The French National Day celebrations, scheduled to be held at Novotel Hotel on July 14, have been postponed indefinitely in the wake of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Kolkata.
‘The new wave of COVID-19 which has recently affected West Bengal and in particular Calcutta has, however, forced me to take, in conscience, a difficult decision: to cancel the reception,’’ said Didier Talpain, consul-general of France in Kolkata, in a statement.
Commonly known as Bastille Day, the roots of this French national holiday can be traced back to the storming of the Bastille in 1789 at the height of the French Revolution. Since then, the day has been observed with much grandeur and celebrations in France and around the world.
The Indo-French diplomatic relations reflect solidarity and support in marking important cultural days of both countries in unison for the last 75 years. Like each year, preparations were in full swing and guests were invited in advance for the celebrations.
‘’I think this is a reasonable solution as the absolute priority should be the preservation of everyone's health, especially the health of each and every one of our guests,’’ said Talpain.