In a historical peace rally, hundreds of thousands of people, along with dozens of world and Muslim leaders will march through Paris on Sunday, January 11, to denounce terrorism and show solidarity with the victims of last week attacks.
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“Paris is the capital of the world today,” President Francois Hollande said as he received dignitaries from around the world at the Elysee Palace, Bloomberg Business Week reported.
Sunday’s march will start at 3 pm at Place de la Republique, finishing at the Place de la Nation, located less than a mile from the kosher grocery where four hostages were killed.
It will comprise two routes: one, three kilometers (1.9 miles) along the Boulevard Voltaire, and a second winding further to the north along the Boulevard de Menilmontant, and along the Avenue Philippe-Auguste.
Sunday's unity rally is expected to be attended by more than a million people and about 56 world leaders.
Attendants include Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah of Jordan.
Moreover, leaders of Spain, Italy, the European Union, Turkey and Tunisia will also be attending the march.
The Interior Ministry declined to specify which route the heads of state would follow.
“I have no doubt that millions of citizens will come to express their love of liberty, their love of fraternity,” French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told an emotional rally on Saturday near where a gunman killed four hostages at the supermarket, Agence France Presse (AFP).
Along the three-kilometer route of the rally thousands of the police and troops have been deployed to guard the marchers.
“The fight against terrorism is a global cause,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Europe 1 radio today.
“There will be representatives of all countries of the world because this is a global cause.”
The rally was organized to show solidarity with the families of the victims of Charlie Hebdo attack, which left 12 people killed, including two Muslims.
The Muslim heavy participation in the rally follows huge condemnations from leaders of Muslim countries and organizations of the attack, saying the attackers should not be associated with Islam.
Check OnIslam.net special coverage on the most prominent reactions from Muslims worldwide. Check also reactions from eminent Muslim scholars on this barbaric incident. /SR
