The central high school of Châtenay-Malabry, a town near Paris, has been renamed after Missak and Mélinée Manouchian by the unanimous decision of the council of the ÃŽle-de-France region, informs the Armenian Embassy in France.
This is the first school in France to be named after the Armenian hero of the French Resistance Movement, Missak Manouchian.
The ceremony began with students reading Missak Manouchian’s poems. The school principal, along with history and philosophy teachers, gave speeches highlighting the purpose of the initiative and emphasizing the importance of immortalizing the heroic figures of Manouchian and his comrades, who are now resting in the Pantheon among France’s greatest figures, by the decision of the French president.
The ceremony was attended by Carl Segaud, the Mayor of Châtenay-Malabry and a member of the ÃŽle-de-France council, Georges Siffredi, the President of the Hauts-de-Seine department, Benoît Trévisani, the Prefect of the department, Hasmik Tolmajyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to France, as well as the academic director of public education services in Hauts-de-Seine. Also present were Pierre Ouzoulias, Vice President of the French Senate, members of the National Assembly and Senate, representatives of regional, departmental, and city authorities, as well as members of the French-Armenian community.
In her speech, Ambassador Hasmik Tolmajyan expressed gratitude to Mayor Carl Segaud for the initiative to rename the school after Manouchian. The Ambassador emphasized that Missak Manouchian, through his exceptional struggle and unforgettable heroism in the fight for the liberation of France, and his boundless dedication to universal values, has become an important symbol of Armenian-French friendship. His heroic and selfless struggle continues to inspire the young generation in France.
At the end of the ceremony, students performed unique renditions of songs by Charles Aznavour.
Missak Manouchian lived in Châtenay-Malabry at 44 Jean Jaurès Boulevard from 1931 to 1933.
