Addressing global challenges requires cooperation, not division

France's ambassador to Arnaud Suquet during Ukraine's National Day celebrations at the Alliance Francaise, Nairobi. May 19th,2023. [File, Standard]

On July 14, 1789, the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille, a symbol of monarchical power. While this event marked a turning point in French history, the revolution’s broader legacy lies in the values it helped shape: Freedom, equality and shared belief in human dignity.

These ideals — embodied in the 1789 French Declaration of Human Rights— helped inspire later global milestones such as the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Kenya’s national anthem — “Natukae na undugu, amani na uhuru” — and France’s national motto — “liberté, égalité, fraternité” (freedom, equality, fraternity) — reflect a common commitment to these universal principles.