A march will be held in Paris for the victims of the attack that left 17 dead

Hundreds of thousands of people are congregated in Paris hours before starting the manifestation of homage to the victims of the attacks that left 17 dead this week in France, in which about 50 political leaders worldwide will participate.

“Paris is today the capital of the world. The whole country will rise to the best it has,” said President François Hollande to the government, shortly before manifesting in the march, which will officially begin at 14h00 GMT and which expects more than a million participants.

This march “must demonstrate the power and dignity of the French people, who will shout their love of freedom and tolerance,” Hollande said.

Among the political leaders who participate in the demonstration, are the German Angela Merkel, the Spanish Mariano Rajoy, Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu or Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas, the Italian Matteo Renzi and British David Cameron. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also confirmed their participation.