7.4.08

Ingrid Betancourt (2) and Paris Marathon

Sunday morning the annual Paris Marathon race took place. 30 000 participants. I was not awake in time to see the departure on the Champs Elysées, but I was at the arrival on Avenue Foch – too late to see the winner, Tsegaye Kebede in 2h 06’ 40”, but in time to see some of the best arrive. A bit later the number of arrivers increased. Some were extremely exhausted. I was not alone, some 200 000 people watched the race.
Later during the day I joined a march from Opéra Garnier to the Nationl Assembly, gathering some 10 000 people. This was part of different actions taken in order to hope for the release of the French-Colombian citizen, Ingrid Betancourt (former Colombian presidential candidate) and others kept in hostage in the Colombian jungle by the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) organization; Ingrid since six years. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has made strong appeals to the different parties concerned, an army airplane has been sent to Bogota with negotiators and medical help; Ingrid is supposed to be in a very bad shape. (See also my previous post from February 25.)

Before the march, speeches were made by some of Ingrid’s family members (sister, son), by the Argentinean President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, by the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, among others.

In the march participated also a number of ministers and other prominent personalities, including the wife (Carla) and the son of our French president.

Although I was fairly in front of the crowd at the Opera house, I could not get any pictures of the personalities – too many official photographers - who later had to make their way through the crowd in order to take the lead of the march. I managed to get a few shots of some personalities on the arrival point, the National Assembly. Then I joined children and grandchildren for a visit to the Paris Museum of Modern Art (no photos this time).

18 comments:

Azer Mantessa said...

what a crowd.

modern art should be interesting. unfortunately no pics :(

Jessica said...

So... you'll run next year? Can you imagine running a marathon? I am in awe of anyone who crosses that finish line! I enjoyed seeing the crowd that came out to watch. Thanks for the pics, Peter!

SusuPetal said...

A lot of people in the move!
Read about that demonstration just from the paper.

Have a nice week, Peter!

Olivier said...

bonne idée ce melange des deux, l'un joyeux mais tres douloureux dans le coprs et la tete et le deuxieme (si j'ai bien compris c'est la derniere marche blanche que fait son fils) plein d'espoir mais rempli de douleur pour les otages.
"...
Qui t'ont fait prisonnière
Otage précisément
De leur triste guerre
Perdue depuis longtemps

Eux qui voulaient jadis
La liberté, le droit
Crachent sur la justice
En s'en prenant à toi

Ils méprisent la vie
Et la femme que tu es
Au bout de leurs fusils
La victoire est fanée

Nous t'attendons Ingrid
Et nous pensons à toi
Et nous ne serons libres
Que lorsque tu le seras..."

Renaud

alice said...

Chacun court après des buts différents...

Anonymous said...

No boring place this your Paris :)
It`s fine to travel Monday morning in so different interesting places and see their happenings, thanks again your excellent post.

Cergie said...

Et pourtant ta famille fait à présent partie des people du blog...
Je suis fière de toi : parti après les autres, tu es arrivé avant eux ! Malgré ton genou fraichement opéré, dis donc !

Deux manifestations différentes.
Merci d'avoir rendu compte, d'avoir témoigné.

Shionge said...

What a buzz in the city ya Peter....I feel energizer already :D

Anonymous said...

This is a beautiful set of photos Peter. I liked being able to see a lot of different people running. Did you enter the race too?

Thanks for visiting my blog, this morning, and seeing the tiny fly on the honey bee.

Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio.

di.di said...

Just one great time after another. It must be exhausting.

Anonymous said...

J'ai regardé hier matin quelques extraits du marathon sur france 5. C'est toujours impressionnant de voir les gens en plein effort alors que moi j'étais calée dans mon fauteuil. Mon père est un grand sportif, à son âge, il fait encore le marathon de l'Engadine à ski de fond. Là aussi c'est impressionnant de voir cette marée humaine dans les étendues blanches.
Pour ce qui est de la marche blanche, cela me sidère de voir comme la politique peut fonctionner ou plutôt ne pas fonctionner du tout. Dieu seul sait les magouilles qui se trament derrière une éventuelle libération, les concessions de part et d'autre et en attendant tout cela, les otages souffrent ainsi que leur famille. quelle force de caractère pour supporter tout cela. Vraiment... nous vivons une drôle d'époque. Je t'embrasse cher peter

claude said...

Dimanche c'était Ingrid et le Marathon de Paris.Today c'est le Tibet et la flamme olympique. Le problèmpe c'est qu'Ingrid bétancourt est toujours prisonnière et le Tibet aussi !

hpy said...

Il y avait une participante de Fécamp via Londres. Mais je ne connais pas son score.

Peter said...

azer:
Of course I took some pictures, but not really good for showing here.

jessica:
No, I heve never tried the marathon. I did a lot of running until a couple of years ago, but never more than 30 km = 3/4 of a marathon.

susupetal:
So, now you got a confirmation!

Peter said...

olivier:
Oui, je crois qu'on espère que ça soit la dernière marche, mais... Ingrid est toujours la bas!

alice:
C'est bien ça! ... et moi, j'ai couru entre les manifestations.

leenam:
Maybe a bit less of movements at Johensuu?

Peter said...

cergie:
Tu peux oublier mon genou! Je n'y pense plus (sauf que j'évite les sauts en hauteur).

shionge:
I feel that you are never short of energy!

oldmanlincoln:
No, not particpating in the run, but partly in the march for Ingrid ... and of course between the manifestations.

Peter said...

di.di:
Not really, but you know now that I walk with perhaps a bit more pleasure than you! :-)

delphinium:
Tu as très bien resumé une situation compliquée!

claude:
Voir le post suivant!

Peter said...

hpy:
19657!