An Taoiseach is heading to the French capital in solidarity with those affected by this week’s tragedies.
Enda Kenny is in Paris today along with world leaders for a massive demonstration of international unity.
This follows the catastrophic events of the last few days, in which Islamic militants killed a number of innocent people at the headquarters of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and at a Kosher supermarket.
A French policewoman in the Parisian suburb of Montrouge was also killed.
Today’s rally in Paris begins at 2pm Irish time.
The statement from Taoiseach Enda Kenny reads as follows:
Today we march to show that Liberte, Egalite, Fraternity are written, not alone on the history and monuments of the Fifth Republic but in the hearts and minds of the people of France and our European Union.
Voltaire wrote that ‘tolerance is the consequence of our humanity’.
And today we march here in his city to defend that tolerance and humanity against the hatred and extremism that would dismantle and destroy them.
In our solidarity we show the agents of such destruction that to us their actions are anathema, their propositions absurd.
The city of Paris has known revolution, occupation terror, old and new.
Yet today in defiance of history old enemies march here to defend the values of respect, freedom, dignity and tolerance.
Values, this week so-well recited by the living so-well practised by the dead that even in the depth of darkness they confirm the city of Paris as the City of Light.
And today as we march through its streets or join in on screens across the world we are, all of us, its citizens we keep and live in its light.
Je Suis Charlie, nous sommes tous Parisiens.
Today, I say to President Hollande and his government and to the people of France and of our Union – may our presence and witness here deepen our sense of brotherhood and sisterhood.
Together, as Europeans, may we nourish our democracy, protect our liberty, cherish our way of life.
And in the face of terror may our humanity sustain us and renew us. May it be as shattering as our sadness and our silence on this January day.
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