French President Emmanuel Macron pledged today, Sunday, that 2024 will be a year of pride and hope for the French as the country prepares to host the Summer Olympic Games and the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral after it was devastated by fire. Macron stated, "Once every century, the Olympic and Paralympic Games can be hosted, and once every millennium, a cathedral can be rebuilt... 2024 is a year of determination, choices, recovery, and pride. In fact, it is a year of hope."
Macron's remarks came in a televised speech ahead of New Year's celebrations, during which authorities will deploy nearly 90,000 police officers and 5,000 soldiers to maintain security and address what the government describes as an "extremely high" terrorist threat.
Macron indicated that France will continue to "rearm" itself regarding security matters and will support public education and social cohesion. He sought to uplift the spirits of the French after a year marked by wars and crises abroad, as well as protests against pension system reforms and outbreaks of violence on the streets following the police killing of a teenager in Paris.
