Frédérique Bedos awarded the Grand Gold Medal

Friday, november 13, 2026

On Monday, 2 November, at the Maison des Polytechniciens (Hôtel de Poulpry) in Paris, the Société d’Encouragement au Progrès (S.E.P.) (the Society for the Encouragement of Progress) awarded its highest honour, the 2026 Grand Gold Medal (Gustave Eiffel Class), to Frédérique Bedos. The founder of Le Projet Imagine shares this distinction with two figures of global influence:
  • Jean-Baptiste Kempf, President of Vidéolan and open-source advocate, creator of the remarkable VLC media player, which has been downloaded more than 7 billion times worldwide.
  • Bertrand Piccard, explorer and environmentalist, best known for his historic round-the-world flight powered by solar energy aboard Solar Impulse.
As the only woman and the sole representative of the non-profit sector in this trio, Frédérique’s long-standing commitment to the common good has received landmark recognition.
A Grand Gold Medal was also presented that evening to Brazilian astronaut Marco Pontes, part of the Class of 2023. 

A century-old humanist institution

Born out of the excitement surrounding the World’s Fairs of the early 20th century, the S.E.P. was founded in 1908 by a group of visionary scientists and inventors, including the Lumière brothers. 
Like many historic French institutions, it remains something of a discreet treasure outside France — yet within the worlds of science and culture, its highest honour, the Grand Gold Medal, is often quietly referred to as France’s answer to the Nobel Prize.

At a time fuelled by the momentum of great discoveries, its founders had a clear ambition : to ensure progress serves as a driving force for human advancement. The S.E.P. refuses to reduce progress to mere technological achievement. Instead, it celebrates its ethical and philosophical dimensions – the only ones capable of ensuring that innovation truly elevates civilisation, protects life and fosters the fulfilment of future generations.

Every year, the S.E.P. awards Bronze, Silver, Vermeil and Gold Medals in France and around the world. The Grand Gold Medal, its supreme distinction, is reserved for individuals who have left a lasting mark on science, exploration and humanism… By honouring Frédérique Bedos this year, the S.E.P. places her in the compagny of illustrious past recipients who embodied this same ideal: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Albert Schweitzer, American virologist Jonas Salk (developer of the polio vaccine), Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl (Kon-Tiki), aviation and space pioneers Jacqueline Auriol and Claudie Haigneré, and, more recently, astronaut Thomas Pesquet. 

It is a source of immense pride for Frédérique and the entire Le Projet Imagine team to see the NGO associated with this legacy of boldness and service to Humanity.

S.E.P. President Jean-François Roubaud, delivered a warm tribute to Frédérique before she was presented with the medal by Frédéric Mazzella, founder of BlaBlaCar and himself a recipient of the honour last year. They were joined for the official photograph by Denis Jager, General Treasurer of the S.E.P. and Coordinator of the Medallists’ Club.

A Gustave Eiffel Class programme with a global outlook

In total, of 17 remarkable career paths were celebrated in this Gustave Eiffel Class, with recipients hailing from France, Brazil, Switzerland, India, Morocco and Romania. It reflects the S.E.P.’s commitment to amplifying voices and initiatives from around the world. 
During the ceremony, Frédérique was particularly moved by the inspiring story of Kinjal Damani, a young woman from Mumbai, who received the Bronze Medal. Having moved to France in 2007, this Doctor of Education champions a teaching philosophy rooted in care, trust and personal fulfilment. Through her organisation, Avena Domi CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (ADVENA DOMI CRE), she founded an international private school that now supports 250 pupils thanks to a team of 27 teachers guided by these core values. These shared commitments point to the tremendous bridges we can build together in the years ahead!

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