12 student representatives from Simone Veil Elementary School, accompanied by the chancellor of the Nice Academy, Richard Laganier, the academy inspector Jean-Michel Floc’h, the deputy for education to the mayor of Nice, Jean-Marc Giaume, and the school principal, Brigitte Baldit, went to Paris yesterday to participate in the Day of Remembrance for the Genocides and the Prevention of Crimes Against Humanity to pay tribute to Simone Veil at the Panthéon, where she is buried.
This European day for remembrance was adopted in 2002. The date was left to the discretion of each country. France and Germany chose January 27. It is a symbolic date as it corresponds to the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, making this year its 75th anniversary.
“It is with great pleasure and emotion that I participate in this ceremony at the Panthéon, in tribute to Simone Veil, on this particular day of genocide remembrance and the prevention of crimes against humanity,” stated Richard Laganier, chancellor of the Nice Academy. He also added, “I wish to remind that the School must relentlessly continue its mission of education and instruction to eradicate all forms of hatred, barbarism, and xenophobia.”
This tribute is also part of the memory work carried out by 12 representatives from CM1 and CM2 of Simone Veil School in Nice. The school was renamed to “keep Simone Veil alive” forever in the memory and hearts of the people of Nice, the French, and Europeans.
