Days before the commemoration of the November 13, 2015 attacks, over 1700 people joined a Sunday run connecting the attack sites in Paris. Organized by the French Association of Terrorism Victims, the event aims to bring life where there was death. It forms part of a triptych including a march and a fraternity village.
The run for freedom started Sunday morning at the foot of the Stade de France, in front of the commemorative plaque for Manuel Dias, the first victim of the November 13, 2015 attacks that killed 130 people and injured hundreds. Sophie Dias, his daughter, emotional, gave the start by pleading: "Let's not forget the values of the Republic." Over 1700 runners, wearing orange "13-Unis" T-shirts, covered 16 kilometers, passing through Le Petit Cambodge, Le Carillon, La Bonne Bière, Casa Nostra, the Bataclan, Le Comptoir Voltaire, and La Belle Équipe.
The initiative, led by the French Association of Terrorism Victims, originated from Catherine Bertrand, its vice-president and a survivor of the attacks. Inspired by the euphoria of the Paris 2024 Olympics, she explains: "It was France that was attacked that night, not me. Everyone is affected directly or indirectly by the November 13 attacks." The run is designed as "a positive wave that passes through there, to add life where there were deaths," she adds, highlighting the frequent forgetting of Stade de France and terrace victims.
Julie Leblanc, 30, testifies: "Ten years pass quickly and it was marked for everyone, so we must not forget and we run for that." In the afternoon, the "equality march" gathered 2000 to 3000 people around 2 p.m. at Place de la République, where Jean-Marc Domart, 80, lit a candle to say "never again." In front of the Bataclan, a solemn silence was observed, followed by applause. Leslie, 37, stresses solidarity: "It's important to show solidarity in the face of this kind of unthinkable and terrible event." Bruno Cuaz, 66, a journalist, and Claire Resonnet, 20, a student, highlight the inhumanity of the acts and the lasting cohesion.
Aurélie Silvestre, who lost her partner at the Bataclan, describes an emotional family gathering: "There are all these people around me. It's unprecedented. It's super beautiful." Catherine Bertrand reminded attendees of available psychologists for victims. A "fraternity village" was set up on the parvis of the Hôtel de Ville.