Attack in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

Eric Berton, President of Aix-Marseille University, called this morning for the AMU community to gather at noon, on all campuses, in homage to Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher who was the victim of the attack perpetrated on Saturday 17 October at Conflans-Sainte Honorine College. In a message addressed to all, he reminded everyone that

The university is a place of education, transmission of knowledge, culture and sharing. In all this, it is a place for fighting obscurantism. I would like to express, on behalf of our teaching community and on behalf of all those who would like to associate themselves with our feelings of anger and sadness, our solidarity and our desire for harmony in the face of the tragedy that occurred on Saturday 17 October in a college in Conflans-Sainte Honorine. The teaching profession in public institutions is a strong republican symbol, to be preserved and defended as much as the values of secularism that it embodies. On behalf of Aix-Marseille University, I extend my sincere condolences and the expression of my deep sorrow to the family of the victim and his relatives. I invite all of you, at noon today, to observe a minute of silence at your respective sites, outside and in respect of the gestures that are being made.

I would like to thank each dean and campus director for kindly ensuring that this tribute is respected, before the national tribute to be paid this Wednesday, which Aix-Marseille University will join.