Ici c’est Paris

I am in one of the most beautiful and famous cities in the world, Paris. For a very short stay this time, but still. I arrived yesterday, have some important meetings today and I fly to Dubai tonight. 

I have visited Parc des Princes – the legendary stadium of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) many times. But unfortunately not this time in Paris though. However I am always equally impressed when the PSG crowd chant powerfully ‘Ici c’est Paris’. This is Paris.

That famous PSG motto, telling everybody “don’t come here and think that you are somebody, that you can best us, that you are greater than us…” is so French. And I love it. I love the French mentality, the spirit, the self-confidence, the pride. We should have more of that, all of us. We should conquer it back from some elements that have sometimes kidnapped national pride and our flags. 

I have the fortune since many years to spend some of my free time in France since we have a place in the South of France. I love to be there and I love our French friends and neighbors. The French people. That is why I was so deveasted when terror hit Paris. And so equally determinded to continue to work for more security and safety in the world, fighting terrorism and organized crime – which nore and more is the same thing. 
So even only spending a few hours in Paris, is something special. When I took a very nice walk last night in a beautiful spring-Paris, talking to people on the street, I felt again. Ici c’est Paris.