July 14: We rekindle the flame of Liberty
On July 14, Philippe Leonelli, mayor of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, showed the spirit of the Republic with a deeply human vision of the world to build.
More than a commemoration, his speech took the form of a meditation on what connects, what elevates, what, in our societies, remains and inspires: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Eternal words, unconditional values, to be passed on like a sacred fire to every generation. Thus, the mayor invited us to go beyond the festive appearances: "This July 14, we will not only light the evening fireworks in our Mediterranean sky.
We will also, and above all, rekindle the flame of Liberty, conquered at the cost of courage and hope." With these words, he recalled that liberty is neither guaranteed nor abstract: it is a conquest, a fragile and indomptable force that animates peoples and illuminates their future.
HORIZON FOR LIBERTY Quoting Victor Hugo, "Liberty begins where ignorance ends," the mayor wove a link between the opening of the mind, the search for truth, and the emancipation of human beings. Liberty is this breath that allows everyone to "think, believe, hope, love" and to be fully oneself. He paid tribute to those who, through their commitment and sometimes their sacrifice, allowed liberty to become this universal good, this inalienable right of every conscience.
"Courage is to seek the truth and to speak it, it is not to submit to the law of triumphant lies," recalled Jean Jaurès.
Fraternity, a demanding value, "is not decreed, it is built, it is cultivated in the simplest gestures and in silent solidarity." Philippe Leonelli paid tribute to all those who bring this bond to life: associations, volunteers, children, elders, Cadets de la Défense, and those who look after the most vulnerable. In these impulses of the heart, in these outstretched hands, "the Republic finds its deepest roots."
To embody this fraternity is to act here and now, in every gesture offered without expectation of return, according to the exhortation of Albert Camus: "Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present." For if the past teaches us and the future inspires us, it is indeed in the commitment of the eternal present that everything is at stake.
THE REPUBLIC, A LIVING HOUSE Once again, the mayor reaffirmed: "The Republic is not a frozen monument, but a very living house. It belongs to us, it is built every day: on the beach, in our hills, in the heart of our towns and villages, at school, at the market, between generations." "The Republic must not be, cannot be a frozen memory like an old ship high and dry.
It is a boat that sets sail every morning. It is up to us to hoist the sails and steer straight, despite the storms."
The mayor made two wishes. That Cavalaire remain "this port where Liberty docks, where Equality breathes, where Fraternity circulates like the wind from the open sea"; and that the commune continue to embody a supportive, open town, confident in its roots and its youth, "hope of a more fraternal, truer, more sincere future." Finally, Philippe Leonelli expressed his gratitude to all those who, through their commitment, dedication, courage, and generosity, make the republican ideal live and shine: teachers, associations, volunteers, municipal workers, law enforcement, firefighters, caregivers, rescuers, vacationers, residents...
"Watching over the lives of others is an act of fraternity of the highest degree," concluded the first magistrate.
• In the presence of: Élisabeth MORIN - CHARTIER, honorary European Member of Parliament, Olivier CORNA, first deputy mayor, Philippe VANDEVELDE, master of ceremonies and deputy for patriotic associations, The elected officials of Cavalaire, La Croix-Valmer, and the golfe de Saint-Tropez, Lieutenant SCHWALM, head of the Cavalaire fire and rescue center, Major Christophe CUENIN, commanding the La Croix-Valmer gendarmerie brigade, Raymond LEFEBVRE, chief of municipal police, Marc-Emmanuel QUIROARD - FRILEUSE, director of the SPL Port-Héraclea, Claude BOYMOND, president of the golfe de Saint-Tropez committee of the Légion d'Honneur, Representatives of patriotic and memorial associations, of Provence 44 and Mémoire Bormes 44, of the SNSM and the CCFF de Cavalaire, The Cadets de la Défense, The children of the Conseil Municipal des Jeunes.
En présence de : Élisabeth MORIN - CHARTIER, députée européenne honoraire, Olivier CORNA, premier adjoint, Philippe VANDEVELDE, maître de cérémonie et adjoint aux associations patriotiques, Les élus de Cavalaire, de La Croix-Valmer et du golfe de Saint-Tropez, Lieutenant SCHWALM, chef du centre d’incendie et de secours de Cavalaire, Major Christophe CUENIN, commandant la brigade de gendarmerie de La Croix-Valmer, Raymond LEFEBVRE, chef de la police municipale, Marc-Emmanuel QUIROARD - FRILEUSE, directeur de la SPL Port-Heraclea, Claude BOYMOND, président du comité du golfe de Saint-Tropez de la Légion d’Honneur, Les représentants des associations patriotiques, mémorielles, de Provence 44 et de Mémoire Bormes 44, de la SNSM et du CCFF de Cavalaire, Les Cadets de la Défense, Les enfants du Conseil Municipal des Jeunes.
Photos PRESSE AGENCE.