Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has participated in the Unity Rally in Paris today to show Georgia's support towards France following the terrorist attacks that claimed 17 lives over three days in a spate of incidents in France.
"The tragedy united the whole world and revealed the power of unity,” Garibashvili said following the rally.
The Georgian PM participated in the rally alongside more than 40 world leaders and emphasized his and the Georgian people’s solidarity to the French nation "in these tragic moments".
"We have arrived here to express our solidarity to the French people. France is our ally nation; we remember the state’s support in the course of the August War in 2008 [between Georgia and Russia]. Today Georgia stands with France,” the PM said.
PM Garibashvili meets President of France Francois Holland prior to Unity Rally in Paris.
He stressed terrorism was intolerable.
"Uniting against terrorism is a very significant and right solution,” said Garibashvili, who announced his French visit yesterday.
World leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas joined the beginning of the march.
They observed a minute's silence before the march began.
Leaders of France, Germany, UK, Israel - 4 of the world's biggest arms dealers - march for peace in Paris #UnityRallypic.twitter.com/4wZjofnqNt
— The Daily Rupert (@TheMurdochTimes) January 11, 2015
"Paris is today the capital of the world. Our entire country will rise up and show its best side," President of France Francois Hollande said.
"Fantastic France! I am told there could be as many as 1.3 million to 1.5 million of us in Paris," Francois Lamy, the lawmaker charged by the ruling Socialist Party to organise the rally, tweeted.
Fantastique France ! On me dit que nous serions entre 1,3 et 1,5 millions à Paris
— François Lamy (@lamy_f) January 11, 2015