‘Thinking about the world to come...’
Paris, July 10, 2026
If questions about the future leave us puzzled, perplexed, irritated or frightened… it is because there is an urgent need to ask them. To inform these discussions, Le 106 – a cross-party collective of creatives, researchers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners from both the grassroots and the public sector, which aims to ‘reinvent public action and build society from the ground up, based on local communities, living organisms and human connections’ – organised a conference on 10, 11 and 12 June in Paris, with the aim of fuelling the debate to support societal changes towards greater justice, inclusion and respect for life.
Whilst the experts met in workshops on 10 and 12 June, 11 June saw the public welcomed into a large lecture theatre at Jussieu – La Sorbonne for a full day of discussions and debates. Territory, education, health, imaginaries… these were just some of the themes explored by around twenty recognised experts, including Cynthia Fleury (philosopher, theorist of the care society), Arnaud Brennetot (geographer – geopolitical imaginaries and ways of inhabiting space), Valérie Jousseaume (University of Nantes – geographer, territorial re-rooting and relocalisation), Carole Lipsyc (Initiative Contributive & Paris 8 — the impact of participatory activity), Franck Mouthon (INSERM — health foresight and prevention), Sébastien Podevyn-Menant (UGE & Jean Jaurès Foundation — Economic Observatory / ageing population) and Alice Guyon (CNRS — neurobiologist, biological foundations of empathy and cooperation), and many others, to bring together practical experience from the field with theory.
Despite the current climate, a glimmer of hope emerged right from the start, thanks to the guests’ enthusiasm and the audience’s keen interest. The day continued with a strong desire to find solutions to address the shortcomings of our current systems, such as more equitable access to healthcare, regulation of AI use, and a rethinking of education in line with the needs of the 21st century – which are very different from those of the 19th. For the revolution currently underway entails major changes for humanity, and at this pivotal moment, it is our responsibility – both individually and collectively – to take a fresh look at everything and imagine desirable futures in the common interest.
So, of course, we were there – and for two reasons!
- Firstly, because these issues lie at the heart of our concerns in the cultural battle we are waging to restore confidence in our collective ability to build a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable society – in short, a more humane one! And above all, a peaceful society, in which difference is a source of richness, equal rights a given, and respect for all living things an imperative. This battle is fought first and foremost in the realm of the imagination, through the narratives that unite us, shape us as a social body, and in which we can recognise ourselves and act together… This is the exact opposite of the anxiety-inducing narratives peddled by the mainstream media or by ‘algorithms designed to maximise user engagement /…/ which, in their quest to capture attention, may prioritise extreme, polarising or toxic content’. (source: Le Monde / opinion piece by economist Ekaterina Zhuravskaya)
- It was therefore only natural that Frédérique Bedos should bring this intense day to a close during a discussion with advertising executive Nicolas Bordas (We are idealist) and Philippe Rio, mayor of Grigny (91), via video link. Together, they invited us to: “Invent positive Overton windows”… For the record, this concept from the 1990s determines the degree to which an idea is accepted within a society. C. R. Llorca, co-director of the ‘Brands, Consumer Imaginaries and Politics’ Observatory, a member of the Opinion Observatory, and author, explains it as follows: ‘Let’s visualise this on a scale of 0 to 10.
Let’s imagine that the spectrum of what can be said and what is acceptable in public debate lies between 4 and 6. How can we get people to accept a statement rated at 7? Because if we say it as it stands, it’s doomed to failure. All it takes – even if it’s not automatic – is for another person to propose something rated at 8, so that, by contrast, the 7 seems much less radical.
So, are you ready to throw open the window to greater justice, inclusion and commitment to all living things?
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Founded in 2010 by journalist Frédérique Bedos, the NGO of information « Le Projet Imagine » aims to create a movement of citizen commitment with a view to a more inclusive and sustainable society.
Convinced that everyone can activate their power to make the world a better place, it raises public awareness through inspiring films and involves the public in action-oriented programs that are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals as defined by the United Nations.These programs are deployed in schools and increasingly in companies, cities and prisons.
Since 2017 « Le Projet Imagine » is officially recognized by the United Nations.