Hope/despair, realism/idealism: a clash of oxymorons!
Paris, April 27, 2026
Our annual event: the World Forum
‘Normandy for Peace’
[Hopes] for Peace
For this eighth edition of our World Peace Forum, we have chosen a title that may seem enigmatic, but whose very ambiguity underscores the gravity of the moment.
Just as a single prefix can be enough to tip the balance from hope to despair, we are convinced that every gesture, every word and every glance is of crucial importance. The beauty or ugliness of the face our world will present tomorrow depends on the quality, sincerity and generosity of these impulses.
What can one say about the tension that hung in the air as the public gathered?! Donald Trump had just posted an ultimatum on his social media platform, Truth Social, one with tragic, not to say genocidal, undertones. How can one measure the anguish that must have gripped the hearts of ninety million Iranians during those dark hours? Seized by dread, the international community asked itself: have we reached the point of no return?
At such times, the chance to break out of isolation and join a gathering of like-minded people feels like a blessing. Together, we were able to reflect and forge new bonds of solidarity. More than ever, our Forum resonated with a pressing need: the need to bring peace to the world.
1) Can young people still change the world?
We have chosen to open our forum with this question. Why this choice? Because following successive waves of themed protests — the climate emergency championed from 2018 onwards by ‘Fridays for Future’, launched by Greta Thunberg; the fight against racism with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in 2020; and the demand for women’s dignity during the Iranian uprising ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ in 2022 — we have witnessed, over the past two years, a profound transformation in youth activism and its undeniable rise in influence.
The years 2024 and 2025 thus saw far more intense and radical action, at times taking on an insurrectionary character to the point of bringing down authoritarian or corrupt regimes. Given this, who would still dare to claim that young people have turned their backs on politics?
As a member of the Forum’s Scientific and Strategic Council, Bertrand Badie goes so far as to advocate for the relevance of a generational approach to issues related to peace and international security. It must be said that for many years he has been developing and promoting a social and societal interpretation of the world’s transformations.
To highlight the diversity of profiles and backgrounds among these committed young people, François-Xavier Priollaud (Vice-President of the Normandy region in charge of International Relations) and Frédérique Bedos brought together activists from Madagascar, Palestine, Ireland, Colombia and Haiti for this first plenary round table. Because each of them puts their courage and intelligence at the service of an ideal, their determination impresses us as much as it inspires us. The audience was won over; we hope you will be just as much.
[Watch the recording of this session here]
During the second part of this first morning plenary session, we gathered immediate reactions from the following speakers:
Elizeu Chavez Jr: Chief of Staff at the United Nations Office on Youth.
Delphine Alles: Vice-President of INALCO, the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilisations.
François Taddéi: Founder of the Learning Planet Institute.
Thanks to their insights, we have been able to move away from an overly uniform or monolithic view of Generation Z’s ‘identity’, and above all to better grasp the uniqueness of Momentum.
Complexity and nuance: these are precisely the principles that have guided us since the start of the ‘Normandy for Peace’ initiative.
[Watch the recording of this meeting here – second part from 1:52:00]
2) How can we save international law?
Driven as ever by the ambition to offer a sustainable future for generations to come, our forum examined the imperative of safeguarding international law. Although it still withstands the trials of the present, the spectre of its demise is now a real one. The entire multilateral framework inherited from 1945 is faltering with it, threatening to undermine the very foundations of our collective security.
To kick off this discussion, we turned to Dominique de Villepin.
His insights, drawn from decades of government experience, shed light on a field of action situated at the intersection of politics, law and ethics. By combining pragmatism with determination, the former Prime Minister delivered a masterclass, providing the essential keys to understanding the complexity of today’s challenges.
To further our exploration of this multifaceted issue of upholding international law and multilateralism, we have brought together the following figures for a single round-table discussion:
- Nicole Ameline: former minister, member of the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council.
- François Alabrune: Ambassador to the Netherlands and France’s candidate for the post of judge at the International Court of Justice.
- Anousheh Karvar: Chair of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation and the French Government’s Delegate to the ILO.
- Céline Bardet: lawyer and international criminal investigator, founder and President of the NGO ‘We are not Weapons of War’.
- Frédéric Pierucci: former senior executive at Alstom, founder of IKARIAN and author of the book ‘Le Piège Américain’ (The American Trap), published in 2019 by Delcourt.
What is their view of the state of the world, its unpredictability and the madness that seems to be taking hold of international relations?
To find out, watch the replay of the round-table discussion from 59:20: [Replay of this meeting here]
3) Generation Z: revolution or disillusionment?
Young people again! Well, yes!
Because, as you know, at Projet Imagine, we firmly believe that the world of ideas only comes to life when it is put into practice. All over the world, a new generation is rising up, getting involved and speaking out. Who are these young people? What drives them and what makes them unique?
By giving them a voice, by discovering their journeys and their struggles, we invite empathy and, by extension, the emergence of a new ‘intergenerational partnership’. In this attitude of listening, we believe, lies the promise of a new solidarity.
Ten years ago, when we founded this World Forum for Peace, we established a fundamental principle: peace is everyone’s business.
So, will we leave our young people alone on the front line facing the storms? Or will we choose to walk alongside them, offering them the foundation of our experience? From this fruitful collaboration, a future with an unexpected face could well emerge: one that is more humane, more just… and more peaceful.
From left to right: Briona COLLINS, Adelin PIERRE, Frédérique BEDOS, Leonardo PARRAGA, Christine LUTRINGER and Noor HIJAZI.
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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.
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