As the one year anniversary of the Paris Terror Attacks approaches, France is still a bit on edge, but organizations are trying to help citizens reel from the tragedy.
The ISIS attack, which killed 130 people, is still fresh in people’s minds. Many residents are on edge from what they saw and think the country as a whole is feeling tense. But the French government appears to be taking steps to prepare themselves if another attack occurs. NBC New York reported French authorities are working with security forces from around the world and representatives from the New York Police Department to help stop a potential future attack. Luca Augé told The Guardian the attacks have affected everyone and politicians are seeing this as an opportunity to speak up:
“France has changed dramatically since the attacks. Politicians had been making a discourse out of what it means to be French for years. But since the attacks, every party, and every politician has something to say, good and for bad. The whole political debate gravitates around what defines the fundamentals of French society and on what kind of social contract we all rely.”
Augé went on to say his hope is for the country to become united in the wake of these terrible events and that all cultures can live in cohesion. Some groups were formed in the wake of the attacks to help victims and find them support, including Life for Paris. The organization will be holding a ceremony on the anniversary of the attacks to honor the victims and survivors. Billboard reported the event will include panel discussions, musical performances and a moment of silence for those were killed in the tragedy. Organizer Caroline Langlade, who was in Bataclan concert venue when the attacks started, said one of the goals of the event is to bring survivors and those affected by the event together to make sure to realize they are not alone:
“Everybody is like one piece of a puzzle and it’s very important for us to find each other because we try to make the puzzle [complete], and it’s a collective work. So we have to find everybody to be better after. One of the problems with a terrorist attack is you feel really alone after this kind of thing. You have a lot of injuring, you feel very alone with your story. We have a lot of people who come from other cities or the country or other countries. We try to make a lot of events with all the people who can come.”
The Bataclan concert venue will start to hold concerts again, as Sting was announced as the first artist to perform there since the attacks. He will be holding a charity concert to benefit the victims.
(Via NBC News, Yahoo, The Guardian & Billboard)