On Monday, October 16th, the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (Licra) held a ceremony to honor two teachers who were assassinated three years apart, Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard. Jean-Luc Moudenc and the elected officials of the Toulouse City Hall were in attendance.
The faces are serious on this Monday, October 16th. The representatives of the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (Licra), the mayor of Toulouse Jean-Luc Moudenc, and the elected officials of the municipality gathered at Charles de Gaulle Square to pay tribute to Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard. After the speech by Lucas Duval, national youth delegate at Licra, a minute of silence was observed. The voices joined together in singing the French national anthem to conclude the ceremony.
A « meaningful gathering »
Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard, both teachers, were assassinated three years apart. Among the audience, a feeling grips the hearts: that « nothing has changed ». « It is still the same madness. These individuals detest our values, our democracy, and the principle of secularism. Attacking a teacher is attacking the entire Republic, » Lucas Duval explains.
« This is a ceremony that was meant to commemorate the memory of Samuel Paty and unfortunately, it is weighed down by the tribute we wanted to pay to his brutally murdered colleague, Dominique Bernard. It is a gathering filled with significance, » explains Jean-Luc Moudenc. « As this tragedy repeats itself, we must fight against the risk of trivialization. This risk exists. Through this gathering, we want to shout out our faith in the values of the Republic, which have been shaken, » he continues.
Je ne peux pas reformuler.
The ceremony also allowed both Licra and the municipality of Toulouse to express their support for the teaching staff. « Education is the future of our society. Being attentive to the future is sending a message of support and confidence to the teaching staff, who are facing a difficult task. In recent years, the situation has exacerbated the challenges of their profession, » says Jean-Luc Moudenc.
« I cannot reword »
A minute of silence was also observed at the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council in tribute to Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard. « Now more than ever, the school must remain the first defense of the Republic, a place where respect for others is built through excellence, » said Sébastien Vincini, President of the Departmental Council.
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