Vincent Dujarric, new general delegate

Vincent Dujarric has been elected as the new general delegate of the Souvenir Français of Var. He was congratulated on this appointment. For his part, Alain Illich, the outgoing general delegate of the Var for the Souvenir Français, was thanked for the 12 years he spent as General Delegate of the Var. At the end of September, he was promoted to Officer of the Ordre National du Mérite, a distinction he received at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris. 'In the coming years, the Souvenir Français of Var will preserve the memory of the veterans of several disbanded patriotic associations: Rhin et Danube, the 1ère Division Française Libre, the Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Italie, the 3ème Division d'infanterie algérienne, the regiments of the Tirailleurs Africains, the Turcos, and the great Armée d'Afrique. The Souvenir Français will place flags in many schools, participate in the training of Cadets and the SNU, and organize numerous memorial activities,' insisted the General Delegate before handing over to his successor.

DUTY OF REMEMBRANCE

Yves Boyer, in charge of communication for the Souvenir Français of Var, insisted: 'The main mission of the Souvenir Français is primarily heritage-based within the framework of the duty of remembrance. No grave of those "Mort pour la France" must disappear from municipal cemeteries, no monument, no combatant stele must be abandoned. Thus, the Souvenir Français has launched an application allowing the geolocalization of all graves of our soldiers who died for France, to honor them and not forget them. This application is available on all mobile phones and is very easy to download.' Representing Renaud Muselier, the president of the Region, François de Canson, with deep emotion, recalled: 'The Congress meets, not only to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for France, but also to rekindle the flames of collective memory, so precious in a world searching for landmarks.' He added: 'The duty of remembrance is one of the noblest duties of our time. Without memory, there is no continuity, no transmission, and even less of a future. The Souvenir Français, with its 200,000 members and 1,600 local committees, embodies this mission with remarkable constancy, engraving in the marble of our national conscience the names and deeds of those who defended our freedom' (...). The vice-president of the Region concluded with these words: 'Memory is not a simple contemplation of the past. It is a commitment, a responsibility shared by each of us. By honoring today those who died for France, by remembering their sacrifice, we commit to keeping this flame alive. We owe it to them, but above all, we owe it to our children, to the France of tomorrow' (...). Addressing the assembly, Alain Illich recalled: 'The annual congress of the Souvenir Français in the Var is an event that is close to our hearts and aims to gather our active forces. It is a ceremony of tribute to those who died for France. It is a day of sharing, exchanges, and friendship. A moment that weaves strong bonds between us and the dignitaries. Their presence honors us, reinforces our convictions, and encourages us!' Then, he reported on his participation in the Assemblée Générale Statutaire of the Souvenir Français (September 26 and 27), at the École Militaire de Paris: 'It began with an interfaith ceremony at the Vaugirard cemetery in the military section where the residents of the Institution nationale des invalides are buried. This ceremony was held under the presidency of the Gouverneur des Invalides.' At that moment, he stressed: 'We are the women and men of a relay for transmitting the combatant memory of France, a relay that is already a century old!' (...).

GATHERING AND COHESION

Addressing the presidents, board members, flag-bearers, and collectors, Alain Illich admitted: 'I often think of you in the exercise of your duties at the Souvenir Français. You highlight those who gave their lives for France. You have the names of forgotten combatants inscribed on monuments. You shine a spotlight on the local pages of our history. You reach out to the greatest number of our citizens, especially young people. You are key players in the memorial life of the Var. Without you, everything stops, so let us strengthen our ranks! The Souvenir Français of Var will continue its missions for all of France's combatant memories. For it has chosen a remembrance that unites the French people and contributes to the cohesion of the Nation' (...). He continued: 'The time has come to part. This is only a goodbye! (...). It is through the Souvenir Français that I met you and lived alongside you for 12 years. You are admirable women and men! Patriots in the service of transmitting the combatant memory of France! Wonders of commitment, motivation, and humanism.' Finally, he thanked the members of the Delegation, the presidents and board members, the flag-bearers, and the collectors for their commitment and dedication: 'Together, let us share the beautiful motto of the Souvenir Français: To us remembrance, to them immortality'! •

THREE GREAT PERIODS IN THE LIFE OF ALAIN ILLICH:

The first period was that of his youth, his studies, and the awareness of the duty to serve France. It was his encounter with the conflicts in North Africa and the reality of the profession of military engineer. At 25, he was a combatant and a young Armament engineer in maritime engineering, participating in the commissioning of aircraft carriers and fleet escorts. The second period was one of responsibilities, including the nuclear tests in the Pacific, missile-launching submarines at Île Longue, works to build the naval base for nuclear attack submarines in Toulon, infrastructure for the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, test centers, and personnel management. A role he left at the age of 56, upon his appointment to the rank of Ingénieur général de l'Armement, because he was already a veteran! The third period has been that of volunteering for 25 years, at USAM, AGPM, HANDICONSEIL, ONACVG and its committees, and finally, at the Souvenir Français.