Defiantly Poignant Moment for French Business Community

19 October 2015

Defiantly Poignant Moment for French Business Community Showing Resilience in the Wake of Attacks

Tonight members and guests of the French New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and Industry will gather for an annual event that is celebrated worldwide every third Thursday in November by their countrymen.

The spirit, in the wake of the Paris attacks will be subdued, yet defiantly poignant as glasses of Beaujolais Nouveau will be poured before a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the victims and families involved in the unprecedented attacks.

The President of the business organisation, Ms Nadine Plet who has family based in Paris says Parisians are now venturing out to cafe terraces as an act of staunch unity.

Her committee in New Zealand have followed suit and decided to keep the French spirit going by making a unanimous decision to continue with the annual event that was planned months ago.

“We will stand together as one in the wake of the unforeseen and tragic events in Paris to mark our respect as a united community in the spirit of liberté, egalité and fraternité” she says.

With great resolve, she recalls words from former French leader, General Charles de Gaulle which she believes sums up the current mood of the French business community “all the revolts last only a short time. They will come and go but France will never go away.”

The ‘Entrepreneur Series’ event will feature a presentation by Mr James Robinson, husband of Ms Cecilia Robinson who was the 2013 “Young Category” winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards for her venture, My Food Bag.

It will be held from 5.30pm at Ernst & Young at 2 Takutai Square, Britomart Auckland.

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