AFP photographer, Lebanon's Christina Assi, to carry Olympic Flame in honor of fallen journalists

Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer, Lebanese Christina Assi, will carry the Olympic Flame on Sunday, July 21, in Vincennes, France, in order "to pay tribute to those who have fallen," while doing their job as journalists, a press release confirmed. 

Christina Assi, 29, was harshly injured in South Lebanon after being hit by a tank shell on October 13, 2023, while documenting clashes between the Israeli army and armed groups in the southern region.

According to a thorough investigation conducted by AFP, the shell fired by an Israeli tank killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and also injured six other journalists, including Christina, who had her right leg amputated. 

Her colleague, Dylan Collins, who will also be by her side on Sunday, was injured that day.

"When AFP was asked to carry the Olympic Flame, we thought of Christina, whose courage and tenacity are admired by everyone at the Agency,"  Pierre Galy, AFP's Head of Sport, expressed.

"Having her carry this symbol of peace sends a powerful message for her and all journalists affected in the line of duty," Galy added.

"Carrying the Olympic Flame is an emotional experience, particularly after surviving a targeted attack while I was on assignment," declared Christina Assi.

"By bearing this torch, we honor the sacrifice of those who have fallen and draw attention to the urgent need to protect those who continue to report despite the mental and physical toll," the Lebanese photographer continued.

In turn, videographer Dylan Collins, who was injured in July 2023 in a drone attack in Ukraine, remarked: "It is an honor to carry the Olympic Flame alongside my colleague Christina Assi, nearly a year after we were targeted by the Israeli army at the Lebanese border. It’s a miracle that we are still alive." 

"We are carrying the Flame to pay tribute to all the friends and colleagues we have lost this past year, to all the journalists killed or wounded while simply doing their job," the American journalist noted.