A very successful event.

About 3000 people came together to write the words “paz” (peace) on the sand at Hermanville-sur-Mer.

“We are really thrilled!” said Janou Bonnel, from the Ingrid Betancourt Normandy Association a few minutes after the event. Dominique from the Tours support committee was finally taking it easy; “An hour and a half ago I would not have believed it!”But it was done. Almost 3000 people came this Sunday afternoon to Brèche Square in Hermanville-sur-Mer to the north of Caen.

They came to spell out the word “paz” (peace) on the sand, in the colours of the Colombian flag. The people wearing yellow caps formed the letter P; those wearing blue caps the letter A; the red caps spelled out Z. The three letters seen from the sky formed the symbolic word. This image will travel around the world to bring a message of support to the hostages held in Colombia, among them Ingrid Betancourt and Clara Rojas.