Hungarian soldiers participate in Paris military parade

On July 14, France commemorates the start of the French Revolution, the 1789 Storming of the Bastille. One of the most spectacular and significant events of France’s biggest national day is the military parade held in the center of Paris, which welcomes political and military leaders from several countries around the world every year.

The Hungarian Defence Forces participated in the event at the invitation of General Fabien Mandon, Chief of the Defence Staff of the French Armed Forces. The servicemembers of 35 nations present at the parade not only represented their own homelands but also demonstrated solidarity and cooperation among countries in alliance with France.

Speaking about the event, General Zsolt Sándor emphasized that “the Hungarian soldiers’ participation in Paris expresses their commitment to Hungary and the assumed military solidarity with our allies. Our soldiers worthily represented Hungary and the Hungarian Defence Forces through the disciplined execution of their tasks to high standards.”

The large-scale parade involved around 5000 contributing troops, some 2000 of whom marched down Champs-Élysées. The coordinated participation of servicemembers of various nations required precise preparations: they practiced joint movement and formation drills, as well as the detailed choreography of the event.

The 21 soldiers from the HDF 32nd Lifeguard Regiment arrived in Paris on July 6. Their preparation started on July 7, and over the next few days, they practiced phases of the parade together with servicemembers of other participating nations. The July 14 parade saw 20 marching Hungarian soldiers, four of whom carried the national flag while leading the unit, and were followed by the ceremonial platoon.

Through their disciplined and coordinated task execution, the Hungarian soldiers worthily represented Hungary and the Hungarian Defence Forces at one of the most prestigious events of France’s National Day.