France honors teachers Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard

Commemorative events were held on October 16 and 17, 2026, to honor Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard, two French teachers killed in extremist attacks. In Paris, leaders from the Grand Orient de France, the Grande Loge Féminine de France, and the Fédération Française du DROIT HUMAIN gathered at Square Samuel-Paty to defend Republican values, secularism, and freedom of conscience.

A second tribute took place in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine at the middle school where Paty taught. These ceremonies aimed to ensure the memory of the victims remains a living responsibility regarding the defense of knowledge and the right to think freely.

The killings of Paty and Bernard have sparked ongoing debates regarding radicalization, free speech, and how democratic societies confront extremist violence. The incidents, involving attacks motivated by political and religious ideologies, highlight the challenges of protecting secular education and democratic principles in the face of extremism.