Feature: France pay national tribute to terror victims

Under cloudy sky and in windy weather, hundreds of French people gathered at the Republic Square in eastern Paris to take part in a national tribute to the 147 victims killed in separate attacks in January and November 2015.

On Sunday, President Francois Hollande presided over the official ceremony during which he unveiled a memorial plaque whose text said "in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks in January and November 2015, in Paris, Montrouge and St. Denis. Here, the people of France pay tribute."

A 10-meter-high commemorative oak tree was planted at Place de La Republique. At the official memorial ceremony attended by members of the Socialist government and victims' families, French rock star, Johnny Hallyday performed his song "A Sunday in January" referring to the millions of people who took the country's streets on Sunday following the attacks at a satirical magazine and Jewish shop to denounce terrorism.

After that, French army choir sang "The names of Paris" of Jacques Brel before reading a Victor Hugo's address marking his return from exile on Sept. 5, 1870.

Hugo, one of the greatest and best-known French writers said "I only ask one thing, the union!"

With a wreath laid at the Republic statue and an observed one minute of silence, Hollande ended the public ceremony, the last in a series of memorial events started early this week.

Speaking to state-run TV channel France 2 Prime Minister Manuel Valls said honoring the victims at the first anniversary of the fatal attacks was a message of "the strength to say that we are here, we are alive."

In November, a group of French nationals claimed links with the Islamic State (IS) stormed a concert hall and targeted restaurants and a national stadium in the French capital, 130 people lost their lives in France's worst assault.

Eleven months before, the calm was broken in Paris after armed men reportedly followers of the IS killed 17 people in separate attacks targeting Charlie Hebdo, a magazine known for mocking politicians and religious leaders and a kosher supermarket. Enditem