The wind picked up in the early hours of the morning. As if to refresh memories. Was this necessary? For here, no one has forgotten their service to the nation. On Sunday, October 15, at the Palais du Pharo in Marseilles, almost 300 people from every neighborhood of the city came to embrace, surround and thank these "committed anonymous people." And to celebrate their event, the March for Equality and Against Racism.

On 15 October 1983, eight children from Les Minguettes – a disadvantaged housing estate in Vénissieux, near Lyon – a priest, a pastor and activists (17 in all) set off from Marseille to walk to Paris. They covered more than 1,200 kilometers to denounce police violence and hatred of others, and to tell everyone they met: "We're not asking for the moon, we're asking to live, that's all!" The message was heard. On December 3, the marchers were welcomed by 100,000 people in the French capital, then by President François Mitterrand at the Elysée Palace.

Forty years on, the memories of that epic journey still live on within them. On this day of commemorating the march, almost all of them were here: from the original instigators (Djamel Atallah and Father Christian Delorme) to the companions along the way. "It's all coming back," said one of them, 61-year-old Hanifa Taguelmint.

Then came Benoît Payan's speech. The left-wing mayor of Marseille spoke of "the march of the oppressed" and solemnly added, "So today, I want to say this: The Republic cannot, can no longer, must no longer allow the breeding ground of racism, anti-Semitism, hatred of Muslims and discrimination to flourish." He concluded by announcing that Marseille would have "an avenue for the March for Equality and Against Racism."

A round of applause followed. "It's an avenue, not a dead end," said 73-year-old Father Delorme, who wasn't expecting such an engaging speech. And in front of those assembled, he said that he would have liked President Emmanuel Macron to speak like that. The death of Nahel M., killed by a police officer at the end of June, and above all the intense violence in the Middle East, are causing a great deal of anguish. According to Delorme, we need to "fight against all forms of racism" to "create a more just and therefore peaceful society." He and others believe that the march can be the "benchmark" to follow in a country that is in danger of fracturing further.

While their action has certainly opened doors, the marchers emphasized that discrimination has not disappeared. "We're sorry, we're not done fighting," said Hanifa Taguelmint, urging young people to keep up the civic and political fight.

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