In celebration of New Rochelle's founding by French Huguenots 329 years ago, the New Rochelle Sister City Committee hosted a Bastille Day ceremony on Friday, July 14. This French national holiday, recalling the storming of the king’s political prison, recognizes the French Revolution as a result of the lessons learned in the American Revolution and ideas in our Declaration of Independence.

The ceremony included greetings by Mayor Noam Bramson, a short talk on sister city initiative programs by Committee Convener Peter A. Korn and a brief note on “Why We Celebrate Bastille Day” by Sheila Sarkar, Committee member.  Celebrants and guests witnessed the raising of the tri-color of the French Republic and join in singing, “La Marseillaise” and "The Star Spangled Banner".