Commemorations of the July 14, 2016 attack: a time for reflection before the national tribute

The day after the march of remembrance that brought together several thousand people, the commemorations of the attack of July 14, 2016 in Nice continue. Gathered in the gardens of Villa Masséna, the families of the victims attended an interreligious ceremony, organized by the City of Nice, in the presence of representatives of various faiths and the mayor, Éric Ciotti. A time of prayer, remembrance, and unity in tribute to the 86 people killed and the hundreds of wounded from this attack that deeply marked the city.

86 candles for 86 angels

The setting is sober: rows of chairs have been set up under stretched canvas to protect guests from the sun. In the gardens of Villa Masséna, only the notes of a violin break the murmur of conversation, as families and representatives of various faiths take their seats.

At 4:30 p.m., the ceremony begins with a highly symbolic moment: two voices, one male and one female, recite the names of the 86 victims. In the assembly, the fans offered by the town hall to combat the heat are lowered as are the gazes. Reverence imposes itself, almost naturally. As each name is pronounced, a candle is lit at the foot of the stage. One by one, the flames illuminate the mourning of families and loved ones, so that the memory of those who lost their lives on the Promenade des Anglais, ten years earlier, remains intact.

“Tonight, we do not come to celebrate, we come to stand together”

Representatives of various faiths then succeeded one another on the stage for a time of prayer in tribute to the victims. In turn, each spoke a few words according to their tradition. While the prayers were different, they carried the same message: one of unity, solidarity and fraternity. Michel Seliniotakis, rector of the Greek Orthodox church of Saint Spiridon, called for the fight against terrorism not to be considered as a struggle between different cultures. For his part, the representative of the Muslim community, Sheikh Khaled Bentounes, expressed the wish that “our children and grandchildren could build a world with one another, not against one another.”

Interreligious dialogue is presented as a response to terrorism. All launch the same call for unity. “Tonight, we do not come to celebrate, we come to stand together,” summarizes Éric Ciotti at the beginning of his remarks, before adding: “He (the terrorist, editor’s note) wanted to divide, he did not win (…) We owe to those who survived, a city where Christians, Jews, and Muslims meet without fear.”

Through these speeches, the ceremony sought to remind us that, ten years after the attack, the fight against terrorism also passes through the preservation of bonds between communities.

Ten years later, emotion remains strong

Before leaving, families, representatives of faiths and officials laid, in turn, a white rose at the foot of the memorial monument, where the photographs of the 86 victims are displayed. Nearby, two musicians perform “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel. Loved ones linger for a moment before the portraits. Some leave with misty eyes, as if, ten years later, the emotion remained intact.

This interreligious ceremony marked another time of mourning before the national tribute scheduled for Tuesday, July 14. Another step in these commemorations, where the city of Nice continues to keep the memory of the victims alive while reaffirming its message of unity.