WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday congratulated the people and the government of France as they celebrate its National Celebration (La Fête Nationale) on Wednesday.

“On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of France as you celebrate La Fête Nationale on July 14,” Clinton said.

Clinton remarked that France and the United States have bonds dating many centuries old. Since French explorers helped map and build America, to the assistance provided to the emerging U.S. in its revolutionary war, and to the friendship between the Marquis de Lafayette and General George Washington.

In the U.S. cultural development, French writers, thinkers, and artists have had a significant impact in it. One more example is the Statue of Liberty, given as a gift to the American people by France.

The statue is an enduring symbol of the U.S.-France common values and aspirations. Over time, it has also become a national symbol and treasure; as well as an inspiration to the people seeking freedom everywhere.

“The United States and France have stood side by side and championed universal human rights and democratic principles. We were allies in the First and Second World Wars, and we promoted post-war stability and European unity together through the Marshall Plan,” Clinton said.

In recent times, the U.S. and France are partners in NATO, the UN, and other international organizations. Both nations continue to promote peace and progress as well as preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and violent extremism.

The French national holiday is also known as Bastille Day. It resembles the 1790 celebration of the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison. On July 14, 1789, insurgents attacked the fortress which was a symbol of the old regime. After hours of combat, the prison fell, marking the beginning of a new era for France.

Each year it is celebrated on the Champs-Élysées Avenue in Paris with a grand parade. The parade shows all military units of the nation and recently France has invited neighboring countries to participate in the festivities.

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