By ALANA MITCHELSON
Terrorist attacks in Paris have shocked and saddened Geelong’s French community, according to a representative.
Alliance Française de Geelong president Najat Baqtatouche said local support, including Mayor Darryn Lyons’ speech at a vigil earlier this week and a phone call from Diversitat chief Michael Martinez, had touched local French expatriates.
“In recent years the number of French people in Geelong has increased noticeably and many of them responded to a spontaneous call over the weekend by the former president of the Alliance Française, Fabrice Pilon, to hold a candlelight vigil in Johnstone Park on Tuesday evening,” Ms Baqtatouche said.
Geelong Frenchwoman Marjorie Pascal-Pretre spoke at the vigil about the young ages of most of the 129 dead and over 300 injured in Paris victims.
She urged the crowd to also think of terrorism victims elsewhere in the world.
Some vigil patrons shared a drink together at a cafe afterward to honour the victims and celebrate French conviviality and joie de vivre.
