PARIS – A ceremony in memory of all victims of terror attacks is being held on Monday in Paris as France is still under a state of emergency.
The names of the victims of attacks carried out by Islamic extremists last year in Paris and in July in Nice are to be read during the ceremony, which also remembers those killed in attacks in Brussels, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali.
The ceremony, organized by associations of victims, is gathering hundreds of families and people injured in the attacks, in the presence of President Francois Hollande and former President Nicolas Sarkozy.
“Our country had never been attacked to this extent, with such destructive rage, with such barbarian cruelty. That’s why it was so important for names, all names to be evoked,” Hollande said.
He insisted on the need for support, protection and help for survivors and their families. Medical and psychological care must be provided for free, he said.
“You’ve been through a tragedy, yet you want to live, you’re fighting for it, and you will stand up again. Your energy is an example,” Hollande told survivors attending the ceremony, praising their force and courage.
Security and the fight against terrorism are major issues ahead of France’s presidential election in April-May 2017.
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