French connection: Celebrating mutual ties amid pandemic

The day marks the end of monarchy in France.
Dr Marjorie Vanbaelinghem
Dr Marjorie Vanbaelinghem

BENGALURU: July 14 marks the French National Day, commonly known as Bastille Day, which witnesses a reception hosted by the Consulate General of France in all cities where a French foreign diplomatic mission is present. However, given the current situation, the get-together in Bengaluru took on a virtual shape, during which videos were screened to showcase activities in science, arts, culture, cinema, tourism, education, business and politics. Bengalureans like former diplomat Nirupama Rao, Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Manipal Global Education chairman Mohandas Pai were also a part of the online event.

The day marks the end of monarchy in France. On July 14, 1789, there was a storming of the prison that held revolutionaries that fought against the abuse of power – the episode is forever remembered as a turning point of the French Revolution. Consul General, Dr Marjorie Vanbaelinghem, who is finishing the first year of her term as Consul General in Bangalore with jurisdiction including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, stated that she had appreciated the co-operation from local authorities when it came to helping her team evacuate the French tourists that were stranded after flights were suspended.

“The authorities helped with the evacuation of French tourists who needed to return home, in so many ways, at so many different levels, from Gokarna to Vijayawada, from Mysore to Hyderabad. Like India, France has paid a heavy tribute to Covid-19. 

We need solidarity in times like these and I’m happy to see solidarity at ground level,” she said. Mazumdar-Shaw shared how she views the world through a different lens, with Covid having disrupted everyone’s lives. “Today the French motto of Liberté, Egalitéet, Fraternité is so relevant. We are seeking freedom from this viral disease. We also realise that every one of us the world over needs equal access to life saving healthcare, and finally, we need to come together to fight this global pandemic,” she said. 

Hoping to work together in architecting a new post-Covid world, Pai said, “To me, France is also a role model in the way we live, in the way we handle culture, and in the way we look at the higher aspects of life.” He also attributed France with having a great mathematical tradition and added, “It is the perfect place for new start-ups in technology and to make sure that you can use technology to make innovation happen and make the world a better place.”

Marking Bastille Day 
For French citizens, French National Day is celebrated as a sign of national union. The values Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité (liberty, equality, fraternity) are embodied on this day with public balls and parties. The official function includes a military parade on the Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the French President along with other officials and foreign guests. A detachment from the Indian Army paraded for the first time on foreign soil in 2009 on the invitation of the French government, underscoring warming relations between the two countries.

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