Hello!

We were at the Arc just after dusk this past Monday night and there was some kind of ceremony centering around the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, featuring a band playing Anchors Aweigh and the Star Spangled Banner and lots of marching around with flags. We never figured out what was going on. Does anyone know? Thanks very much!

MLK's birthday?

We considered that, but they had several people arranged around the tomb for the ceremony and none of them were black. In fact, I think the only black person involved was the guard keeping onlookers back. And Anchors Aweigh doesn't seem very appropriate for MLK!

The Flame of Remembrance is ceremonially rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM by an association that includes veterans and/or victims of war. That's probably what you saw.

Martin Luther King is no more known in France than Charles de Gaulle is known in the U.S., and nobody knows or cares about his birthday. Remember that you're not in the United States when you travel in Europe, and the way things might be on Main Street back home doesn't necessarily have any correlation with the way they are halfway around the world.

This Month's France Mag.(the Us one)
has a cover and a story inside with more photos on Josephine Baker.
The Arc:
It could have been for MLK. we won't know til someone who lives or was there knows,

I live there. It wasn't for MLK. France doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving or George Washington's birthday, either.

Thanks Anthony , now I know you live in Paris and whom to direct some questions
But this one is for you...what does your
GA stand for???

Those are the initials of my middle and last names.

And all this time I just thougt you were just a sweet southern GEORGIA guy! Lol!

>Martin Luther King is no more known in France ....around the world.<

Aw, c'mon AGA. Does everything have to have a smiley.

AnthonyGA
>The Flame of Remembrance is ceremonially rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM...<

Thanks.

being france it could also be some sort of strike

AnthonyGA, I thought you were from GA but I think you might be from my neck of the woods.

Maybe throughout January there's some extra celebration at the evening rekindling ceremonies because the unknown WWI soldier was placed there in the month of January. Maybe the anthems and patriotic songs of various allies are played each Monday in January, or several times during the month, and maybe you just happened to be there on the evening that was set aside for the USA.

Just guessing, really. I have no idea.

<nobody knows or cares about his birthday>
It always amazes me when people on this forum finds it necessary to get all snarky over an innocent and non-confrontational question. Flame of Remembrance seems most likely, although the concentration on American flags and songs was somewhat puzzling. I know who Charles de Gaulle was and I'm sure several French people both know and care about MLK, even without celebrating his birthday.

I think maybe I found the answer. The Arc was closed for renovations til the end of December said an article I had read. so it could be the reopening ceremony.

The renovation has to do partly with safety standards. I suspect that part was prompted by the suicide of an American student back in May.