parents and staff, await the start of Commencement.
Angela Merkel waits with the others who are to be awarded an honorary doctoral degree at the start of the university's 368th Commencement celebrations.
On the way to the ceremony the Chancellor greets graduands.
Angela Merkel was awarded the honorary degree by Harvard in recognition of her untiring efforts to foster international cooperation, and ensure respect for human dignity and democratic ideals.
She was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree from the Harvard Law School.
Harvard's Commencement ceremony follows time-honoured traditions.
Before celebrations continued, the Chancellor met with the Governor of Massachusetts, Charles Baker, in the Widener Library.
In the afternoon Chancellor Angela Merkel held the closing speech in front of this year's Harvard University graduates. "Anything that seems set in stone or inalterable can indeed change."