Rio pays tribute to sister city Nice

Olympic host Rio de Janeiro held a moment of silence for its French sister city Nice.

Rio de Janeiro: Olympic host Rio de Janeiro held a moment of silence Sunday for its French sister city Nice, the popular Mediterranean destination where a recent attack left 84 dead.

Dozens of people tearfully gathered outside Rio`s French-Brazilian cultural center for the memorial that included moving renditions of the French and Brazilian national anthems.

"The Casa Franca-Brasil is symbolic of the French-Brazilian friendship," said Brice Roquefeuil, France`s consul general in Rio. "It felt necessary to pay homage to the Nice attack victims."

"We have received many expressions of solidarity from our Carioca friends," he added, using a term that refers to Rio residents.

Brazilian singer Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz who performed in Nice last year suggested organizing the event.

Brazil has said it will bolster security for next month`s Olympics in the aftermath of the attack on France`s Riviera city, which saw a man ram his truck into crowds gathered to watch the Bastille Day fireworks.