Paris Commune Day
March 18 · Level 9 · #312 of 2238
Paris Commune Day recalls the uprising of March 18, 1871, which opened the way for the Paris Commune. Labour and left-wing movements remember it as an attempt to give ordinary city residents a greater role in government.
How it is celebrated: commemorations include historical talks, debates and gatherings. In Paris, flowers are laid at the Communards' Wall in Père Lachaise Cemetery to honour those killed during the Commune's suppression.
The Commune lasted only about two months. Its brief experiment in government has nevertheless generated more than a century and a half of debate.